What is Alliteration?

Find out our definition of alliteration, how writers use alliteration and how you can analyse the use of alliteration in any English exam, whether you’re studying AQA GCSE English Literature Paper 1, or preparing for Edexcel IGCSE English Language. We also include some alliteration examples from literature, with our own expert analysis.

Deb Orrock

English

Published

14 August 2024

Read time

6 minutes

Contents

What is alliteration?

Alliteration is a literary device that repeats the first consonant sound of two or more words in close proximity for stylistic effect. The repeating sound must occur either in the first letter of each word, or in the stressed syllables of those words. It is a type of figurative language often found in both poetry and prose.

For example, the phrase from the nursery rhyme "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" is an example of alliteration because the initial consonant sound of each word (“p”) is repeated.

It is important to note that alliteration is the repetition of sounds, not just letters, and alliterative words do not have to be right next to each other. For example “The king closed his cluttered cupboard” is alliterative, even though the word “his” appears between the alliterative words, and “k” and “c” produce the same sound in this example even though they are different letters.

While alliteration mostly refers to the repetition of consonant sounds, vowels can be alliterative, as long as the repetition of the vowel sound is the same. For example, “amazing American” is alliterative, whereas “oozing orange” is not as the “oo” and “o” sounds are different.

Etymology of the word alliteration

The word “alliteration” comes from the Latin word “littera”, meaning “letter of the alphabet”. The earliest known use of the noun alliteration is from the early 1600s.

Why do writers use alliteration?

Alliteration, just like any literary device, is a way of making writing more interesting and engaging for the reader. It is often used in the media and advertising as a way of grabbing a reader’s attention, with many famous businesses using alliterative names for their brands, such as Coca-Cola, Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme. These business names are made more memorable by the use of alliteration, ensuring increased brand visibility and recognition. Using alliteration is also a popular tool in marketing as it can make phrases sound fun and easy to remember, such as “Maybe it’s Maybelline”.

Alliteration is a popular tool in poetry and in song lyrics, as it can help enhance sound, lyricism and rhythm. It can be used to emphasise particular phrases or feelings, or even to overwhelm the senses, such as in Edgar Allan Poe’s most famous poem, ‘The Raven’:

“And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door”

The use of alliteration can create the effect of sound on paper, in a similar way to onomatopoeia, such as in the phrase “swishing and swaying”, or to create imagery, such as “the smooth sound of silk”, which is evocative of something that is soft and flowing.

Types of alliteration

Type of alliteration	Definition	Example
Plosive alliteration	The repetition of “p” and “b” sounds	Bouncing baby boy
Sibilance	The repetition of “s” sounds	She sells sea-shells on the sea shore
Dental alliteration	The repetition of “d” and “t” sounds	Daniel turned the table upside down
Guttural alliteration	The repetition of “g”, “r” and “c” sounds	Gordon grabbed the cat covered in cake
Assonance	The repetition of similar vowel sounds across several words	The smooth balloon flew up and blew up when it hit the roof
Consonance	The repetition of similar consonant sounds appearing anywhere in a succession of words (rather than just at the beginning of words)	A truck full of unlucky ducks had bad luck

While it is interesting to know what each of these terms means, you won’t need to know them when sitting your exams.

Examples of alliteration and how to analyse them

Like analysis of other language techniques, it is always important to comment on the effects of the alliteration you find in your texts, not simply to spot them. Comment on the additional meaning a writer is trying to convey when they use alliteration: can you interpret those deeper layers of meaning and their connotations?

Alliteration

Analysis

“I have been bent and broken, but — I hope — into a better shape” — Great Expectations, Chapter 59

This quote from Estella to Pip in Great Expectations appears in the final chapter of the novel, when Estella has matured and become more empathetic following the harsh conditions she faced in her marriage. The use of the alliterative “bent and broken” signifies how she has been moulded by Miss Havisham and shattered by Drummle, with the sounds mimicking the sounds of his blows.

Dickens also has Estella use other alliterative phrases, such as “I have a heart to be stabbed or shot in”, with the plosive alliteration adding aggression to her tone.

“... We just sit tight while wind dives

And strafes invisibly. Space is a salvo” — ‘Storm on the Island’

‘Storm on the Island’ by Seamus Heaney employs lots of alliteration to convey the struggle of the islanders against the power of nature. In this example, alliteration is used to enhance the metaphor of the wind as an enemy fighter plane attacking and bombarding the island.

For a comprehensive glossary covering all the best literary terms you could ever need (including assonance, hyperbole, juxtaposition, onomatopoeia, oxymoron, pathetic fallacy, personification, simile and more than a hundred more), check out our list of Top literary devices, complete with student-friendly definitions and examples.

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Written by Deb Orrock

English7 articles

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

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