In writing, which device uses repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words?

• A. Alliteration
• B. Assonance
• C. Consonance
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (A)

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words. It creates rhythm and emphasis by lining up the same consonant sound at the start of successive words, like in “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.” That specific focus on starting sounds sets it apart from the others: assonance repeats vowel sounds inside words, not at the beginnings; consonance repeats consonant sounds but can occur anywhere, not just at word starts; and onomatopoeia uses words that imitate actual sounds.