Which term is the repetition of beginning consonant sounds in nearby words?

• A. Alliteration
• B. Repetition
• C. Imagery
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (A)

Repetition of the starting consonant sounds in nearby words creates a musical, rhythmic effect. That pattern is called alliteration. You can hear it in phrases like “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” or “Sally sells seashells by the seashore,” where the same consonant sound starts several words in a row. This technique helps make language catchy and memorable, which is why it’s often used in poetry and tongue twisters. Repetition, in general, can involve repeating any word or any sound, not just the initial consonants; imagery is about describing things to paint a picture for the senses; and onomatopoeia are words that imitate actual sounds. So the term for repeating beginning consonant sounds in nearby words is alliteration.