Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why should I use alliteration?
A: Alliteration is when words close together start with the same sound, and it can really improve your writing. It makes your words sound more musical and can help important ideas stand out, making them easier to remember. Alliteration can also create different feelings—like calmness or excitement—depending on the sounds used. Plus, it adds a fun, playful touch, especially in children's books. Overall, using alliteration can make your writing more engaging and enjoyable for readers.
Q: How can I tell if something is alliterative?
A: You can identify alliteration by listening for two or more consecutive words that begin with the same sound. It's important to note that alliteration is based on sound, not just spelling. For example, "slippery silver snake" is alliterative because each word starts with the "s" sound. However, "phone and pencil" isn't alliterative, even though both words begin with "p," because they produce different initial sounds. Interestingly, words starting with different letters can also be alliterative if they share the same sound. For instance, "fantasy phantom" is an example of alliteration because both words begin with the "f" sound, despite their different spellings. To spot alliteration, focus on the sounds at the beginning of words in phrases or sentences. If you hear the same sound repeated at the start of multiple words, you've discovered alliteration!
Alliteration in Action
"Because it was grassy and wanted wear"
Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken
1916
"Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings?"
George Orwell
Animal Farm
1945
"From forth the fatal loins of these two foes"
William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet
1597
"And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain"
Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven
1845
"She was breathing heavily, and her face was flushed"
Bram Stoker
Dracula
1897
"The ledge Stewie had found was a seven-foot drop down a tongue of slick rock"
C.J. Box
Savage Run
2002
"Willy works wonders when he wants to"
Arthur Miller
Death of a Salesman
1949
"You should have come to the cuckoo’s calling"
Christina Rossetti
A Dirge
1874
"Swinging her spinnerets into position, she attached her thread and then dropped down"
E.B. White
Charlotte's Web
1952
"Then why the devil don't you dine?"
Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities
1859
"Grant took another slug of wine, but some missed his mouth and fell in dark droplets on the table"
Robert Galbraith
The Ink Black Heart
2022