Alliteration
Elementary School
Definition
The repetition of the same beginning consonant sound in a series of nearby words, such as "Peter Piper picked a peck." Alliteration creates rhythm and draws attention to phrases. It is often used in poetry, tongue twisters, and advertising.
Worked examples
"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
The repeated 'p' sound at the beginning of most words creates a playful rhythm and tongue-twister effect.
"She sells seashells by the seashore."
The 's' and 'sh' sounds repeat at the start of nearby words, making the phrase memorable and musical.
Common mistakes
- "happy / sleepy" is alliteration because both end in the same sound → alliteration repeats beginning sounds, not ending sounds Matching end sounds is called rhyme or assonance, not alliteration.
- "cat / city" alliterates because both start with 'c' → alliteration matches beginning sounds, not letters 'Cat' starts with /k/ but 'city' starts with /s/, so there is no alliteration despite the shared letter.
- any repeated sound anywhere in words counts as alliteration → only the same consonant sound at the start of nearby words is alliteration Alliteration is specifically about initial consonant sounds in a series of words close together.
Where you'll use it next
You'll identify alliteration when analyzing poetry, song lyrics, and persuasive texts like ads and speeches. You'll also use it in your own creative and persuasive writing to add rhythm, emphasis, and memorability.
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026