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Literary Devices

Sound Device

Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds across nearby words, especially when the repeated sounds occur within or at the ends of words.

Consonance repeats consonant sounds across nearby words, often inside words or at their ends. Listen for the recurring sound rather than matching letters, and distinguish it from alliteration's emphasis on initial sounds.

The black rock struck the dock.
The /k/ sound recurs at the ends of black, rock, struck, and dock.

See it in language

Examples of Consonance

  1. The black rock struck the dock.

    Instructional example

  2. Molly's yellow balloon floated alone.

    Instructional example

    The /l/ sound repeats in different positions throughout the phrase.

  3. The damp camp lamp flickered.

    Instructional example

    The /mp/ consonant cluster repeats at the ends of damp, camp, and lamp.

Show more examples
  1. "He struck a streak of bad luck."

    — The repetition of the "k" sound in "struck," "streak," and "luck" creates a musical effect in this sentence.

  2. "The lumpy, bumpy road wound round and round."

    — The repetition of the "r" and "d" sounds in "lumpy," "bumpy," "road," "wound," "round," and "round" creates a sense of movement and rhythm in this sentence.

  3. "Mike likes his bike."

    — The repetition of the "k" sound in "Mike," "likes," and "bike" creates a playful and memorable effect.

  4. "Pitter patter, pitter patter, went the rain on the roof."

    — The repetition of the "t" and "r" sounds in "pitter," "patter," and "rain" creates a sense of the sound and rhythm of rain falling.

  5. "I will crawl away the ball and bat and bother of the day."

    — The repetition of the "b" sound in "ball," "bat," and "bother" creates a memorable and rhythmic effect in this sentence from the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot.

Read like an editor

How to recognize it

  1. Listen for a consonant sound repeated across nearby words.
  2. Check internal and final positions, not only the beginnings of words.
  3. Use pronunciation rather than spelling to identify the recurring sound.

Meaning and effect

Why writers use Consonance

Build rhythm
Repeated consonant patterns can strengthen the pulse and texture of a line.
Develop tone
Soft, sharp, clipped, or lingering consonant patterns can contribute to a passage's tonal effect.
Organize sound
Recurring consonants create audible links among nearby words.

Common confusion

Consonance vs. Alliteration

Both repeat consonant sounds, but alliteration foregrounds initial sounds while consonance can recur within or at the ends of words.

Consonance

Repeats consonant sounds in any prominent position, often internally or finally.

“The black rock struck the dock.”

Alliteration

Repeats an initial consonant sound in nearby prominent words.

“Silver snakes slide silently.”

What's the Difference?

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Related devices

Questions readers ask

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between consonance and alliteration?

Alliteration concentrates repeated consonant sounds at the beginnings of nearby words or stressed syllables; consonance may repeat them internally or finally.

Can spelling hide consonance?

Yes. Because consonance is auditory, different spellings may produce the same consonant sound.