Alliteration
Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words. Slithering snake is an alliteration because both words start with the "s" sound. Notable knight is an alliteration because both words start with the "n" sound (even though they start with different letters).

Alliteration is often used in everyday language, in poetry and in literature. Many common expressions are alliterative, including: building blocks, chit-chat, do or die, feeding frenzy, good as gold, hit the hay, jump for joy, leaping lizards, man in the moon, naughty or nice, out of order, pitter patter, quality over quantity, rags to riches, sticks and stones, test of time, vim and vigor, whistle while you work, yin and yang, and zig-zag. For an example in literature, a line in John Keats' "Ode to a Nightingale," repeats the b sound many times: "With beaded bubbles winking at the brim."

A related term, consonance is the repetition of consonants (or a consonant pattern), but not necessarily the vowels, as in "Santos won't want flint," in which the nt sound is repeated. The consonant sound doesn not have to be at the beginning of the word.

Another term, assonance, is the repetition of vowel sounds, as in "Do you, too, have the flu?" in which the long u sound is repeated.

Worksheets and Information:

A Treasure Trove (or Laundry List) of Awesome Alliterations A list of common alliterations. Alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.	Complete the Alliterations #1 To finish this page of alliterations, find a noun that begins with the same sound as each of the adjectives listed. Then find an adjective that begins with the same sound as each of the nouns listed. Or go to sample answers.	Complete the Alliterations #2 To finish this page of alliterations, find an adverb that begins with the same sound as each of the verbs listed. Then find a verb that begins with the same sound as each of the adverbs listed. Or go to sample answers.	Complete the Alliterations #3 To finish this page of alliterations, find nouns that begins with the same sound as each of the adjectives, find adjectives that begins with the same sound as each of the nouns, find verbs that begin with the same sound as each of the adverbs, and find adverbs that begins with the same sound as each of the verbs. Or go to sample answers.
Complete the Alliterative Sentences An alliteration is the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words. Finish the following sentences by finding alliterations for each blank. Sample sentence: Two big bears bellowed briefly. Or go to sample answers.	Write Alliterations by Category Write 5 alliteration for each category. The categories include: Food Alliterations, Sports Alliterations, Clothing Alliterations, Animal Alliterations, Transportation Alliterations, School Alliterations, Weather Alliterations, Family Alliterations. Or go to sample answers.	Write Common Alliterations by Category Write 5 common alliteration for each category. The categories include: Food Alliterations, Sports Alliterations, Clothing Alliterations, Animal Alliterations, Transportation Alliterations, House Alliterations, Character Name Alliterations, Miscellaneous Alliterations. Or go to sample answers.	Find an Alliteration for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down an alliteration for each letter of the alphabet. Find alliterations for as many letters as you can. Or go to a sample answer page.
Find an Adverb-Verb Alliteration for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down an adverb-verb alliteration (for example, accurately adding) for each letter of the alphabet. Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Animal Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and an animal word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "angry ape"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Astronomy Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and an astronomy word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "alarming asteroid"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Bird Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a bird-related word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "amazing archaeopteryx"). Or go to a sample answer page.
Find an Adjective plus Body Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a body-related word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "aching ankle"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Clothing Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a clothing word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "antique apron"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Fish Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a fish-related word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "adorable anchovy"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Food Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a food word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "awful apple"). Or go to a sample answer page.
Find an Adjective plus Insect Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a insect-related word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "angry ant"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Mammal Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a mammal-related word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "apt antelope"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Plant Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a plant word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "average acorn"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Find an Adjective plus Sports Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a sports word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "avid archer"). Or go to a sample answer page.
Find an Adjective plus Vehicle Word for Each Letter See if you can think of and write down a phrase with an adjective and a vehicle word for each letter of the alphabet (for example, "ancient auto"). Or go to a sample answer page.	Peter Piper Tongue Twisters Read nursery rhymes that contain tongue twisters, and see some common tongue twisters.	Write Alliterations by Theme Finish ten alliterations related to a theme, then write five other alliterations related to that theme.	Match and Unscramble the Alliterations Match the words the make alliterations for various themes, then unscramble the words the make more alliterations.