What term means repetition of initial consonant sounds in adjacent or closely connected words?

• A. Alliteration
• B. Consonance
• C. Pun
• D. Metaphor

Answer: (A)

This item tests knowledge of sound-patterns in language. The term for repeating initial consonant sounds in adjacent or closely connected words is alliteration. It creates rhythm and emphasis by lining up the same consonant sounds at the starts of neighboring words, like "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." Consonance, by contrast, repeats consonant sounds but not specifically at the beginnings of words and can occur anywhere in a word. A pun is a play on words that hinges on multiple meanings or sounds for humor or effect, not a patterned sound at the start of words. A metaphor makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without relying on repeating sounds.