Want to know the best methods for how to analyse alliteration? Here are the tried and tested methods every parent of a budding essay-writer should know.
Knowing how to analyse alliteration is one of the trickiest parts of any English exam, and, to be honest, it’s rarely taught properly.
As a private tutor myself, I’ve coached many students through writing about alliteration. And no, saying that ‘p’ sounds make something powerful is NOT an adequate analysis!
From a professional alliteration-analyser (with a degree in English Literature!), here is my take on how to properly write about alliteration.
This article is all about how to analyse alliteration.
How to Analyse Alliteration
Types of Alliteration
Before we dive in, just a quick note: normal alliteration must be the first letter of the word. However, the following subsets of alliteration can be anywhere within the word.
(Well, technically, alliteration is a subset of assonance and consonance, but that’s neither here nor there!)
Also, this list is by no means exhaustive. There are many more types of alliteration, but we can’t cover absolutely everything! These are the once I personally write about and would recommend you use.
Assonance
Repeated vowel sounds – so ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’ and ‘u’. This can signify grief or crying – think screaming sounds.
Consonance
Repeated consonant sounds. This is essentially normal alliteration, except that it can be found anywhere in the word.
Sibilance
Repeated ‘s’ sounds. be aware that this could also be a ‘sh’ or ‘c’, depending on how it’s pronounced. A soft ‘c’, like ‘circle’, can be sibilant; a hard ‘c’, like ‘caterpillar’, cannot.
Plosives
Repetition of ‘p’ and ‘b’ sounds. A good way of remembering this one is to think about how it feels to say ‘p’ or ‘b’ – it feels like plosive letters explode of your lips.
Fricatives
Repetition of ‘f’ or ‘v’ sounds. Remember that ‘ph’ is also pronounded ‘f’ and therefore counts as fricative.
Guttural
Repetition of ‘g’ or ‘c’ sounds, as long as it is a hard ‘c’, as in ‘caterpillar. Guttural sounds are very throaty and sound like they come from the gut.
Writing About Alliteration
Now you know about the types of alliteration, here are a few tips you have to remember when writing about alliteration.
1. Is There a Specific Meaning?
Your first step is to ask yourself whether the alliteration sheds a particular light on your quote. For example, sibilance can either sound like a lullaby or like hissing – maybe a snake or a fire. Similarly, fricative sounds can mimic shivering or spitting. This type of alliteration analysis is the most interesting and illuminating way to analyse alliteration.
2. Does it Affect the Pace?
Long vowel sounds can slow the pace, as can ‘heavy’ or ‘weighty’ plosives. On the other hand, fricatives can speed up the pace. Ask yourself how this might emphasise the meaning of the passage – or could it undermine it?
This type of alliteration analysis is particularly important in poetry.
3. Does it Draw Attention?
The least interesting form of alliteration analysis is simply pointing out that it draws attention. In general, it’s best to avoid this one, but if you have an unseen passage or poem and you have nothing else to say, writing that alliteration draws the reader’s attention will do.
What word is the writer drawing attention to? Why might this be?
4. Is It Even Interesting?
Your final step when analysing alliteration, if you answered no to every previous quetion, is to ask yourself whether the alliteration in your quote is actually at all interesting. Writers often include alliteration simply because it sounds nice, with no deeper meaning. If this is the case, do not write about it!
And there we have it! The ultimate guide to alliteration, from the different types to a step-by-step guide to writing about alliteration. Hope it helps!
This article was all about how to analyse alliteration.
If you’d like some more info on analysing texts, you might find these articles helpful:
How to Talk About Poem Structure
Or if you’d like some tips on how to put this alliteration knowledge into an essay, have a look here: