Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of a series of words, next to, or near to each other.
It is a group of words that use the same letter (cake, candle) or letter sound (cake, kite) for effect.
Example 1 From everyday speech:
Tongue twisters are the most common form of alliteration: e.g.
Around the rugged rocks the ragged rascal ran.
Chester chooses chestnuts, cheddar cheese with chewy chives; he chews them and he chooses them, he chooses them and he chews them in cheery charming chunks.
Example 2 From Newspapers
Alliteration is also popular in newspaper headlines - the repetition catches the eye and encourages the reader to read the article. e.g.
TRUDY'S TRULY BETTER LIFE
LIMPING WIGAN WIN THE WAR
(from The Mirror, 12.4.99)
Example 3 From literature:
What passing-bells for these who die as cattle ?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifle's rapid rattle
Can patter out their hasty orisons
from Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen
NOTE: Look at the way Wilfred Owen uses the repetition of the 'r' sound to mirror the sound of the guns.