How to Write an Alliteration
Alliteration can be used to draw attention to the most important aspects of a phrase. Or, it can be used to create musicality and rhythm in an otherwise plain phrase. In order to use alliteration,
- Think of the subject you want to emphasize.
- Think of words that relate to the subject and begin with the same sound.
- Place those words closely together in a sentence.
For example, imagine that you are trying to advertise a fantastic new clothing store is.
Normal sentence:
I love this place! They’ve got comfortable t-shirts but they also have luxurious and interesting styles as well.
You want to emphasize that this store sells clothes which are comfortable but also unique. In order to do so, begin with comfort and think of other “c” sounds:
Sentence with Alliteration #1:
Clarissa’s Closet sells comfortable clothes and creative concepts!
In this sentence, the store name is catchy due to alliteration. Its comfortable yet unique clothes are emphasized more than in the previous sentence. For a second example, begin with luxurious and think of other “l” sounds:
Sentence with Alliteration #2:
Lucy’s Boutique has luxurious and lovely clothes for ladies.
In this sentence, the store’s luxuriousness is emphasized with “l” words Lucy, luxurious, lovely, and ladies.
When to Use Alliteration
Alliteration may be used in many areas. However, it is primarily used to emphasize a certain phrase or subject. Within a speech, poem, or advertisement, alliteration calls attention to important phrases with the repetition of sounds. Specifically, alliteration is used mostly in children’s poetry, nursery rhymes, and tongue twisters in order to give them rhythm and a fun, sing-song sound. In more formal pieces, alliteration can also use hard or soft sounds to create a mood. Although alliteration is sometimes used in speeches, tongue-twisting alliteration is considered playful and less serious. Therefore, it would not be considered appropriate in formal writing such as research papers and technical writing.