Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and Hyperbole

In this lesson, you will learn three more powerful literary devices that appear frequently in SET Stage 1 comprehension passages and that you can use to strengthen your Stage 2 extended writing. Understanding how and why writers use alliteration, onomatopoeia, and hyperbole will help you analyse texts with confidence and write with flair.

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Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words that are close together.

Examples

• "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
• "The silent snow settled softly."
• "Dark, damp, dangerous."

Why Writers Use Alliteration

Purpose	Example	Effect
To create rhythm	"The wind whispered and wailed."	Makes the writing musical and flowing
To emphasise a point	"Cold, cruel, calculating."	The repetition hammers home the description
To set a mood	"Slowly, silently, the shadow slid forward."	Creates a sense of tension and stealth
To make writing memorable	"Five fat fish"	The sound pattern sticks in the reader's mind

How to Talk About Alliteration in the SET