Assonance (detailed)
The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words, distinct from rhyme because the following consonants differ. Assonance creates sonic harmony and musical effects, binding lines together through repeated vowel tones rather than end rhymes.
Real World
Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Bells' repeats long 'ee' sounds in 'keeping time, time, time, in a sort of Runic rhyme' — the drawn-out vowels slow the reader down, evoking the hypnotic, relentless tolling of funeral bells.
Exam Focus
Quote the specific vowel sound and link it to pace or mood — stating 'assonance is used' without this earns minimal AO2 marks.
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