Which device heightens mood through repetition of vowels?

• A. Alliteration
• B. Assonance
• C. Consonance
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (B)

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words, and that repetition creates a musical quality that can shape the mood of a passage. By echoing the same vowels, the line feels more lyrical and can slow the rhythm, deepening feelings like melancholy, calm, or whimsy. For example, a phrase like “the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain” repeats the long “ai” sound, which lends a soft, melodic mood to the line. This effect is distinct from alliteration, which repeats initial consonants; from consonance, which repeats consonant sounds; and from onomatopoeia, which imitates actual sounds.