Consonance - GCSE English Literature Definition

Key Takeaways

• Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of nearby words

• It can appear anywhere in a word or words, not just at the beginning

• Poets use consonance to create mood, reinforce meaning, and add musicality to their writing

• Consonance differs from alliteration (which repeats sounds only at the start of words) and assonance (which repeats vowel sounds)

• Recognising and explaining the effect of consonance is a valuable skill for poetry analysis 

What Is Consonance?

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, usually within the same line or sentence. The repeated sounds can sit anywhere in the word: at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end. Think of the phrase "pitter-patter" and you'll hear the repeated ‘t’ sound running through both words. That's consonance at work.

The term comes from the Latin consonare, meaning "to sound together". It's one of several sound devices that writers use to shape how language feels when spoken aloud.

Consonance Meaning in Poetry

In poetry, consonance creates rhythm and tone. When a poet threads the same consonant sound through a stanza, it pulls words into a closer relationship. Readers often hear this effect before they consciously spot it. A line heavy with ‘s’ sounds might feel hushed or sinister. A line packed with ‘k’ and ‘t’ sounds might feel sharp and abrupt.

Consonance works quietly. Unlike rhyme, which announces itself at the end of a line, consonance operates within the words. That subtlety is exactly what makes it powerful.

Consonance Examples in Poetry

Here are some clear examples of consonance in action, with the repeated consonant sounds in bold:

Notice how William Blake weaves the ‘g’ and ‘r’ sound through "Tyger, Tyger, burning bright”. The sounds aren’t at the start of each word. They’re inside the words, recreating, perhaps, the sound of a tiger’s growl. Certainly, they create a musicality with a low, rolling rhythm.

If you’re interested in a more detailed analysis of how William Blake uses sound devices like assonance for effect, check out the Save My Exams teacher-written revision notes on his poem

The Tyger. 

How to Identify Consonance in a Text

1. Read aloud. Consonance is a sound device, so you need to hear it

2. Listen for repeated consonant sounds, not letters. The letter ‘c’ in "circle" and "cat" makes different sounds

3. Check the position. If the repeated sound only appears at the start of words, it's alliteration, not consonance. Consonance typically refers to sounds repeated in the middle or at the end of words

4. Mark the pattern. Underline words sharing the same consonant sound and note which sound repeats

Worked identification: In "the black duck quacked", the hard ‘k’ sound appears in "black", "duck", and "quacked". The sound sits at the end or middle of each word. This is consonance.

The Effect and Purpose of Consonance

Different consonant sounds produce different effects. This is where analysis gets interesting.

Hard consonants (k, t, d, p, b, g) create a percussive, plosive sound. A line loaded with these sounds can suggest aggression, tension, or finality. Think of "the blunt cut struck deep". Every hard consonant lands like a blow.

Soft consonants (l, m, n, w, f, s) produce a gentler, more flowing quality. "The mellow willows swallow the shallow light" feels calm and languid because those ‘l’ and ‘w’ sounds slide through the words without friction.

Sibilance is a specific type of consonance using ‘s’, ‘sh’, and ‘z’ sounds. Poets often use sibilance to create a whispering, secretive, or sinister atmosphere. It's worth knowing as a separate term because examiners recognise it as a distinct technique.

Consonance can also control pace. Repeated plosive sounds (p, b, t, d) force the reader to pause slightly between each one, slowing the line down, often creating a disjointed tone. Repeated fricatives (f, v, s, z) let the line flow more quickly.

“Listen out for the way consonants sound when we make the sounds with our lips and tongue. The consonants we use create different sound effects. It’s like an ‘explosion of breath’ when we sound out ‘p’ and ‘b’, for example. Other sounds take longer to make, like ‘m’ or ‘l’ or ‘r’. As a result, consonance tends to create a staccato, explosive rhythm or a flowing, rolling one.”

Sam Evans, English Tutor

Consonance vs Assonance vs Alliteration

These three devices are closely related but target different sounds in different positions. Here's how they compare:

The key difference between consonance and alliteration is position. Alliteration only counts when the repeated consonant sound begins a word. Consonance is broader: it covers repeated consonant sounds anywhere in the word, including the middle and end.

The difference between assonance and consonance is the type of sound. Assonance repeats vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u). Consonance repeats consonant sounds. Both can appear anywhere in a word.

Sound devices can overlap in a single line. In Blake’s "Tyger Tyger, burning bright,/In the forests of the night”, you get alliteration (‘t’ and ‘b’ sounds), assonance (the long ‘i’ sound) and consonance (‘g’ and ‘r’ sound) all working together.

“When analysing language, you won’t be expected to identify and quote every single example of every type of device at work. It’s better to understand the overall rhythm or tone created. Then, make a clear point and offer a few examples to support your point.”

Sam Evans, English Tutor

How to Write About Consonance in Essays

Spotting consonance is only half the job. You also need to explain what it does. Here's a reliable framework:

1. Quote the text (embedded in your sentence, not free-standing)

2. Name the device and identify the specific sound

3. Explain the effect on the reader or the mood it creates

Model sentence: Poe's use of consonance in "uncertain rustling of each purple curtain" threads the soft ‘r’ sound through the line, creating a low, murmuring quality that mirrors the speaker's growing unease and creates a sense of mystery.

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Confusing consonance with alliteration. If the repeated sound is only at the start of words, call it alliteration

• Identifying the device but not explaining its effect. "The poet uses consonance" earns very little credit on its own

• Forgetting to name the specific sound. Don't just say "consonance"; say "the repeated 'k' sound" or "the harsh plosive consonance"

Save My Exams' revision notes on Approaching the Unseen Poetry Question walk you through how to structure your analysis of language devices like consonance, with exam-focused guidance written by experienced teachers and examiners.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between consonance and sibilance?

Sibilance is a specific type of consonance that only uses ‘s’, ‘sh’, ‘z’, and ‘zh’ sounds. Consonance is the broader term covering the repetition of any consonant sound. So all sibilance is consonance, but not all consonance is sibilance. If you spot repeated ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sounds, call it sibilance because it's the more precise term.

Can consonance occur at the beginning of words?

Technically, yes. Consonance refers to repeated consonant sounds anywhere in a word. But when the repetition happens exclusively at the start of words, most people call it alliteration instead. In practice, consonance usually refers to sounds repeated in the middle or at the end of words, which is what separates it from alliteration.

Is consonance the same as rhyme?

No. Rhyme matches the ending sounds of words (like "cat" and "hat"), while consonance repeats consonant sounds that don't necessarily create a full rhyme. "Black" and "luck" share the ‘k’ consonant sound but don't rhyme. Consonance is subtler and can occur anywhere in a line, not just at the end.

Why do poets use consonance instead of rhyme?

Consonance gives poets more flexibility. Rhyme locks you into specific word choices at the end of lines, but consonance can be woven through any part of a sonnet, free verse poem, or prose passage without the reader feeling it's been forced. It also works well in modern poetry where strict rhyme schemes have fallen out of fashion.

What is an example of consonance in a famous poem?

A good example is Robert Frost’s poem “Out, Out -”. In the lines “The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard/And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood”, the ‘d’ sound helps to create a repetitive, mechanical, slightly disruptive tone.