NES English Language Arts Secondary Endorsement Practice Test

The repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after different vowels is known as consonance. This literary device enhances the musical quality of language, creating rhythm and making phrases more memorable. Consonance is often used in poetry and prose to evoke emotion or to maintain a particular meter or sound pattern. By echoing similar consonant sounds throughout a sentence or phrase, it can also tie together disparate ideas or themes, enriching the text's meaning and appeal.

In contrast, assonance refers specifically to the repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words, not consonants, while diction relates to the choice and use of words in speech or writing. Expository writing describes a type of writing that is intended to explain or inform rather than to express emotions or artistic intent. Therefore, in the context of sound repetition in language, consonance is the fitting term.