Figurative Language in Poetry: Alliteration, Onomatopoeia, and Sibilance at KS3

Alliteration, onomatopoeia, and sibilance are three sound-based techniques that poets use to give language texture, rhythm, and emotional weight. Unlike simile, metaphor, or personification — which create comparisons — these techniques work on the ear as much as the mind. Learning to name, spot, and analyse them precisely will lift your poetry responses at KS3 and GCSE.

What is alliteration and what effect does it create?

Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of closely connected words. The repeated sound is usually within the same line or clause: "the bitter blast of blowing breeze."

Alliteration is not simply any repeated letter — it is a repeated sound. "Certain cities" alliterates on the 's' sound despite starting with different letters; "phone" and "far" do not alliterate despite both starting with a consonant, because their sounds differ.

The effect alliteration creates depends entirely on the sound being repeated:

Hard consonants (b, d, g, k, p, t) create a sharp, aggressive, or percussive effect — useful for violence, conflict, or determination.

Soft or fricative consonants (f, h, l, m, n, w) create a gentler, more flowing effect — useful for peace, sorrow, or tenderness.

Harsh fricatives (ch, j, x) can create unease or ugliness.

Example from Tennyson: "The far field" and "the full-flowing river" — the repeated soft 'f' sounds create a sense of gentle, continuous movement.

What is onomatopoeia and how does it work in poetry?

Onomatopoeia describes words whose sound imitates the noise they describe. "Buzz", "hiss", "crack", "murmur", "thud", "rustle" — all reproduce the sound of their meaning.

Onomatopoeia works because hearing the word partly recreates the experience of hearing the thing. When Wilfred Owen writes "the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" in Anthem for Doomed Youth, the word "rattle" mimics the sound of machine-gun fire. But notice that Owen has also built alliteration into that line — sound techniques rarely appear in isolation.

Onomatopoeia is sometimes dismissed as a simple technique. It should not be. The skill is in the analysis: why has this poet chosen this word rather than a synonym? "Thud" is different from "knock", "bang", or "strike" — each word recreates a slightly different sound, weight, and violence. The specific choice is always worth examining.

What is sibilance and how is it different from alliteration?

Sibilance is a specific type of alliteration: the repetition of soft 's', 'sh', or 'z' sounds within a line or phrase. It creates a whispering, hissing, or slithering quality.

"Silent snow, secret snow" (Conrad Aiken) is a clear example: the repeated soft 's' sounds produce an almost hushed effect that mirrors the silence the snow creates.

Sibilance is worth naming specifically in an essay because its effect is so distinctive — it often suggests secrecy, menace (think of a snake's hiss), or something soft and insinuating. Simply calling it "alliteration" is not wrong, but it misses the specific quality of the sound.

Technique | What it repeats | Typical effects
Alliteration | Any consonant sound at the start of words | Energy, rhythm, emphasis — effect varies with the sound
Sibilance | Specifically 's', 'sh', or 'z' sounds | Whispering, hissing, secrecy, menace, softness
Onomatopoeia | A word that imitates its own sound | Vividness, sensory immediacy, drama

How do sound techniques work together?

In practice, poets rarely use just one sound technique in a line. They layer them. Consider this invented example:

The silver stream slips softly past the stones.

This line contains sibilance ('s' sounds throughout), onomatopoeia ("slips" mimics the smooth, quiet movement of water), and a gentle alliteration across "silver stream" and "softly...stones". Each technique reinforces the same effect: something quiet, smooth, and continuous. When techniques cluster like this, the poet is using the sound of the language to embody the meaning — a quality called phonological iconicity.

In your analysis, you can note that several sound effects are working together and explain the overall impression they create, rather than listing each technique separately.

How to analyse sound techniques in a KS3 essay

Follow this four-step method:

Name the technique precisely (alliteration / sibilance / onomatopoeia).

Quote the relevant words — keep it short, two to five words is usually enough.

Explain the sound quality — is it harsh, soft, hissing, percussive?

Connect to effect — how does this sound quality shape the reader's experience of the poem's meaning or mood?

Worked example: Owen uses alliteration in "stuttering rifles' rapid rattle" to mimic the mechanical, relentless sound of machine-gun fire. The hard 'r' sound is sharp and percussive, reproducing the physical sensation of gunfire at the level of language itself. This makes the violence feel immediate rather than distant, so the reader experiences the horror of the trenches rather than simply reading about it.

Frequently asked questions

Is rhyme a figurative language technique?

Rhyme is a sound technique, but not usually classified as figurative language. Figurative language creates images or comparisons (simile, metaphor, personification). Sound devices — alliteration, sibilance, onomatopoeia, assonance, and rhyme — work through the acoustic quality of words. Both types are important in poetry analysis, but they are worth distinguishing in your essays.

What is assonance and how is it different from alliteration?

Alliteration repeats consonant sounds at the start of words. Assonance repeats vowel sounds within words, not necessarily at the start: "the easy breeze" repeats the long 'ee' sound. Assonance tends to create a flowing, musical quality. It is worth learning this term alongside alliteration and sibilance, as all three may appear in the same poem.

How do I avoid writing a weak alliteration analysis?

The most common weak response is: "The poet uses alliteration of the letter 'b'. This makes it sound nice and makes the poem more interesting." To avoid this, always specify the type of sound and then link it to the mood or meaning of the poem. Hard consonants do not sound "nice" — they sound aggressive or energetic. Connecting sound to meaning is what earns marks.

Can I use the term sibilance even if my teacher only uses the term alliteration?

Yes. Sibilance is a standard literary term used in GCSE and A-level specifications. Using it correctly and explaining its specific effect demonstrates a more precise vocabulary than simply writing "alliteration". However, always attach an analysis of effect — using the term correctly but without explanation earns less credit than explaining the effect clearly without using the technical term at all.

Professor Quill teaches you to hear poetry as well as read it. Visit aitutors.me for Socratic English practice.