Which term describes the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?

Which term describes the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses?

• A. Anaphora
• B. Parallelism
• C. Alliteration
• D. Assonance

Answer: (A)

The repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses is called anaphora. This device creates emphasis and a steady, driving rhythm that helps the idea stick in the listener’s or reader’s mind. For example, starting several sentences with the same phrase, like “We shall,” unifies the message and strengthens the resolve being communicated. It’s different from parallelism, which is about repeating a similar grammatical structure across clauses, and from alliteration, which repeats initial consonant sounds, or assonance, which repeats vowel sounds.

The repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses is called anaphora. This device creates emphasis and a steady, driving rhythm that helps the idea stick in the listener’s or reader’s mind. For example, starting several sentences with the same phrase, like “We shall,” unifies the message and strengthens the resolve being communicated. It’s different from parallelism, which is about repeating a similar grammatical structure across clauses, and from alliteration, which repeats initial consonant sounds, or assonance, which repeats vowel sounds.