- Definition
Assonance is when words close together repeat the same vowel sound, like in "feel" and "clean," to make the writing sound more interesting or musical.
In the phrase 'try to light the fire,' the long 'i' sound is repeated.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Assonance is like a little echo of the same vowel sound you hear inside nearby words.
Ask your child: What sound do you hear again and again in 'A mad cat ran'?
Common mix-up: Kids may think it's the same as rhyming. Rhyming words match at the end, but assonance is about repeating a vowel sound anywhere inside the words.
Examples
- The repeating 'ee' sound in 'We see the green leaves.'
- The repeating 'o' sound in 'Go slow over the road.'
assonance is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
