repetition essay

30+ Repetition Examples: 13 Types + How to Use It Effectively

• Updated: 03/04/24
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Repetition is a powerful literary tool and a fundamental element of good writing in a multitude of contexts.

It can be harnessed to emphasize a point, evoke an emotion, create rhythm, and even to underline themes in a piece of work.

This article will delve into the repetition definition, various types of repetition, and some common examples to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of what it is and how it can be effectively employed in your writing.

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a novice looking to finesse your technique, this guide is designed to equip you with valuable insights to elevate your written work!

What is Repetition in Writing?

Repetition is the repeating of words, phrases, or ideas within a piece of writing.

It can be used in various forms such as repetition of single words, phrases, entire sentences, or even structures.

It is a literary technique that has been utilized by writers for centuries to emphasize and reinforce key points, evoke emotions, and create a memorable impact on readers.

Moreover, repetition is not limited to literature or creative writing, it is also frequently employed in advertising and public speaking to make a message stick with the audience.

Now that we have an understanding of what repetition is, let’s dive into some examples of how it can be effectively used in writing.

13 Types of Repetition With Examples

Repetition is a very versatile literary device and can be used in many different ways.

Here are 10 types of repetition, accompanied by examples of each:

1. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases.

One of the most famous anaphora examples comes from Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I have a dream” speech:

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” – Martin Luther King

Another example:

“ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…” – Charles Dickets, A Tale of Two Cities

2. Epistrophe

Epistrophe is similar to anaphora, but instead of repeating words or phrases at the beginning of clauses or sentences, it is repeated at the end.

An example can be found in this 2008 presidential victory speech:

“Because if we are willing to work for it and fight for it and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children…” – Barack Obama

3. Symploce

Symploce is the combination of anaphora and epistrophe, where a word or phrase is repeated at both the beginning and end of successive clauses or sentences.

A great example of repetition with symploce can be seen in ‘I Sing the Body Electric:’

“And if the body  does not do fully as much as  the soul ? And if the body  were not the soul, what is  the soul ?” – Walt Whitman

4. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in a series of words. It is commonly used in poetry and creates a musical effect.

Some common alliteration examples include:

• From The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “So we b eat on, b oats against the current, b orne b ack ceaselessly into the past.”
• From Shakespeare’s Beowulf: “To f east his f ill of the f lesh of men.”

5. Assonance

Similar to alliteration, assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in a series of words.

It creates a musical quality to your tone of writing and can evoke certain emotions in readers.

A simple repetition example of assonance can be heard in the words “cr y ing t i me” , where there is a repetition of the long “i” sound between each of the words.

6. Consonance

Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds within words, rather than just at the beginning.

It adds a sense of rhythm and musicality to writing.

For example,  “ L aura ca ll ed to te ll  me that  L i l a had fa ll en i ll .”

The consonant sound “L” is repeated throughout this phrase.

6. Anadiplosis

Anadiplosis is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of one clause or sentence and then at the beginning of the next.

It creates a strong connection between ideas. For example:

“Fear leads to anger , anger leads to hate , hate leads to suffering.” – Yoda in Star Wars

7. Epanalepsis

Epanalepsis is the repetition of the same word or phrase at both the beginning and end of a clause or sentence.

It is used to create emphasis and make a point clear.

A famous example of repetition in literature in the form of epanalepsis is:

“ Blood hath brought blood , and blows answer to blows .” – William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Diacope is a type of repetition that occurs when the same word or phrase is repeated with other words in between.

It comes from the Greek word “diakopon” which means to cut through.

Some examples include:

• “To be , or not to be ” – William Shakespeare in Hamlet
• “ Bond . James Bond .” – James Bond movies
• “He’s so good at playing the guitar. It’s like he was born with a guitar in his hands.”

8. Polyptoton

Polyptoton is the repetition of words with different forms or tenses within a sentence.

It can add complexity and depth to writing. For example:

“I dreamed a dream.” – Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

9. Antistasis

Antistasis is the repetition of a word in a different sense or meaning within the same sentence.

It can create interesting wordplay and add depth to writing.

“ Nothing will come of nothing .” – Shakespeare, Hamlet

10. Antanaclasis

Antanaclasis is the repetition of a word or phrase in two different meanings. It can create clever wordplay and add depth to writing.

“Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.” Groucho Marx

In this example, the word flies has a different meaning in the context of time and the type of insects that love bananas.

“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.” -Vince Lombardi

11. Epimone

Epimone is a repeated phrase or question to emphasize an important point.

It can also be used as a rhetorical device to engage and persuade readers.

One example of repetition in the form of epimone can be seen below:

“All his brains are in the nape of his neck , Simon Dedalus says. Welts of flesh behind on him. Fat folds of neck , fat , neck , fat , neck .” – James Joyce, Ulysses

12. Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis is the repetition of the same words or phrases for emphasis and intensity.

It adds emotional weight to writing and can create a sense of urgency.

• “ Never , never , never give up.” – Winston Churchill
• “Oh Romeo , Romeo , wherefore art thou Romeo ?” – William Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet.

13. Negative-Positive Restatement

Negative-positive restatement is the repetition of an idea in both a negative and positive form or with opposite meanings.

It can highlight contrasts and add depth to writing.

An example can be found in this famous speech:

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools .” – Martin Luther King

The concept is not repeated, but rather the idea is restated in a negative and positive form.

30 Repetition Examples

Now that you have an idea of different types of repetition, here are some other common examples in various contexts.

Repetition Examples in Literature

• “Because I do not hope to turn again. Because I do not hope . Because I do not hope to turn…” – T.S. Eliot in Ash Wednesday
• “I felt happy because I saw the others were happy and because I knew I should feel happy .” – David Foster Wallace in Infinite Jest
• “I am Sam. Sam I am.” – Dr. Seuss in Green Eggs and Ham
• “And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.” – Robert Frost in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
• “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole , filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit- hole , and that means comfort.” – The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Repetition Examples in Speeches and Politics

• “I have a dream.” – Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech
• “ Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy’s inauguration speech
• “We will fight on the beaches, we will fight on the landing grounds, we will fight in the fields and in the streets…” – Winston Churchill’s speech
• “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt’s inaugural address
• “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America .” – Bill Clinton’s inaugural address

Repetition Examples in TV and Film

• “ Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. ” – The Godfather Part II
• “ With great power, comes great responsibility. ” – Spider-Man
• “I want the truth ! You can’t handle the truth !” – A Few Good Men (1992)
• “Are you talkin’ to me? Are you talkin’ to me?” – Taxi Driver
• “ Wax on. Wax off.” – The Karate Kid

Repetition Examples in Music

• “I want to break free. I want to break free.” – I Want to Break Free by Queen
• “I will follow you, Follow you wherever you may go” – I Will Follow You by Elvis Presley
• “Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be . Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.” – Let It Be by The Beatles
• “ I will always love you . I will always love you.” – I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
• “The love you get is equal to the love you make.” – The End by The Beatles

How to Use Repetition Effectively in Writing

Here are some tips to use repetition effectively in your writing:

• Choose the right type of repetition: Consider the purpose and tone of your writing to decide which form of repetition will be most effective. For example, if you want to add emphasis or intensity, epizeuxis might be a good choice. If you want to create an emotional connection, using positive-negative restatement can be effective.
• Use repetition for emphasis: Repetition is a powerful tool to emphasize important ideas or create a sense of urgency in your writing. Use it sparingly and strategically for best effect.
• Create rhythm: Repetition can also add rhythm and flow to your writing, making it more engaging and memorable for readers.
• Avoid overusing repetition: Too much repetition can be monotonous and boring for readers. Make sure to use it sparingly and vary your language to keep readers engaged.
• Consider the context: Repetition may not always be appropriate in certain contexts, such as academic or formal writing. Consider the purpose of your writing and audience before using repetition.
• Edit with intention: After writing, review your work and check if the repetition adds value or if it can be replaced with other techniques to improve the overall impact of your writing.

So next time you’re writing something, remember the power of repetition and use it effectively to engage and persuade your readers.

FAQs About Repetition

Repetition in literature refers to the recurrent use of words, phrases, or structures for emphasis or to make a point. One classic example is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven,” where the word “nevermore” is repeated at the end of several stanzas, creating a haunting effect and emphasizing the speaker’s despair.

A good sentence showcasing repetition could be, “She runs fast, she runs efficiently, she runs like the wind.” In this sentence, the repetition of the phrase “she runs” creates emphasis on the speed and skill with which she runs. This repetition not only stresses the point but also adds rhythm to the sentence.

One famous example of repetition is Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech, “I Have a Dream,” which repeats the phrase “I have a dream” multiple times for emphasis and to inspire hope in his audience. This repetition also adds rhythm and power to the speech, making it memorable and impactful.

Repetition is a common technique used in music to create rhythm, emphasize lyrics, or enhance the overall effect of a song. One popular example is the chorus of Beyonce’s hit song “Single Ladies,” where the phrase “if you like it then you should’ve put a ring on it” is repeated multiple times throughout the song. This repetition not only makes the chorus catchy and easy to remember, but it also reinforces the message of the song.

Key Takeaways for Writing Repetition

In conclusion, the use of repetition can greatly amplify the impact of your writing, whether it’s for a poem, a speech, or a song lyric.

When used judiciously, repetition can emphasize key points, evoke emotional responses, and create rhythm.

Famous writers, politicians, and musicians have employed this technique to bring their words to life and leave a lasting impression on their audience.

However, to avoid monotony, it is critical to use this tool sparingly and strategically.

Consider your purpose, audience, and overall context while applying repetition in your writing.

With the right balance, this literary device can turn your piece from ordinary to memorable!

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How to Avoid Repetition and Redundancy in Academic Writing

Published on March 15, 2019 by Kristin Wieben . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Repetition and redundancy can cause problems at the level of either the entire paper or individual sentences. However, repetition is not always a problem as, when used properly, it can help your reader follow along. This article shows how to streamline your writing.

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Table of contents

Avoiding repetition at the paper level, avoiding repetition at the sentence level, when is repetition not a problem, other interesting articles.

On the most basic level, avoid copy-and-pasting entire sentences or paragraphs into multiple sections of the paper. Readers generally don’t enjoy repetition of this type.

Don’t restate points you’ve already made

It’s important to strike an appropriate balance between restating main ideas to help readers follow along and avoiding unnecessary repetition that might distract or bore readers.

For example, if you’ve already covered your methods in a dedicated methodology chapter , you likely won’t need to summarize them a second time in the results chapter .

If you’re concerned about readers needing additional reminders, you can add short asides pointing readers to the relevant section of the paper (e.g. “For more details, see Chapter 4”).

Don’t use the same heading more than once

It’s important for each section to have its own heading so that readers skimming the text can easily identify what information it contains. If you have two conclusion sections, try making the heading more descriptive – for instance, “Conclusion of X.”

Are all sections relevant to the main goal of the paper?

Try to avoid providing redundant information. Every section, example and argument should serve the main goal of your paper and should relate to your thesis statement or research question .

If the link between a particular piece of information and your broader purpose is unclear, then you should more explicitly draw the connection or otherwise remove that information from your paper.

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Keep an eye out for lengthy introductory clauses that restate the main point of the previous sentence. This sort of sentence structure can bury the new point you’re trying to make. Try to keep introductory clauses relatively short so that readers are still focused by the time they encounter the main point of the sentence.

In addition to paying attention to these introductory clauses, you might want to read your paper aloud to catch excessive repetition. Below we listed some tips for avoiding the most common forms of repetition.

• Use a variety of different transition words
• Vary the structure and length of your sentences
• Don’t use the same pronoun to reference more than one antecedent (e.g. “ They asked whether they were ready for them”)
• Avoid repetition of particular sounds or words (e.g. “ Several shelves sheltered similar sets of shells ”)
• Avoid redundancies (e.g “ In the year 2019 ” instead of “ in 2019 ”)
• Don’t state the obvious (e.g. “The conclusion chapter contains the paper’s conclusions”)

It’s important to stress that repetition isn’t always problematic. Repetition can help your readers follow along. However, before adding repetitive elements to your paper, be sure to ask yourself if they are truly necessary.

Restating key points

Repeating key points from time to time can help readers follow along, especially in papers that address highly complex subjects. Here are some good examples of when repetition is not a problem:

Restating the research question in the conclusion This will remind readers of exactly what your paper set out to accomplish and help to demonstrate that you’ve indeed achieved your goal.

Referring to your key variables or themes Rather than use varied language to refer to these key elements of the paper, it’s best to use a standard set of terminology throughout the paper, as this can help your readers follow along.

Underlining main points

When used sparingly, repetitive sentence and paragraph structures can add rhetorical flourish and help to underline your main points. Here are a few famous examples:

“ Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy, inaugural address

“…and that government of the people , by the people , for the people shall not perish from the earth.” – Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Repetition in writing: why it happens, what it means, and how to fix it

Every editor has had this experience: deep into a manuscript, you find yourself reading a familiar passage. Sure enough, it duplicates content that was earlier in the manuscript. Don’t just delete it. Ask yourself why it’s there, and use that knowledge to make the manuscript better.

Why writers repeat themselves

All writers repeat information in nonfiction. Yup. Everyone repeats information. They repeat themselves. Pretty annoying, don’t you think?

Let’s say an author is writing a book on marketing. That author may have a heartfelt belief that it’s essential to measure the impact of emails — that’s sort of an idée fixe for the author.

The author may then, unconsciously, write about how to measure the impact of emails in multiple places. You read about it in the section on emails, then in the section on measurement, then in the section on how to attribute value to various marketing strategies.

Sometimes the author recollects having mentioned it before, and writes, “As I mentioned earlier” — and then repeats the same content.

This stuff drives readers crazy. The editor needs to flag and fix it.

But why does the writer do it?

The reason is frequently one or more of the following:

• The author has an idea they frequently like to reference.
• The author is writing in stream of consciousness, rather than following an organized plan.
• It’s not clear where the idea belongs, so it ends up in multiple places.
• The problematic organization of the manuscript makes it unclear where the idea best belongs, so pieces of it appear in different places.

There are three approaches to correcting repetition:

• Delete all but one instance.
• Reorganize the manuscript to eliminate the repetition.

Ignoring repetition is always the wrong approach

You could just leave the repeated passage in, or put a little “Once again,” in front of it.

This is a big mistake.

Readers annoyed at reading repeated content will stop reading. As a writer, you not only lose the ability to retain their attention, you replace it with resentment.

You may also be missing warning signs about deeper problems in the manuscript.

So don’t ignore the problem.

Delete and combine is the simplest approach

If the problem is just one repeated idea or passage, the solution is to determine where best to include it.

Look at the repeated passages. Bring them all together in a separate document. Identify the best sentences and phrases and facts, and assemble them into a single passage. Put that passage where it seems to fit best (often, the place where you introduce the idea).

In the other places, include a cross reference: “The justification is the Peter Principle, as I described in Chapter 2.”

Eliminating repetition in this way makes manuscripts shorter. That’s a good thing; fewer words means more impact .

If repetition recurs, consider reorganizing the manuscript

Sometimes, with a given manuscript organization, it’s hard to determine one place to put an idea. You might describe the idea in Chapter 2, explain how it applies to a given problem in Chapter 3, and show how it is an example of a larger idea in Chapter 7.

That’s fine. Just look at all those examples and make sure you’re not repeating exactly the same content. Build on earlier content create new insights in later content.

But if you find repetition all over the manuscript, it may be that your organization is wrong.

In the example of the marketing book I cited earlier, maybe there should be a chapter on email that describes all the ways to craft it, deploy it, and measure its impact. Perhaps the manuscript should be organized around channels (email, Web ads, social media, and so on) rather than being organized around stages (conceive, deploy, measure, adjust).

These are hard problems to solve. You’re basically looking at a two-dimensional table and deciding whether to organize your writing by rows or by columns. It’s even more challenging if there are more than two dimensions.

To decide if reorganizing is worth it, actually create that table and fill it in with ideas. You’ll soon see whether you can even go forward with rearranging the content.

The idea of reorganizing the content may seem intimidating. But in my experience, dreading it is far worse than actually doing it. You’d be amazed how quickly you can move around existing content and glue it together in a new way.

If repetition is telling you that your manuscript’s organization is flawed, put in the time to figure out why. Don’t ignore the warning signs. Because if you can fix them with a new organization, your book will not only be shorter, it will be easier to understand and remember.

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how is this repetition In the complicated field of family services, maintaining safety while maintaining confidentiality presents a challenge that demands professionals strike a careful balance between upholding privacy and shielding individuals or families from harm.

Excellent article. Great advice. Repetition in my yet unpublished memoir is something my conscience has pricked me about for years!

My problem is that I have written something in a way I liked and later written something else on the same or a similar topic in a way I liked even better than the first iteration!!

A screen can only show so much. I have been too stingy to print it all out but in the back of my mind I feel this and a real ink pen is the only satisfactory way of cutting the right bit(s) while retaining the significance of the point(s) I was making.

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Last updated on Jun 21, 2024

29 Must-Know Examples of Repetition in Literature

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

Editing 101 will always tell you the same thing: avoid repetition in your writing. But make no mistake, repetition isn’t a pariah in  the world of prose! In fact, when executed with finesse, it can make a piece of writing all the more compelling.

This post will take you through the basics of repetition. And because the best way to understand a literary device is to see it in skilled action, we’ll also cover 29 remarkable examples of repetition in literature. (To skip past the next section where we define repetition, you can jump straight to those examples !)

Repetition definition

Repetition is the act of repeating sounds, words, phrases, or full sentences. As a literary device ( find out more about those here ), it’s used to stress key points or to achieve a certain rhythm, tone, or style of prose — which is why you’ll often find it in poetry.

However, while it can highlight important details or enhance rhythm, repetition needs to be done with care. If you accidentally repeat words or re-state the same information for readers over and over (and over) again, it can become jarring. For instance, if you’ve already told readers that a character has an unusual beauty mark on their shoulder, mention it once and leave it at that. Hearing about the beauty mark  every time that character is in a scene is tiring. If it’s crucial to bring it up more than once, find new and interesting ways of bringing attention to it — instead of just stating its existence, maybe you can have another character comment on it.

If you’re going to repeat a word, phrase, or idea, it needs to have a purpose . Pinpoint exactly why it needs to be said again — or if there’s another way you present it that adds more to the narrative.

To figure out the right way to use this literary device, you first have to learn the different types of repetition.

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Types of repetition

Did you know that there are at least 15 main types of repetition? They fall into two categories: words and sounds. Let’s start with...

Repetition of Words

1. Anadiplosis The last word of a clause or sentence is repeated as the first word of the next one.

Example: "Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hatred; hatred leads to conflict; conflict leads to suffering." — Yoda, in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace .

2. Anaphora The word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences is repeated.

Example: “It rained on his lousy tombstone, and it rained on the grass on his stomach. It rained all over the place.” — The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

3. Antistasis The repetition of words or phrases in different or contrary senses.

Example: “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”  — Benjamin Franklin

4. Conduplicatio The frequent repetition of a word or phrase within a paragraph, in order to expand upon its meaning.

Example: “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children." — Martin Luther King, Jr.

5. Diacope The repetition of words separated be additional words, which alter their meaning.

Example: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.” — Henry V by Shakespeare

6. Epanalepsis The word both at the beginning and at the end of the clause or sentence is repeated.

Example: “Next time there won't be a next time.” — Phil Leotardo, in The Sopranos

7. Epimone The word or phrase is repeated to place emphasis on its meaning.

Example: “Mr. Dick shook his head, as utterly renouncing the suggestion; and having replied a great many times, and with great confidence, ‘No beggar, no beggar, no beggar, Sir!’” — David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (Are you a Dickens fan? Read up on 15 of his classics novels in our guide to Dickens!)

8. Epiphora The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of a series of clauses or sentences.

Example: If you did know to whom I gave the ring, If you did know for whom I gave the ring And would conceive for what I gave the ring And how unwillingly I left the ring, When naught would be accepted but the ring, You would abate the strength of your displeasure. — The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare

9. Epizeuxis The successive repetition of a word or phrase within one clause or sentence.

Example: “The horror, the horror.” — Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

10. Negative-Positive Restatement An idea or phrase is presented in negative terms, and then repeated in positive terms.

Example: “The tragedy of old age is not that one is old, but that one is young.” — The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

11. Polyptoton The same root word is repeated in different forms.

Example: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” — Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss

12. Symploce The repetition of a word or phrase both at the end and at the beginning of a clause or sentence. (In other words, a combination of  anaphora and epiphora.)

Example: "The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window-panes, The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes…” — “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot

Sound Repetition

Do you hear that? Is it bat, a rat, or a gnat? And speaking of sounds that repeat themselves, let’s take a look at...

13. Alliteration The successive repetition of consonant sounds in the stressed part of a word.

Example: “She sells seashells by the sea-shore.”

14. Assonance The vowel sounds are repeated.

Example: “"Hear the mellow wedding bells…” — “The Bells” by Edgar Allan Poe

15. Consonance The repetition of consonant sounds in successive or closely connected words. The difference between consonance and alliteration is that alliteration is at the beginning of the word (so “Peter Piper”), but consonance can be anywhere in the word.

Example: I'll swing by my ankles. She'll cling to your knees. As you hang by your nose, From a high-up trapeze. But just one thing, please, As we float through the breeze, Don't sneeze. — “The Acrobats” by Shel Silverstein

Okay, now that we’ve gotten seamlessly up to speed (pardon the alliteration), on the different types of repetition, let’s look at some exemplary examples from literature (pardon the polyptoton).

Repetition examples in literature

Let’s turn this section into a little quiz. Try to guess what kind of repetition each quote is using as you read through — the answers will be provided at the bottom!

Example #1:  The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

"Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space."

Example #2:  The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain

"They are not paid for thinking--they are not paid to fret about the world's concerns. They were not respectable people--they were not worthy people--they were not learned and wise and brilliant people--but in their breasts, all their stupid lives long, resteth a peace that passeth understanding!"

Example #3: Deep River by Shusaku Endo

“Hatred was spreading everywhere, blood was being spilled everywhere, wars were breaking out everywhere.”

Example #4:  A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Example #5:  Beloved by Toni Morrison

“Beloved is mine; she is Beloved.”

Example #6:  Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

“What I present here is what I remember of the letter, and what I remember of the letter I remember verbatim (including that awful French).”

Example #7:  Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy

“And stepping softly with her air of blooded ruin about the glade in a frail agony of grace she trailed her rags through dust and ashes…”

Answers:  a) Epimone; b) Symploce; c) Epistrophe; d) Anaphora; e) Epanalepsis; f) Anadiplosis; g) Assonance

Examples of repetition in poetry

Repetition is especially prevalent in poetry, as it can help achieve a certain resonance with readers . Again, read through the following examples of poetic repetition and guess what type each uses.

Example #1: "Stopping by Woods On a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost

“The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”

Example #2: "Do Not Go Gentle into the Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

“Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage, against the dying of the light. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight, Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Example #3: “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allen Poe

“It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.”

Example #4: "Song of Myself, 3" by Walt Whitman

“There was never any more inception than there is now, Nor any more youth or age than there is now, And will never be any more perfection than there is now, Nor any more heaven or hell than there is now.”

Example #5: "A Child is Born" by Stephen Vincent Benet

“Life is not lost by dying! Life is lost Minute by minute, day by dragging day, In all the thousand, small uncaring ways.”

Example #6: "The Gnome, The Gnat, & The Gnu" by Shel Silverstein

" I saw an ol' gnome Take a gknock at a gnat Who was gnibbling the gnose of his gnu. I said, "Gnasty gnome, Gnow, stop doing that."

Example #7: "Coda" by Dorothy Parker

“There’s little in taking or giving, There’s little in water or wine; This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.”

Answers : a) Epizeuxis; b) Assonance; c) Consonance; d) Epiphora; e) Diacope; f) Alliteration ; g) Epizeuxis

Now that you know how to make repetition your writing’s best friend, let’s give a shout-out to your best friend when it comes to removing unnecessary repetition : CTRL+F. We are all guilty of over-relying on specific words that crop up in our writing again and again. Get acquainted with your own habitual words, and then use CTRL+F to sweep your document for them. Find, remove, repeat ! 😊

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Definition and Examples of Repetition in Writing

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

Repetition is an instance of using a word, phrase, or clause more than once in a short passage—dwelling on a point.

Needless or unintentional repetition (a tautology or pleonasm ) is a kind of clutter that may distract or bore a reader. (The baseless fear of repetition is humorously called  monologophobia .) 

Used deliberately, repetition can be an effective rhetorical strategy for achieving emphasis.

Types of Rhetorical Repetition With Examples

• Anadiplosis Repetition of the last word of one line or clause to begin the next. "My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain." (William Shakespeare, "Richard III")
• Anaphora Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. " I want her to live. I want her to breathe. I want her to aerobicize." ("Weird Science," 1985)
• Antistasis Repetition of a word in a different or contrary sense. "A kleptomaniac is a person who helps himself because he can't help himself ." (Henry Morgan)
• Commoratio Emphasizing a point by repeating it several times in different words. "Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space." (Douglass Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," 1979)
• Diacope Repetition that is broken up by one or more intervening words. " A horse is a horse , of course, of course, And no one can talk to a horse of course That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mister Ed." (Theme song of 1960s TV program "Mr. Ed")
• Epanalepsis Repetition at the end of a clause or sentence of the word or phrase with which it began. " Swallow , my sister, O sister swallow , How can thine heart be full of the spring?" (Algernon Charles Swinburne, "Itylus")
• Epimone Frequent repetition of a phrase or question; dwelling on a point. "And I looked upwards, and there stood a man upon the summit of the rock; and I hid myself among the water-lilies that I might discover the actions of the man. ... "And the man sat upon the rock, and leaned his head upon his hand, and looked out upon the desolation. ... And I lay close within shelter of the lilies, and observed the actions of the man. And the man trembled in the solitude;—but the night waned, and he sat upon the rock." (Edgar Allan Poe, "Silence") "The man who stood, who stood on sidewalks, who stood facing streets, who stood with his back against store windows or against the walls of buildings, never asked for money, never begged, never put his hand out." (Gordon Lish, "Sophistication")
• Epiphora Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of several clauses. "She's safe, just like I promised . She's all set to marry Norrington, just like she promised . And you get to die for her, just like you promised ." (Jack Sparrow, The Pirates of the Caribbean )
• Epizeuxis Repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis, usually with no words in between. "If you think you can win , you can win ." (William Hazlitt) "Will you ever be old and dumb, like your creepy parents? Not you, not you, not you, not you, not you, not you." (Donald Hall, "To a Waterfowl")
• Gradatio A sentence construction in which the last word of one clause becomes the first of the next, through three or more clauses (an extended form of anadiplosis ). "To exist is to change , to change is to mature , to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly." (Henri Bergson)
• Negative-Positive Restatement A method of achieving emphasis by stating an idea twice, first in negative terms and then in positive terms. "Color is not a human or personal reality; it is a political reality." (James Baldwin)
• Ploce Repetition of a word with a new or specified sense, or with pregnant reference to its special significance. "If it wasn't in Vogue , it wasn't in vogue ." (Promotional slogan for Vogue magazine)
• Polyptoton Repetition of words derived from the same root but with different endings. "I hear the voices, and I read the front page, and I know the speculation. But I'm the decider , and I decide what is best." (George W. Bush, April 2006)
• Symploce Repetition of words or phrases at both the beginning and end of successive clauses or verses: a combination of anaphora and epiphora. " They are not paid for thinking— they are not paid to fret about the world's concerns. They were not respectable people—they were not worthy people—they were not learned and wise and brilliant people—but in their breasts, all their stupid lives long, resteth a peace that passeth understanding!" (Mark Twain, "The Innocents Abroad," 1869)

Needless Repetition

When a writer repeats a word or phrase for no meaningful or literary purpose it ends up being a distraction.

• "Moore's sentence imposed the maximum 24-month sentence under federal sentencing guidelines." ("Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Paula Deen Extortion Bid." Savannah Morning News , September 17, 2013)
• My favorite painting is the painting I did of my dog in that painting in my den.
• "Johnson is currently serving as a scholar in residence at Savannah State where he is currently working on a book about his life." ("Still Sailing on the Winds of Change."  Savannah Morning News , August 23, 2015)
• "If you compare fly-fishing with ice fishing , you will find that fly-fishing is more exciting than ice fishing ." (Stephen Wilbers in "Keys to Great Writing")
• "Some text  editors  and reporters exhibit in their copy the kind of phobia that makes us go downstairs ten times to check that the light is off. They have a nagging doubt that the reader has not quite got the point--so they keep going on about it. Once is enough for most pieces of information. When the information is merely incidental its   repetition is doubly irritating. Here's an example from  The New York Times : A disappointment among the data is that while infant mortality has continued to decline, and is almost at the goal,  there remains a great disparity between the rate for whites and for Blacks . The death rate among Black infants is about twice that for whites, Dr. Richmond said. 'and has been that way for decades.' The italicized words in the original story tell us nothing. So it boils down to: A disappointment is that while infant mortality has continued to decline, almost to the goal, the death rate among Black infants is about twice that for whites . . ." (Harold Evans,  Essential English for Journalists, Editors and Writers , rev. ed. Pimlico, 2000) 

Observations

" [R]epetition skulks under numerous different names, one might almost say aliases, depending on who is repeating what where:

When parrots do it, it's parrotting. When advertisers do it, it's reinforcement. When children do it, it's imitation. When brain-damaged people do it, it's perseveration or echolalia. When disfluent people do it, it's stuttering or stammering. When orators do it, it's epizeuxis, ploce, anadiplosis, polyptoton or antimetabole. When novelists do it, it's cohesion. When poets do it, it's alliteration, chiming, rhyme, or parallelism. When priests do it, it's ritual. When sounds do it, it's gemination. When morphemes do it, it's reduplication. When phrases do it, it's copying. When conversations do it, it's reiteration.

In sum, the following alphabetical list of 27 terms covers repetition's commonest guises, though there are undoubtedly more to be found in specialized areas such as classical rhetoric :

Alliteration, anadiplosis, antimetabole, assonance, battology, chiming, cohesion, copying, doubling, echolalia, epizeuxis, gemination, imitation, iteration, parallelism, parrotting, perseveration, ploce, polyptoton, reduplication, reinforcement, reiteration, rhyme, ritual, shadowing, stammering, stuttering

As the numerous names suggest, repetition covers an enormous area. In one sense, the whole of linguistics can be regarded as the study of repetition, in that language depends on repeated patterns." (Jean Aitchison,  "'Say, Say It Again Sam': The Treatment of Repetition in Linguistics." Repetition, ed. by Andreas Fischer. Gunter Narr Verlag, 1994)

" Repetition is a far less serious fault than obscurity. Young writers are often unduly afraid of repeating the same word, and require to be reminded that it is always better to use the right word over again, than to replace it by a wrong one--and a word which is liable to be misunderstood is a wrong one. A frank repetition of a word has even sometimes a kind of charm--as bearing the stamp of truth, the foundation of all excellence of style." (Theophilus Dwight Hall, "A Manual of English Composition." John Murray, 1880)

• Definition and Examples of Overwriting
• monologophobia
• What is Redundancy?
• Effective Rhetorical Strategies of Repetition
• Definition, Examples of the Rhetorical Term Epanalepsis
• Definition and Examples of Pseudowords
• Consonance (Word Sounds)
• What Is Antistasis?
• Padding and Composition
• semantic satiation
• Assonance Definition and Examples
• Ways of Achieving Emphasis in Writing and in Speech
• Anadiplosis: Definition and Examples
• Polyptoton (Rhetoric)
• What Is Alliteration in English?

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Use Repetition

I. What is Repetition?

Quite simply, repetition is the repeating of a word or phrase. It is a common rhetorical device used to add emphasis and stress in writing and speech. Repetition is widely used in both poetry and prose; throughout all genres and forms of literature and oral tradition. Aside from helping stress or highlight important thoughts and points, repetition can be a key tool for authors and speakers in developing style, tone, and rhythm.

II. Example of Repetition

Read the short passage below:

The big stairs led up to a big house with a big front door. Breathe, breathe, breathe, I told myself. I only have to stay for one second, be afraid for one second, not scream for one second. I can do it. I can win the bet. I can prove I’m brave.

The passage above uses several different styles of repetition to show the narrator’s anxiety. By repeating what the character thinks and sees, the author makes the situation more interesting.

III. Common Types of Repetition

There are many types of repetition in rhetoric, but below are some of the most common.

a. Epizeuxis

Epizeuxis is the repetition of a word in sequence. For example, “ Why , why , why ?!”

b. Anaphora

Anaphora is the repetition of a word at the beginning of each phrase or clause. For example, “She looked to the left, she looked to the right, she looked straight ahead.”

c. Mesodiplosis

Mesodiplosis is the repetition of a word in the middle of each phrase or clause. For example, “One, but not two; three, but not four; five, but not six.”

d. Epistrophe

Epistrophe is the repetition of a word at the end of each phrase or clause. For example, “Every day I’m happy because you love me , I’m more fulfilled because you love me , I have everything because you love me .”

IV. Importance of Repetition

Repetition is an important literary device because it allows a writer or speaker to place emphasis on things they choose as significant. It tells the reader or audience that the words being used are central enough to be repeated, and lets them know when to pay special attention to the language. Furthermore, repetition has historically been an important technique for oral tradition, as it helped storytellers remember details and lines that may have otherwise been difficult to repeat.

V. Examples in Literature

Celebrated classic children’s author Dr. Seuss frequently uses repetition in his quirky and eccentric stories. Below is a selection from One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish that demonstrates Dr. Seuss’s well-known, one-of-a-kind style:

One fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish, Black fish, Blue fish, Old fish, New fish. This one has a little car. This one has a little star. Say! What a lot of fish there are. Yes. Some are red, and some are blue. Some are old and some are new. Some are sad, and some are glad, And some are very, very bad.

Dr. Seuss uses a combination of repetition and rhyming to craft this catchy story that everyone knows. One of the reasons his books are so unique is that he makes use of several types of repetition, which together create a whimsical, silly sounding style.

In the famous opening to A Tale of Two Cities , Charles Dickens utilizes repetition to add stress and emphasis to the positives and negatives of the time.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—

Dickens’ famous words “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” remain some of the most celebrated lines in literature to this day. The way he repeats the phrase “it was” makes his words stronger, more memorable, more effective, and more convincing.

VI. Examples of Repetition in Pop Culture

Repetition is a very popular way of adding stress and power when delivering a speech. Throughout history, people have used repetition to make sure that their audiences will remember and repeat their phrases and ideas; for example Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”:

By repeating “I have a dream” throughout his speech, Martin Lurther King Jr. connects himself to these words and makes them stick in the audience’s minds.

In the classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally , Harry uses repetition to strengthen his grand New Year’s Eve speech to Sally:

By repeating the words “I love that…” over and over again, Harry is placing emphasis on the fact that he loves everything about Sally, good and bad. He repeats these words over and over with the hopes that she will realize that what he is saying is real and true, and that she will return his love.

VII. Related Terms

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds, which creates rhyme. For example, “ the black cat had the rat’s bag;” “how now brown cow?” “do you do voodoo?”

Consonance is the repetition of a consonant sound at the middle or end of a word. For example, “ the cook broke his back;” “the duck struck some luck.”

• Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of a word. For example, “Lucy lacked love,” “the sand sizzled under the strong sun;” “the fox fixed the fax.” Alliteration is perhaps the most used form of sound repetition. One of the most popular examples is Mother Goose’s well-known nursery rhyme—

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers; A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked; If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Oftentimes, writers use some combination of the three types of sound repetition. For instance, “Splish splash splish splash” uses assonance, consonance, and alliteration all at once.

List of Terms

• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

Encyclopedia

Writing with artificial intelligence, creating flow via repetition.

• © 2023 by Joseph M. Moxley - Professor of English - USF

Writers enhance flow by repeating key words or phrases in a text to invoke recall and pathos .

Repetition is key to improving a paragraph’s flow, connecting related ideas and keeping the reader on track. Still, there is a difference between obvious and boring repetition and intriguing and effective repetition.

Consider this paragraph:

My brother is older and he has always been protective of me. One way that I can see that he is protective is that he always has my back and protects me from any danger. One time, I was getting picked on by some bullies at school, and he came to my rescue and defended me from them. My big brother is awesome because he always protects me from everything. Sometimes, though, that’s not always the best thing, either.

This paragraph stays on topic, but the repetition is boring, not effective. The writer uses the same words (protect, protective, protector, etc.), and states that this behavior has occurred, but offers no real specific examples.

Consider this revision:

My older brother has always protected me; I know that he will keep me safe from danger. When I was bullied on the way to school, my brother rearranged his schedule so that he could walk me there, shielding me from abuse with his hulking presence and the silent threat emanating from his glowering expression. The kids who had been picking on me quickly learned to stay away from me because they knew I had a brother who would be happy to defend my honor–with his fists, if necessary. Though it never came to a physical fight, I know that my brother was happy to keep his little sister safe back then–and he will continue to protect me in the years to come.

This has more details, clearly, but it also has better flow because the ideas stack on top of one another, adding more depth with each detail while staying focused on the same idea. The ideas are repeated effectively–but not verbatim. The writer has varied the vocabulary here (protected, safe from danger, shielding, defend my honor, safe, protect). The paragraph begins and ends with the same idea–protection–so readers can follow without difficulty.

See how the ideas are repeated in this revision:

My older brother has always  protected me ; I know that he will keep me  safe from danger . When I was bullied on the way to school, my brother rearranged his schedule so that he could walk me there,  shielding me from abuse  with his hulking presence and the silent threat emanating from his glowering expression. The kids who had been picking on me quickly learned to stay away from me because they knew I had a brother who would be happy to  defend my honor –with his fists, if necessary. Though it never came to a physical fight, I know that my brother was happy to keep his little sister  safe  back then–and he will continue to  protect me  in the years to come.

The words in bold effectively repeat the main idea of the paragraph without being boring.

Brevity - Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence - How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow - How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity - Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style - The DNA of Powerful Writing

Recommended

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

Structured Revision – How to Revise Your Work

Professional Writing – How to Write for the Professional World

Authority & Credibility – How to Be Credible & Authoritative in Research, Speech & Writing

Citation Guide – Learn How to Cite Sources in Academic and Professional Writing

Page Design – How to Design Messages for Maximum Impact

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