Which poetic device is used in the sentence "There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the

heart"?

enjambment
metaphor
consonance
assonance<-----

If you don't count "iciness," I think you're right. Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds, thus -- sinking and sickening. (short i sound)

Thank you

You're welcome.

The poetic device used in the sentence "There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart" is assonance.

Assonance is a literary device in which the repetition of vowel sounds within words creates a musical or harmonious effect. In the given sentence, the repetition of the "i" sound in the words "iciness," "sinking," and "sickening" creates a sense of unity and emphasis.

To identify the poetic device used in a sentence or passage, you can follow these steps:

1. Read the sentence or passage closely and identify any patterns, repetitions, or unusual sounds.
2. Pay attention to the sounds of vowels and consonants within the words.
3. Look for any instances of repetition or similarity in the sounds.
4. Match the pattern or repetition you found with different poetic devices, such as enjambment, metaphor, consonance, or assonance.
5. Determine which poetic device best fits the pattern or repetition you identified in the sentence or passage.

In this case, by recognizing the repetition of the vowel sound "i" in the words "iciness," "sinking," and "sickening," we can conclude that the poetic device used is assonance.