Which figure of speech refers to the repetition of a phrase at the beginning of clauses?

• A. Parallelism
• B. Anaphora
• C. Pathos
• D. Ethos

Answer: (B)

Anaphora is the figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. This repetition builds emphasis, creates a marching rhythm, and gives the message a sense of momentum that sticks with the listener. For example, repeating a phrase at the start of each clause—like “We shall…” in successive lines—draws attention to the idea and makes the argument feel more forceful. Pathos and ethos are about appealing to emotion or credibility, not about repeating beginnings. Parallelism is a related idea about using similar grammatical structures, but the defining feature of anaphora is the initial repetition of the phrase at the start of each clause.