A composition of matter comprising at least two parts: a first part comprising two segments, wherein said first segment comprises a first nucleic acid primer and at least one first energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence complementary to at least a portion of a nucleic acid of interest; and a second part comprising two segments, wherein said first segment of said second part comprises a second nucleic acid primer and at least one second energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment of said second part comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence which is identical to at least a portion of said nucleic acid of interest, wherein said first nucleic acid primer does not comprise said second energy transfer element, and wherein said second nucleic acid primer does not comprise said first energy transfer element, wherein the first extended nucleic acid primer is hybridized to the second extended nucleic acid primer such that the distance between the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element allows for energy transfer to take place as part of a homogeneous assay system. a first part comprising two segments, wherein said first segment comprises a first nucleic acid primer and at least one first energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence complementary to at least a portion of a nucleic acid of interest; and wherein said first segment comprises a first nucleic acid primer and at least one first energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence complementary to at least a portion of a nucleic acid of interest; and a second part comprising two segments, wherein said first segment of said second part comprises a second nucleic acid primer and at least one second energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment of said second part comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence which is identical to at least a portion of said nucleic acid of interest, wherein said first nucleic acid primer does not comprise said second energy transfer element, and wherein said second nucleic acid primer does not comprise said first energy transfer element, wherein the first extended nucleic acid primer is hybridized to the second extended nucleic acid primer such that the distance between the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element allows for energy transfer to take place as part of a homogeneous assay system. wherein said first segment of said second part comprises a second nucleic acid primer and at least one second energy transfer element, and wherein said second segment of said second part comprises a primer-extended nucleic acid sequence which is identical to at least a portion of said nucleic acid of interest, wherein said first nucleic acid primer does not comprise said second energy transfer element, and wherein said second nucleic acid primer does not comprise said first energy transfer element, wherein the first extended nucleic acid primer is hybridized to the second extended nucleic acid primer such that the distance between the first energy transfer element and the second energy transfer element allows for energy transfer to take place as part of a homogeneous assay system.