Iambic pentameter is a term describing the rhythmic structure of a line in a poem or play. Each line written in iambic pentameter consists of ten syllables in a specific pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
Iambic pentameter example Solongasmencanbreathe, oreyescansee
Iambic pentameter is the most common rhythmic pattern in English literature. Many renowned writers, such as William Shakespeare, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and John Milton, have used its rhythm and flow to pace their poems and plays.
A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. This pattern is notated by labeling the lines that rhyme with each other with the same letter; for example, an ABBA rhyme scheme indicates that the first line rhymes with the fourth one, and the second line rhymes with the third.
Rhyme scheme exampleRoses are red (A)
Violets are blue, (B)
Sugar is sweet (C)
And so are you. (B)
This nursery rhyme follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, with “blue” and “you” rhyming.
Rhyme schemes help poets create rhythm, structure their thoughts, and make their work more memorable.
