1. Iambic Pentameter
Year 8 English

2. All words with more than one syllable are made up of stressed and unstressed syllables

3. alone

4. The kitten is all alone

5. a/lone

6. a/LONE

7. x /
a/LONE
dee DUM
[rising rhythm]

8. Shakespeare

9. Shake/speare

10. / x
SHAKE/speare
DUM dee
[falling rhythm]

11. So what is the meter of your last name?

12. Meter definition = In poetry, meter is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in a verse.

13. This is the rhythm of words

14. THIS is the RHYthm of WORDS
/ x x / x x /
THIS is the RHYthm of WORDS

15. Poets use the rhythm of language to help convey their message.

16. / x / x / x x / x x / POets USE the RHYthm of LAnguage to HELP x / x / x conVEY their MESSage.

17. But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? Romeo and Juliet

18. x / x / x / x / x But SOFT. What LIGHT through YONder WINdow / BREAKS
x / x / x / x / x But SOFT! What LIGHT through YONder WINdow / BREAKS? Romeo and Juliet

19. Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff! Macbeth IV.i.71

20. x / x / x / x / MacBETH. MacBETH. MacBETH. BeWARE x / MacDUFF
x / x / x / x / MacBETH! MacBETH! MacBETH! BeWARE x / MacDUFF! Macbeth IV.i.71

21. Everyday language
I’d like to have another cup of tea

22. I’d like to have another cup of tea
Everyday language
x / x / x / x / x /
I’d like to have another cup of tea

23. Lines like these are written in IAMBIC PENTAMETER

24. What is iambic pentameter?

25. An iamb is a type of foot

26. X

27. iamb = metrical foot with one unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable
x /
to/NIGHT
dee DUM

28. You only have to listen to the beat

29. you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

30. This line is built with iambs Therefore this line is iambic
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

31. How many iambs are in this line?
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

32. How many iambs are in this line? 5
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

33. you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT
How many iambs are in this line? 5 The Ancient Greek word for five is pente
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

34. Iambic pentameter you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT
x / x / x / x / x /
you ONly HAVE to LIsten TO the BEAT

35. YOUR TURN!! 
Write one sentence in iambic pentameter – share with the person next to you

36. In pairs, write 5 lines using an iambic pentameter rhythm.
You may wish to (but don’t have to!) start with….
x / x / x / x / x / x /
Today in class….. Today we learnt…. Tonight I will…