1. The Shakespearean (or English) Sonnet

2. Sonnet Form The sonnet is a fourteen line poem. The Shakespearean sonnet is written in iambic pentameter.

3. Iambic Pentameter Lines that ideally have five unstressed syllables, each followed by a stressed syllable, are referred to as iambic pentameter. Example: Shall I/ compare/ thee to/ a sum/ mer’s day.

4. Meter Meter is the regular pattern of accented and unaccented syllables in a line of poetry. Each unit of meter is known as a foot.

5. Pentameter If there are five feet in a line of poetry, it is referred to as pentameter. Example: Two houses both alike in dignity Two hous/ es both/ a like/ in dig/ ni ty

6. Rhyme Rhyme is the occurrence of similar or identical sounds at the ends of two or more words. Examples: cathat badfad

7. End Rhyme End rhyme occurs at the ends of lines. Example: “I cannot go to school today,” Said little Peggy Ann McKay. (Shel Silverstein)

8. Slant Rhyme Slant rhyme is also known as near rhyme. Slant rhyme occurs when the sounds are not quite identical. Examples: care dear

9. Rhyme Scheme Rhyme scheme is the pattern of end rhyme in a poem. The pattern is charted by assigning a letter of the alphabet to each line. Lines that rhyme are assigned the same letter.

10. Example of Rhyme Scheme Jack and Jill a went up the hilla to fetch a pail of water.b Jack fell downc and broke his crownc and Jill came tumbling after.b (Note that “water” and “after” are slant rhymes)

11. Rhythm Rhythm refers to the pattern of flow of sound created by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. A regular pattern of rhythm is called meter.