Understanding Poetic Meter and Feet

What is poetic meter?

• The number of lines in a poem.

• The rhythm created by stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.

• The type of rhyme scheme used in a poem.

• The length of a poem in words.

In poetry, what is a 'foot'?

• A unit of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.

• A type of shoe worn by poets.

• A measurement of how long a poem is.

• A group of rhyming words at the end of a line.

What is the stress pattern for a dactyl?

• Unstressed, stressed, unstressed

• Stressed, stressed, unstressed

• Stressed, unstressed, unstressed

• Unstressed, unstressed, stressed

What is the stress pattern for a trochee?

• Stressed, unstressed

• Unstressed, stressed

• Stressed, stressed

• Unstressed, unstressed

What is the stress pattern for an iamb?

• Stressed, unstressed

• Unstressed, stressed

• Stressed, stressed

• Unstressed, unstressed

What is Iambic Pentameter?

• A line of poetry with 10 stressed syllables.

• A line of poetry with 5 unstressed syllables.

• A line of poetry with 10 feet.

• A line of poetry made up of five iambs.

How many syllables are typically in a line of iambic pentameter?

• 5 syllables

• 10 syllables

• 15 syllables

• 20 syllables

How is the word 'iamb' pronounced?

• It is pronounced like the phrase 'I am'.

• It is pronounced like the word 'lamb'.

• It is pronounced like the word 'jamb'.

• It is pronounced like the word 'climb'.

When do Shakespeare's characters often switch to iambic pentameter?

• When they are speaking about everyday things.

• When they are expressing strong emotions or important ideas.

• When they are singing a song.

• When they are telling a joke.

Why was iambic pentameter a good choice for Shakespeare's plays?

• It was the only meter Shakespeare knew.

• It was easy to write rhymes in this meter.

• It sounded more formal and important.

• It naturally suited the rhythm of the English language.