
Poetstrain Homepage Poetry Forms Handbook: Introduction Glossary of Poetry Terms Meter Iamb Iambic Pentameter Rhyme scheme Couplet Stanza Alliteration Pun Sensory Language Imagery Simile Metaphor Types of Poetry Acrostic Ballad Blank verse Cinquain Diamante Epic poem Free Verse Haiku Limerick Ode Pantoum Quatrain Senryu Shape poetry Sonnet Tanka Villanelle Conclusion Practice: Try Out What You've Learned At The Poetry Forum!	Iambic Pentameter Iambic Pentameter -- This is a pattern of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (iambs) five times for each line (pentameter), for a total of about 10 syllables per line. (This rhythm is sometimes altered to accommodate the words the poet wants to use; the number of syllables may not be exactly 10, but it should be very close.) Shakespeare wrote much of his work in this meter. Iambic pentameter is one of the most common metrical forms in English poetry and is used in many of the major English poetic forms, including blank verse, couplet poetry, and many of the traditional rhymed stanza forms. Note: Similarly, iambic tetrameter has four iambs per line and iambic trimeter has three iambs per line.

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Poetry Forms
Handbook:

forms of poetry book

Introduction

Glossary of Poetry Terms

Meter
Iamb
Iambic Pentameter
Rhyme scheme
Couplet
Stanza
Alliteration
Pun
Sensory Language
Imagery
Simile
Metaphor

Types of Poetry

Acrostic
Ballad
Blank verse
Cinquain
Diamante
Epic poem
Free Verse
Haiku
Limerick
Ode
Pantoum
Quatrain
Senryu
Shape poetry
Sonnet
Tanka
Villanelle

Conclusion

Practice:

Try Out What
You've Learned
At The Poetry Forum!

Iambic Pentameter

Iambic Pentameter -- This is a pattern of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables (iambs) five times for each line (pentameter), for a total of about 10 syllables per line.

(This rhythm is sometimes altered to accommodate the words the poet wants to use; the number of syllables may not be exactly 10, but it should be very close.)

Shakespeare wrote much of his work in this meter.

Iambic pentameter is one of the most common metrical forms in English poetry and is used in many of the major English poetic forms, including blank verse, couplet poetry, and many of the traditional rhymed stanza forms.

Note: Similarly, iambic tetrameter has four iambs per line and iambic trimeter has three iambs per line.