What makes a rhyme scheme

In this example, the first four lines follow the rhyme scheme ABAB. The only rhymes are in the lines labeled D. Because each letter in a rhyme scheme refers to one ending sound, you can easily see which lines rhyme for that poem.

For example, if the given rhyme scheme is AABB, that means the first two lines rhyme with each other, and the next two lines rhyme with each other. Twinkle, twinkle, little star — A How I wonder what you are. When you write a rhyming poem , you do not have to follow a fixed pattern. You can just keep adding new rhymes and continue expanding the pattern. Shakespearean Sonnet: This is always a line poem broken down into three 4-line stanzas and a couplet to end the piece.

Alternate rhyme: In this rhyme scheme, the first line rhymes with the third, and the second line rhymes with the fourth. The ABAB rhyme scheme is common for poems with four lines in each stanza. Ballade: This lyric poem not to be confused with a ballad typically comes in three stanzas of eight lines each and ends with a four-line stanza.

Coupled rhyme: This refers to two consecutive lines that rhyme, usually in two-line stanzas. Monorhyme: A monorhyme is when all the lines in one stanza or even an entire poem end in the same sound.

The rhyme scheme can be designated as AAAA. Enclosed rhyme: In an enclosed rhyme scheme, the first and fourth lines rhyme with each other, while the second and third lines also rhyme with each other. The rhyme scheme is ABBA. Triplet: A triplet is when three lines in one stanza end in the same sound. The rhyme scheme is therefore AAA. Do you like green eggs and ham? A I do not like them, Sam-I-am. A I do not like green eggs and ham.

A Would you like them here or there? B I would not like them here or there. B I would not like them anywhere. B I do not like green eggs and ham. Rhyme and meter are two tools that make poems the musical experiences we enjoy so much. When you use regular rhyme in a set pattern, it makes it easier to remember the lines in your poem, and also lets you give your audience a predictable, expectant pleasure. While rhyme scheme is not something that readers will normally pick out, your own decision in choosing which lines should rhyme will give your poem artistic structure.

Did you find this post helpful? Struggling with distance learning? Our Teacher Editions can help. Rhyme Scheme Definition What is a rhyme scheme? So a poem made up of two rhyming couplets two-line stanzas would be said to have a rhyme scheme of AA BB.

There are different conventions for writing out rhyme schemes. Some people use lowercase letters abab , some use uppercase ABAB , and some even throw in italics or hyphens a-b-a-b. This formatting aspect of rhyme schemes is not very scientific. Rhymes are used in all types of poetry, but they don't always occur in regular patters or at the ends of lines—so not all poems that use rhyme necessarily have rhyme schemes. Rhyme schemes are only used to describe poems that use end rhyme that is, rhymes at the ends of lines.

This is the rhyme scheme typically used in ballads. The rhymes themselves are called couplets. Monorhyme is the term used for poems that use just one rhyme throughout the entire poem, as in AAAA. Simple 4-line rhyme follows a pattern of ABCB.

Rhyme Scheme and Formal Verse Generally speaking, poems that have rhyme schemes are written in what's known as formal verse which is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter. Single-Stanza vs. Whole-Poem Rhyme Schemes The pattern of a rhyme scheme can be specific to a single stanza of a poem, or it can repeat throughout an entire poem.

Perfect Rhyme, Imperfect Rhyme, and Rhyme Scheme Most people, when they think about what constitutes a rhyme, are actually thinking about one type of rhyme in particular, called perfect rhyme , which only includes words with identical sounds like "game" and "tame," or "table" and "fable.

Therefore, this excerpt from a poem by Yeats would be said to have an A B A B rhyme scheme even though it uses slant rhyme: When have I last looked on The round green eyes and the long wavering bodies Of the dark leopards of the moon?

All the wild witches, those most noble ladies Refrains and Rhyme Schemes Some types of poems, such as ballades , have entire lines that repeat at regular intervals throughout the poem.

Rhyme Scheme Examples The following examples show all sorts of different rhyme schemes. Coupled Rhyme in Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who! Chain Rhyme in Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" In the excerpt of Frost's poem shown here, the B rhyme of the first stanza is taken up as the predominant rhyme in the second stanza, while the C rhyme in the second stanza then becomes the predominant line in the third stanza—making the rhyme scheme an example of chain rhyme in which stanzas are linked together by rhymes that carry over from one stanza to the next.

An article that covers some of the most basic rhyme schemes and links to examples of poems that use them. A short video that explains rhyme scheme and shows how to label rhymes. Cite This Page. B The one who gracefully gave me birth, A And said, I love you in every way. The one who taught me everything, C Like how to crawl and walk.

D The one who taught me how to sing C After learning how to talk. Here, poet Crystal R. Adame makes dexterous use of rhyme scheme. E To a dad who just gets smarter, D It would seem from day to day! These lines from the poem To a Terrific Dad have yet another kind of rhyme scheme, which is different from all of the preceding examples. Rhyme scheme is an integral part of the constitution of a poem, which includes meter , length of phrase , and rhythm.

Want to see the tutors near you? English Tutors. Find a Tutor. Rhyme Scheme Definition A rhyme scheme is the ordered pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line of a poem.

Table of Contents [hide] [show]. A lot of modern poetry is written as free verse , in which the poets deliberately avoid rhyme and meter. What you learned: After working your way through this lesson and video, you have learned: The definition of a rhyme scheme The types of rhyme schemes used in poetry How to find rhyme scheme patterns and label them with capital letters Examples of rhyme schemes in real poems.

Instructor: Malcolm M. Malcolm has a Master's Degree in education and holds four teaching certificates. He has been a public school teacher for 27 years, including 15 years as a mathematics teacher. Local and online. View Tutors. Tutors online. Ask a question Get Help. The first line and fourth line rhyme and enclose a pair of new rhymes in the middle. Also called an internal rhyme scheme.