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Iambic Pentameter
Iambic pentameter is a rhyme scheme in which each line consists of ten syllables.
The syllables are divided into five pairs called iambs or iambic feet.
An iamb is a unit of meter made up of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable.
o An example of an iamb would be good BYE.
Practice Activity 1: Rewrite the following iambic pentameter lines marking a slash between each metric foot and writing
stressed syllables in capital letters. The first one is done for you.
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Practice Activity 2: Write your own original iambic pentameter two lines. Be sure to mark a slash between each metric
foot and write stressed syllables in capital letters.
Name: A/B Due:
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Practice Activity 3 – Annotation Challenge: Carefully read the R&J sonnet, below. Annotate it with your observations.
Use your knowledge of literary devices and poetry terms. Define unknown words. Number the lines. Is it consistently in
iambic pentameter? Themes? Literary devices in action (tone, imagery, metaphor, alliteration…)? Other? Write a
paraphrase (restate in your own words) of every two lines in the right margin. This page should look like a crazy mess
of thoughts!
R&J Prologue