Understand How Rhyme is Used in Poetry

In this activity, we are going to look at rhyme.

 

Different types of rhyme

Half rhyme - half rhyme is when the final consonant sounds of stressed syllables rhyme, but the final vowel sounds do not.

 

Rhyming couplets - a pair of lines that rhyme

 

Enclosed rhyme - 1st and 4th lines rhyme and 2nd and 3rd lines rhyme

 

Free verse - no rhyme scheme

 

Rhyme Scheme

Rhyme schemes are usually referred to using letters. The first line is labelled (A) then if the second line rhymes with the first, it is also labelled (A) and if it doesn’t, it is labelled (B) and so on.

 

Let’s take this popular nursery rhyme as an example:

 

Ring-a-ring o’ roses, (A)
A pocket full of posies, (A)
A-tishoo, a-tishoo! (B)
We all fall down. (C) 

 

Mummy in the teapot, (D)
Daddy in the cup, (E)
Baby in the saucer, (F)
We all jump up. (E)

 

 

Can you see how all the lines that rhyme are labelled with the same letter?

 

Therefore, we can say that this poem has the rhyme scheme AABCDEFE.

 

Simple, right?

 

Now let’s have a go at some questions, but remember to refer back to this introduction if you need a recap - simply click on the red help button on the screen.