Rhyme Scheme

Today's lesson is on rhyme scheme. Rhyme scheme is a very important part of a lot of poetry. It tells you what lines should rhyme with each other or not.

What is Rhyme Scheme?

Rhyme scheme tells you what lines in a poem rhyme with each other. The rhyming lines are identified through letters. The first two lines that rhyme get the letter A beside them. The second pair of lines get B, the third pair get C and so on. If you find another line in the poem which also ends in a word which rhymes with one of the previously identified lines then that line gets the same letter beside it. For example if lines 1, 4, and 10 in a poem all rhyme with each other they all get an A written beside them.

Rhyme Scheme Examples:

The man was sad A

His dog was glad A

Because the dog ate the man's salad. A

Because every line in this poem ended in words that rhymed with each other they all get an A beside them.

Other poems are more complicated:

The man was sad A

He cried all night B

His dog was glad A

as he had a big bite B

and ate the man's salad. A

In this poem lines 1, 3, and 5 rhyme with each other so they get an A. Lines 2 and 4 rhyme with each other but not with any of the A lines so they get a B.

These letters follow throughout entire poems so you can have an A rhyme be at the very beginning of a poem and all the way at the very end. This is shown in Shel Silverstein's poem Dancing Pants:

And now for the Dancing Pants, A

Doing their fabulous dance. A

From the seat to the pleat B

They will bounce to the beat, B

With no legs inside them C

And no feet beneath. B

They'll whirl, and twirl, and jiggle and prance, A

So just start the music D

And give them a chance— A

Let's have a big hand for the wonderful, marvelous, E

Super sensational, utterly fabulous, E

Talented Dancing Pants! A

How to Find Rhyme Scheme:

Activity

1) Get into groups of 2 or 3 at your table groups.

2) Create a short poem using the rhyme scheme ABABCC.

3) We will then share them with the class.