How many lines does a sonnet contain?

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Multiple Choice

How many lines does a sonnet contain?

A sonnet is defined by its fourteen-line length. This fixed count is a hallmark of the form, whether in the Shakespearean pattern (three quatrains plus a final couplet) or the Petrarchan pattern (an octave followed by a sestet). While poems can vary in length, the traditional sonnet consistently uses fourteen lines, so that is the expected number.

A sonnet is defined by its fourteen-line length. This fixed count is a hallmark of the form, whether in the Shakespearean pattern (three quatrains plus a final couplet) or the Petrarchan pattern (an octave followed by a sestet). While poems can vary in length, the traditional sonnet consistently uses fourteen lines, so that is the expected number.

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