Which term denotes the pattern by which rhymes occur at the ends of lines in a poem?

• A. Rhyme
• B. Rhyme scheme
• C. Meter
• D. Cadence

Answer: (B)

The pattern of end rhymes in a poem is called the rhyme scheme. It describes how the rhymes fall across the lines and is usually shown with letters to indicate which lines rhyme with each other. For example, a simple pattern where the first and second lines rhyme with each other and the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other would be an AA BB scheme; an alternating pattern where the first line rhymes with the third and the second with the fourth would be ABAB. Rhyme is the actual repetition of similar sounds, not the overall arrangement of those rhymes. Meter is about the rhythm created by stressed and unstressed syllables, and cadence is the flow or pace of the language at the ends of lines, not the formal pattern of end rhymes.