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alternating rhyme pattern

Rhyme
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A rhyme scheme in which rhymes alternate between lines, such as ABAB

Detailed Definition
Alternating rhyme pattern, also known as ABAB rhyme scheme, features rhyming words at the ends of alternating lines rather than consecutive lines. This creates an interlaced effect where the first and third lines rhyme with each other, as do the second and fourth. Alternating rhyme produces a balanced, measured sound and is among the most common rhyme schemes in English poetry, appearing in quatrains, ballad stanzas, and longer poems requiring clear structural organization.
Example
Example in poetry:
The rhyme scheme abab, as in "The sun is warm (a), the sky is clear (b), / The waves are dancing fast and bright (a), / Though now the fog is drawing near (b)," is a classic alternating rhyme pattern.
Additional Notes
alternating rhyme pattern is a common rhyme scheme, usually denoted as ABAB, where the first line rhymes with the third, and the second line rhymes with the fourth; frequently found in ballads and quatrains.
Also Known As
Cross rhyme Interlaced rhyme Alternating rhyme
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