Question

What is iambic pentameter?

a. A metrical foot consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable
b. A unit of spoken language made up of an uninterrupted sound, most often consisting of a vowel and one or more consonants
c. Two or more words or syllables that have a similar or identical sound within a poem or line of verse
d. A line of verse with 10 alternating unstressed and stressed syllables

Answer 1

An "iamb" is a unit of speech or poetry that's made of
one unstressed syllable plus a stressed syllable after it.

Examples:

" new YORK "

" ma DRID "

" that's IT ! "

" hel LO "

"Penta..." means "five", like in a "pentagon".

"Pentameter" means a line of speech or poetry that has five units in it, no matter what
their form is.

"Iambic pentameter" is a line of speech or poetry that has five 'iambs' in it.

Example:

" to BE or NOT to BE that IS the QUES " (chun)


The lyrics (words) to the 'blues' are almost all Iambic Pentameter
or close to it:

__ See that SPI der CRAWL in' UP that WALL


If you SEE me COM in', HEIST your WIN dow HIGH .
If you SEE me COM in', HEIST your WIN dow HIGH .
If you SEE me GO in', baby, HANG your HEAD and CRY.

It's been THREE weeks SINCE my sweet BA by SAID goodBYE .
It's been THREE weeks SINCE my sweet BA by SAID goodBYE .
And NOW my sweet DOG has EAT en ALL OF my sweet PIE .

The correct choice is 'd' .