Final answer:
The sentence 'The sparkling waves by the tide were dashed' has five accented syllables, which are 'spark', 'waves', 'tide', and 'dashed'. These accented syllables contribute to the meter and the rhythmic pattern of the line.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many accented syllables are in the sentence "The sparkling waves by the tide were dashed," we examine the natural stress patterns of the words when spoken. Below is the sentence with the accented syllables marked:
The sparkling waves by the tide were dashed.
There are five accented (stressed) syllables in this sentence, which are marked in bold. When annotating poetry for scansion, marking the stressed (accented) syllables can help us understand the poem's meter and rhythm, echoing the way poetry was performed with song and drums in ancient times. Significant devices of sound such as alliteration and assonance should also be noted as they contribute to the rhythmic qualities and can create a specific effect or mood.