Rhyme

There are many different kinds of rhyme. Here a few key terms to help distinguish between them, and some questions to draw them out.

Where is the rhyme?

End rhyme. When there is rhyme at the end of a line.

Internal rhyme. When there is rhyme within a line: ‘The cat sat on the mat.’ ‘O fleet sweet swallow’.

What kind of rhyme?

To answer this, ask yourself: where is the stress (remember metre)?

Masculine rhyme. Consists of a single stressed syllable (‘still/hill’, ‘bore/more’) or a final stressed syllable (‘expect/reject’) = conspicuous, highlights rhymed word

Feminine rhyme. A stressed followed by an unstressed syllable (‘ending/bending’, ‘mystery/mastery’) = a falling away, fading effect, ‘softer’

How well does it rhyme?

Full rhyme. Full unity of sound: ‘strain/pain’
= a comic effect? Affects the pace

Half rhyme. Consonants match but not vowels: ‘groined/groaned’
= implies restlessness, a writer not ‘at peace’ with his subject

Eye rhyme. Rhymes visually but not when read out loud: ‘love/prove’
= a discordant effect

Other phonological (sound) effects:

Consonants: hard or soft consonants?

Vowels: long or short vowel sounds? (Long vowel sounds mean you read more slowly.)

Onomatopoeic effects?

Repetitions (is there a refrain)?