Rhyme

Rhyming words are two words that sound alike. Run and done rhyme with each other. Many of the poems that you read have rhyming words. The bolded words rhyme in the short poem below.

Out of the window A yellow balloon Is caught in the treetop And looks like a moon.

 Sometimes rhyming words end with the same letters.

Examples: can, pan rang, sang right, light

 Sometimes rhyming words do not end with the same letters, but they still end with the same sound.

Examples: read, need wear, care baby, maybe

Here are some more words that rhyme:

shout pout trip drip law paw kite fight cat rat flip chip sweet meat rug mug

Rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyme in a poem. To find a poem's rhyme scheme, look at the last word of each line. If there is a rhyme scheme, some of the last words will rhyme with each other. Remember that not all poems have a rhyme scheme.

You can describe rhyme scheme in two ways. You can assign a letter to the sound of each line's last word. You can also just describe where the rhyming words are. Look at the examples below. AABB Every two lines rhyme. A castle floats on swirls of white. (A) A dragon soars with all his might. (A) A giant in a splendid pose, (B) A walrus with a silly nose. (B)

In this poem, the letter A represents the "ite" sound. The letter B represents the "ose" sound. That's why you call this rhyme scheme AABB. ABCB The second and fourth line of each stanza rhyme. Susan went to school today (A) And met a new friend, Hannah. (B) They hopped and skipped at recess (C) And split a sweet banana. (B) ABAB Every other line rhymes. Some flowers only bloom in Spring. (A) Their beauty brings us joy each year. (B) In tall oak trees the blue birds sing (A) To see the colors reappear. (B) No rhyme The author uses unrhyming verse. I gaze at the stars above And wonder what is out there. Are there things that look like us Or creatures that are creepy?