Rhyme Scheme – Concept and Its Uses

Rhyme Scheme 

Rhyming words are two or more words which have the same ending sound. 

For example: cot – pot, tall – fall 

Rhyming words are often found at the ends of lines in a poem. These rhyming words at the end are called “end rhymes.” 

For example: Twinkle twinkle little star 

How I wonder what you are 

Rhyme scheme is a way of describing the pattern of the end rhymes in a poem. 

Each new sound at the end of the line is given a letter. Letters start with A then B and so on. If any of the sounds in the earlier lines are repeated, the same letter is given for the new line. 

For example: Twinkle, twinkle, little star, A 

How I wonder what you are! A 

Up above the world so high, B 

Like a diamond in the sky. B 

Here, ‘star’ and ‘are’ are rhyming, so they are given the same letter A. Similarly, ‘high’ and ‘sky’ are rhyming, so they got the letter B. The rhyme scheme here is AABB. 

There are different types of rhyme schemes. Let’s take a look at another rhyme scheme. 

For example: I have a cute pup, A 

His name is Pooh. B 

He broke a cup, A 

And tore a shoe. B 

Use of rhyme scheme 

• Rhyme scheme makes the poem musical. 
• It helps in memorising the poem for recitation. 
• It gives predictable pleasure.