iambs

An iamb is a metrical foot in poetry consisting of two syllables, with the first syllable unstressed and the second syllable stressed. The term comes from the Greek iambos, and in English verse it is the most common building block of meter, producing a rising rhythm that often mirrors natural speech.

Iambic meter can occur in various lengths, but the best known form is iambic pentameter, which comprises five iambic feet per line. A typical line is scanned as da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM. This pattern underpins a great portion of English drama and lyric poetry, including lines such as “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” The form is not rigid, however; poets frequently employ variations—such as feminine endings (an extra unstressed syllable at the end), or substitutions that shift to other feet for emphasis or mood.

Other meters based on the iamb include iambic tetrameter (four iambic feet per line) and occasional mixed-foot lines. Poets may substitute trochaic, spondaic, or other feet within a line to achieve particular effects, creating rhythmic variety while preserving the overall iambic character.

In analysis, iambs are identified by marking unstressed and stressed syllables and counting feet per line. The study of iambic patterns helps readers understand a poem’s pacing, emphasis, and expressive nuance, and remains a foundational concept in the study of English prosody.