Literary term
Iambic pentameter
A line of five iambs, giving ten syllables with a da-DUM heartbeat rhythm.
What it means
Iambic pentameter is a line of poetry with five iambs. An iamb is a pair of syllables with the stress on the second, giving a da-DUM beat. Five of these make a ten-syllable line with a rhythm often compared to a heartbeat.
It is one of the most common metres in English poetry and drama. It sits close to natural speech rhythm but still sounds shaped and deliberate. Recognising it lets a reader hear the underlying pulse of a line and notice when a writer disturbs it.
Why it matters in the exam
In Literature, identify iambic pentameter and, crucially, the moments a writer breaks it. This gives you strong material for analysing form and emphasis. Examiners reward you for linking a change in rhythm to meaning, such as a stumble in the beat mirroring distress.
Simply counting syllables earns little; the insight lies in what the steady beat, or its disruption, does to the reader.
Example
A line such as "the quiet morning settled on the town" falls into a steady da-DUM beat across ten syllables, giving it a calm, measured feel.
How to use it
Read the line aloud in your head and tap out the stresses to check for five da-DUM beats. Then focus on any line that breaks the pattern and explain why the writer disrupts the rhythm there. Connect the regular beat to calm or order, and the broken beat to tension or emotion.
Do not just label the metre.
Knowing the term is the first step. In a paid one-hour trial, a teacher helps your child use "Iambic pentameter" accurately in an answer.