What is the rhyme scheme of a limerick?

What is the rhyme scheme of a limerick?

• A. AABBA
• B. ABAB
• C. AABB
• D. ABCD

Answer: (A)

In a limerick, the rhyme pattern comes from the way the end sounds of the lines repeat. A limerick has five lines. The ending words of the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with each other, while the ending words of the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. That creates a two-rhyme pattern where lines 1, 2, and 5 share one rhyme and lines 3 and 4 share another. In notation, this is AABBA. The form pairs a lively rhythm with that distinctive five-line rhyme, giving the familiar punch and cadence of a limerick. Other patterns wouldn’t fit the five-line structure or the way the end sounds cycle in a limerick, so they aren’t correct for this form.

In a limerick, the rhyme pattern comes from the way the end sounds of the lines repeat. A limerick has five lines. The ending words of the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with each other, while the ending words of the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. That creates a two-rhyme pattern where lines 1, 2, and 5 share one rhyme and lines 3 and 4 share another. In notation, this is AABBA. The form pairs a lively rhythm with that distinctive five-line rhyme, giving the familiar punch and cadence of a limerick. Other patterns wouldn’t fit the five-line structure or the way the end sounds cycle in a limerick, so they aren’t correct for this form.