Which foot is described as two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable?

Which foot is described as two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable?

• A. Anapestic
• B. Dactylic
• C. Iambic
• D. Trochaic

Answer: (A)

In poetry, a metrical foot is a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. The pattern with two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable is called an anapest. It’s a three-syllable unit, like un-der-stand, where the first two syllables are light and quick and the final syllable carries the emphasis. This contrasts with other feet: iambic is unstressed-then-stressed (da-DUM), dactylic is stressed-unstressed-unstressed (DA-da-da), and trochaic is stressed-unstressed (DA-da). So the described pattern fits anapest.

In poetry, a metrical foot is a pattern of unstressed and stressed syllables. The pattern with two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable is called an anapest. It’s a three-syllable unit, like un-der-stand, where the first two syllables are light and quick and the final syllable carries the emphasis. This contrasts with other feet: iambic is unstressed-then-stressed (da-DUM), dactylic is stressed-unstressed-unstressed (DA-da-da), and trochaic is stressed-unstressed (DA-da). So the described pattern fits anapest.