Metric feet
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A metric foot is a collection of two or three syllables. There are six types of metric feet used commonly by English poets, and they are differentiated by where the stresses lie.
Two syllable feet
- iamb
- an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (e.g. instead)
- trochee
- a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (e.g. platter)
- spondee
- two stressed syllables (e.g. football)
- pyrrhic
- two unstressed syllables (usually not found in one word)
Three syllable feet
- anapest
- two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable (e.g. intercept)
- dactyl
- a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables (e.g. laughable)
