In poetry, iambic pentameter refers to a line with five metrical feet. The meter refers to the number of syllables in a line of poetry, while the rhyme scheme, or rhyming pattern, indicates which lines in the poem rhyme. Structures for poems include a set meter and rhyme scheme.
When you write a poem, you can choose whether you want to follow a set structure or do free verse. If you are studying Shakespeare or even poetry in general, you will most likely hear the term “iambic pentameter.” This refers to a type of structure for poems.
