Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature Practice Exam

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Prepare for the AP English Literature Exam with challenging questions, detailed explanations, and strategic learning resources. Enhance your literary analysis and critical thinking skills to excel on test day!

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In poetry, what is a tetrameter?

A verse written in five-foot lines
A verse written in four-foot lines
A form of narrative technique
A type of figurative language

The correct answer is: A verse written in four-foot lines

A tetrameter is defined as a line of verse that consists of four metrical feet. Each foot can vary in the number of syllables or the specific metric pattern it follows (such as iambic, trochaic, anapestic, or dactylic). When a poem is written in tetrameter, it typically creates a rhythmic flow that can contribute to the poem's overall mood or tone. Understanding tetrameter is essential for analyzing poetic structure and rhythm. For example, a line in iambic tetrameter would consist of four iambs, which are metrical feet with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (e.g., "da-DUM"). This structure contrasts with other forms of meter, such as pentameter, which contains five feet, making tetrameter distinctly characterized by its four-foot lines.