Rhythm Reading – Learn to Read Basic Rhythms

Rhythm Reading

• Stress –It is the degree of emphasis given to a specific syllable of the word through loud/intense sound or by making it sound lengthy.
• Rhythm –It is the movement of speech which is marked by stress, timing and quantity of syllables
• Rhythm in the English language is stress-timed. The speaker alternates between stressed and unstressed syllables. The stressed syllables in the sentence create beats.
• Beats are evenly spaced even if there are more unstressed syllables in between the stressed syllables.
• The speaker speaks faster-unstressed syllables or shortens them to ensure the time between one stressed syllable and the next stressed syllable is approximately the same.

Example

• The GIRLS PLAY GAMES
• The GIRLS will PLAY GAMES
• The GIRLS will be PLAYing GAMES

• Words are stressed based on their type. It helps to maintain the rhythm

• Content words-Stressed; content words convey the main meaning
• Function words – Weaker and shorter; not stressed

Examples of Rhythm in Sentences (Stressed Words and Stressed Syllables Marked)

• WHERE are you GOing toDAY after WORK?
• I WANT my SISter to WIN.
• I HAVE to GO to the DEN
• I’d LIKE you to JOIN me for LUN
• I’ll WALK to the SHOP NOW.

Rhythm in Poetry

• The rhythmic pattern of the stressed and unstressed syllables is defined as metre. Some of the common patterns are as follows:
• Iamb: unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Example da-DUM
• Trochee: stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. Example DUM-da
• Dactyl: stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. Example DUM-da-da
• Spondee: stressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Example DUM DUMAnapaest: Two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. Example –da-da-DUM
• Poetic rhythms/patterns are measured in metrical feet. The type of meter is determined by the number of feet in a line.

• Dimeter – contains two metrical feet
• Trimeter – contains three metrical feet
• Tetrameter -contains four metrical feet
• Pentameter- contains five metrical feet
• Hexameter – contains six metrical feet

Example of meter -Iambic Pentameter – One line contains five (penta means five) iambs i.e., five feet of iamb pattern (da-DUM).