Question

which statements about iambic pentameter are true? choose three correct answers. a line of iambic pentameter contains four iambs, or eight syllables. a line of iambic pentameter contains five iambs, or ten syllables. shakespeare uses iambic pentameter in his sonnets. an iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. iambic pentameter does not follow a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Explanation:

1. Analyze "A line of iambic pentameter contains four iambs, or eight syllables": Iambic pentameter has five iambs (ten syllables), so this is false.
2. Analyze "A line of iambic pentameter contains five iambs, or ten syllables": By definition, iambic pentameter has five iambs (each iamb is two syllables, so 5×2 = 10 syllables), so this is true.
3. Analyze "Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter in his sonnets": Shakespeare's sonnets are known to use iambic pentameter, so this is true.
4. Analyze "An iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable": The definition of an iamb is an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, so this is true.
5. Analyze "Iambic pentameter does not follow a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables": Iambic pentameter follows a regular pattern (five iambs per line), so this is false.

Answer:

B. A line of iambic pentameter contains five iambs, or ten syllables.
C. Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter in his sonnets.
D. An iamb consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.