Which form is defined by fourteen lines of iambic pentameter?

• A. Haiku
• B. Limerick
• C. Sonnet
• D. Ode

Answer: (C)

Fourteen lines of iambic pentameter define a sonnet. Iambic pentameter means each line has five iambs—unstressed followed by stressed syllables—giving the familiar da-DUM rhythm. The fixed length and this steady meter are what give a sonnet its distinctive, compact shape and musical feel. There are two main traditions of the form, but both keep to fourteen lines and the characteristic meter, whether the octave-and-sestet structure of the Italian or the three quatrains plus a final couplet of the English form. In contrast, haiku uses three short lines with a 5-7-5 syllable pattern, a limerick has five lines with a lively AABBA rhythm, and an ode is a long lyric that can vary in length and meter. So the defining feature here is the fourteen-line structure paired with iambic pentameter.