Iamb

An iamb is a poetic foot made of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one, as in the word "compare".

Shakespeare's line has five iambs in a row, with the stressed syllables in capitals.

shall i comPARE thee TO a SUMmer's DAY

William Shakespeare, Sonnet 18, 1609

What it is

The word "iamb" describes the up-and-down beat of da-DUM. "Hello", "today" and "again" are each one iamb. The foot is the building block of iambic pentameter, the line of Shakespeare, Milton and most English sonnets.

How to spot it

Say a few everyday phrases and notice how they fall: "I know", "the door", "a friend". Each is a small up-beat then a stress, which is why English speech slips into iambs so easily. To check a line, read it naturally and tap only on the stressed syllables. If the taps land on every second syllable, starting with the second, the line is iambic. A line that starts on a tap is not, and that is where a writer or editor should look closely.

Why it matters to a writer or editor

The iamb is the default beat of English verse, so a line that opens with a stressed syllable stands out. When a poet starts with a trochee instead, the reader feels a push. Knowing the iamb lets you hear that push as a choice.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the iamb so common in English?

Many English phrases fall into it naturally, such as "the dog" or "I know", where a small word leads into a stronger one. Poets use it because it sounds close to speech.