North Carolina Foundations of Reading Practice Test

A ninth-grade class reading a 14-line poem with rhyme and stanzas is studying what type of poem?

1. Haiku

2. Ballad

3. Sonnet

4. Free verse

The correct answer is: Sonnet

A 14-line poem with rhyme and stanzas is characteristic of a sonnet. Sonnets have a specific structure and often employ a particular rhyme scheme, most commonly the Shakespearean (or English) form, which consists of three quatrains followed by a couplet, or the Petrarchan (or Italian) form, which includes an octave followed by a sestet. The distinctive 14-line format makes sonnets highly recognizable and is a hallmark of this type of poetry. In contrast, haikus are much shorter, comprising three lines with a syllable pattern of 5-7-5, and do not feature stanzas or rhyme schemes. Ballads typically tell a story and are often longer with repeated refrains, while free verse lacks a specific structure, rhyme, or meter, allowing for more freedom in expression. This understanding of the sonnet’s form helps clarify its unique attributes in the realm of poetry.