What is the pattern for anapestic meter?

• A. Two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable
• B. One stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables
• C. Three syllables with alternating stress starting with stress
• D. A rhythm with all syllables equally stressed

Answer: (A)

Anapestic meter uses feet that have two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable, creating a repeating light-light-strong, or da-da-DUM, rhythm. When a line is built from several of these feet, you hear that light-light-strong pattern continually across it.

That makes sense for the option because it matches the familiar rhythm of quick, buoyant poetry sounds—two light beats followed by a stronger beat, repeated. In contrast, one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed describes a different meter (iambic), not anapestic. A pattern of three syllables with alternating stress starting with a stressed syllable isn’t the two-untenseled-one-stressed structure, and a rhythm with all syllables equally stressed isn’t a metrical pattern at all in the sense poets use.