Which meter pattern features a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables?

• A. Pymhic
• B. Spondaic
• C. Dactylic
• D. Trochaic

Answer: (C)

In poetry, a foot is a unit of rhythm that combines stressed and unstressed syllables. A dactylic foot has one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables, so a word like happily—HAP-pi-ly—fits this pattern with the emphasis on the first syllable and the next two kept lighter. This is different from trochaic feet, which are stressed-unstressed in two-syllable units, and iambic feet, which are unstressed-stressed. Spondaic feet have two stressed syllables, and pyrrhic feet have two unstressed syllables. The described pattern matches the dactylic rhythm.