Which metrical foot has one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones?

Which metrical foot has one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones?

• A. Trochee
• B. Iamb
• C. Anapest
• D. Dactyl

Answer: (D)

In poetry, a dactyl is a metrical foot that begins with a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. The beat hits on the first syllable, and the next two glide more lightly. A clear everyday example is merrily: MER-i-ly, where MER carries the stress and i and ly are lighter sounds. This pattern—strong, weak, weak—is what defines the dactyl. This stands in contrast to other feet: an iamb is unstressed followed by a stressed syllable (light, then strong), a trochee is stressed followed by an unstressed syllable (strong, then light), and an anapest is two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one (light, light, strong). Since the described sequence is one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones, the correct term for that foot is the dactyl.

In poetry, a dactyl is a metrical foot that begins with a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. The beat hits on the first syllable, and the next two glide more lightly. A clear everyday example is merrily: MER-i-ly, where MER carries the stress and i and ly are lighter sounds. This pattern—strong, weak, weak—is what defines the dactyl.

This stands in contrast to other feet: an iamb is unstressed followed by a stressed syllable (light, then strong), a trochee is stressed followed by an unstressed syllable (strong, then light), and an anapest is two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one (light, light, strong). Since the described sequence is one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones, the correct term for that foot is the dactyl.