End Rhyme | Definition & Examples

An end rhyme is when the final words or syllables of two or more lines of poetry rhyme with each other. This is the most common type of rhyme in English poetry. End rhymes create a sense of flow and emphasize the last word of every line even more.

What is end rhyme in poetry?

End rhyme (also called tail rhyme or terminal rhyme) is a rhyming pattern where the last words or syllables in two or more lines of poetry share the same sound. This rhyming technique appears at the end of lines, creating a musical quality when read aloud and establishing a rhythmic structure that helps readers remember the poem.

End rhyme is so common in poetry that some people may not be aware that there are other types of rhyme. We find it everywhere: nursery rhymes, songs, and poems, making it the main type of rhyme most people recognize.

End rhyme doesn’t require consecutive lines to rhyme with each other; the pattern can vary. For example, lines might alternate (ABAB), form an enclosed rhyme (ABBA), or follow more complex arrangements.

The prominence of end rhyme often depends on its relationship with the poem’s structure. When a line ends with punctuation, called end-stopping, the rhyme stands out more. On the other hand, enjambment—where a sentence carries over to the next line without a pause—makes the rhyme less obvious and helps it blend better into the poem.

What is the difference between end rhyme and internal rhyme?

End rhyme and internal rhyme differ primarily in the placement of the rhyming words and their effect:

• In end rhyme, the rhyming words appear at the end of different lines. For example, “Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall/Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.”
• In internal rhyme, the rhyming words appear within a single line or between the middle of one line and the middle of another, but not at the line endings. For example, “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary / Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore”.

End rhyme gives a poem a clear structure and a predictable pattern that readers can easily identify, whereas internal rhyme adds musicality and complexity to a poem as it is less obvious.

Types of end rhymes

There are many different types of rhymes, and all of them can be used to create end rhymes.

• Perfect rhyme. This is the most common type of rhyme. It occurs when the final stressed syllable in the two rhyming words is identical, but the onset of the stressed syllable is different. The vast majority of end rhymes are, in fact, perfect rhymes.

Perfect rhymes are pleasant to the ear and predictable, which is why they are often used in nursery rhymes, songs, and classic poems.

• Imperfect (also called slant rhyme or half rhyme). It occurs when words end in similar but not identical sounds. There are two main types:

• • Assonance rhyme. This is when words share the same vowel sound but have different consonants. For example, “sky” and “tide” both share the same long “i” sound. Assonance creates subtle connections between words.

• • Consonance rhyme.  This occurs when words share the same consonant sound but different vowels. For example, “fist” and “fast” both end with the same “st” sound. Consonance creates a sense of rhythm and reinforces the poem’s mood.

• Pararhyme is a specific type of slant rhyme where the consonants before and after the main vowel are the same, but the vowel sound itself differs. It connects words that don’t fully rhyme or creates a sense of rhyme without the strictness of perfect rhyme.

• Trailing rhyme (or semirhyme) occurs when one word rhymes with another but has an extra syllable. Usually, one word is monosyllabic (single syllable), while the other is polysyllabic (multiple syllables) with the extra syllable(s) unstressed.

End rhyme examples in poetry

The structured ABBA ABB CDCD pattern of end rhymes in the following lines from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet contrasts with the boundless love being described. Note that some of the end rhymes are perfect, like ways/day’s, while some are imperfect, like faith/breath.

The first stanza of Emily Dickinson’s celebrated poem “Because I could not stop for Death” follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, with the words “me” and “immortality” forming an imperfect end rhyme.

Frequently asked questions about end rhyme

What is an example of end rhyme?

The following lines from Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare contain end rhyme:
“My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips’ red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head”

The word pairs sun/dun and red/head are examples of end rhymes.

What is a rhyme at the end of a sentence?

A rhyme at the end of a sentence is called end rhyme. It is the most common type of rhyme, and we encounter it in poetry, songs, and nursery rhymes. This famous line from Oh, the Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss includes an example of end rhyme:
“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”

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Which words create an end rhyme with sky?

Many words can create an end rhyme with sky. For example: shy, buy, cry, defy, thigh, sigh, and pie. To form an end rhyme, the two words need to appear at the end of their respective lines.

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Which words create an end rhyme with shaking?

Many words can create an end rhyme with shaking. Perfect end rhymes include:

• aching
• breaking
• taking
• making
• baking

Slant rhymes or imperfect end rhymes have similar but not identical ending sounds. Imperfect rhymes  include:

• raging
• flaming
• trading

In end rhyme, the rhyming words are placed at the end of their respective lines, regardless of whether they form perfect or imperfect rhymes.

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