What is a couplet and its potential effect in a poem?

• A. A couplet is four lines with alternating rhyme.
• B. A couplet is two consecutive rhymed lines; can create closure, emphasis, or a memorable moment.
• C. A couplet is a stanza with varied rhyme scheme.
• D. A couplet is a single line with internal rhyme.

Answer: (B)

Two consecutive rhymed lines form a couplet. This paired unit is brief and decisive, so it often brings a sense of closure or emphasis to a poem. The rhyme links the two lines, making the final idea catchy and memorable, like a mini conclusion or a punchy highlight within the verse. Because of that compact shape, poets use couplets to punctuate thoughts, reinforce a theme, or give a lingering finish to a moment in the poem. If you compare other ideas, a four-line stanza with alternating rhyme describes a quatrain, a stanza with varied rhyme isn’t a couplet, and a single line with internal rhyme isn’t a couplet.