How to Write an English Sonnet

Most people have trouble writing poetry. One of the most significant reasons is the fact that poetry has so many seemingly confusing rules. Plus, there are so many different forms and classifications that it’s hard to know what’s what. One of the most famous forms of poetry is the English sonnet, but it’s one that a lot of people can’t remember the rules for writing. The steps below lay out everything you need to know about writing and formatting an English sonnet.

Instructions

1. Understand the proper rhyme scheme of the English sonnet: a b a b / c d c d / e f e f / g g. This means that the first and third lines rhyme with one another, the second and fourth lines rhyme with one another, and so on.

2. Make sure your sonnet is the proper length. An English sonnet is composed of 14 lines, which are broken into 4 stanzas, as the slashes in Step 1 indicate.

3. Try to use the proper syllabic construction. Each line is composed of 9 to 11 syllables, with 10 syllables being the standard.

4. Format the stanzas properly. An English sonnet is comprised of three quatrains, or groups of four lines, followed by a couplet, which has two lines.

5. Use sound construction. Generally, the first two quatrains tell a kind of story or focus on an idea or feeling. The third quatrain then takes a turn, sometimes by introducing something new or unexpected. The couplet can then either summarize the poem or continue the turn introduced in the third quatrain.

Tips & Warnings

• Shakespeare is perhaps the most famous practitioner of the English sonnet, so looking at one of the many sonnets he wrote can help give you some ideas.