Blank Verse · English Literature

The omission of a syllable to maintain the iambic pentameter count (e.g., 'th'event' instead of 'the event') is called:

Trochaic inversion of the foot
Elision of a vowel or syllable
Metrical expansion by a beat
Catalexis at the line's end

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Correct answer: Elision of a vowel or syllable

Elision is the slurring or suppression of a vowel or syllable to fit the metrical constraints of a line. Shakespeare used it to ensure his lines maintained their five-beat structure even when using multi-syllabic words.

Difficulty: Medium Question 18 of 20

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The omission of a syllable to maintain the iambic pentameter count (e.g., 'th'event' instead of 'the event') is called:

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