Which form of poetry has five lines with the rhyme scheme AABBA and syllable pattern 3-3-2-2-3?

• A. Haiku
• B. Sonnet
• C. Poetry
• D. Limerick

Answer: (D)

The form described is a limerick. It features five lines with a distinctive AABBA rhyme pattern, meaning the first, second, and fifth lines all rhyme with each other, while the third and fourth lines share a different rhyme. The rhythm is usually light and jaunty, often with a quick cadence that gives a humorous bite to the line endings. A compact syllable flow like 3-3-2-2-3 can surface in simplified sketches of a limerick, with the opening two lines setting up a punchy middle and a memorable final line that wraps it up.

Haiku, by contrast, has three lines arranged in a 5-7-5 syllable pattern and a very different focus and feel. A sonnet is a longer form—14 lines with a more complex, prescribed rhyme scheme and structure. The option “Poetry” is too broad to define a specific form. So the five-line, AABBA rhyme pattern clearly identifies the limerick.