This question is based on Literary Appreciation. That age is best which the first is. When youth and blood are…

Analyzing the question

You are asked for the rhyme scheme of a four-line stanza. This is the opening of Robert Herrick's poem "Discontents in Devon" or a similar verse (the lines are quoted in the question):

1. "That age is best which the first is,"
2. "When youth and blood are warmer;"
3. "But being spent, the worse, and worst"
4. "Times still succeed the former."

The concept

A rhyme scheme is found by looking at the end sound of each line and giving the same letter to lines that rhyme. The first sound is labelled "a", the next new sound "b", and so on.

Step-by-step solution

• Line 1 ends with "first is". This is the "a" sound.
• Line 2 ends with "warmer". This is a new sound, so "b".
• Line 3 ends with "worst". It echoes the "first" sound in line 1 (the "-irst/-orst" sound), so it is "a".
• Line 4 ends with "former". It rhymes with "warmer" in line 2, so "b".

Putting it together: a b a b

Notice that lines 1 and 3 rhyme (first / worst), and lines 2 and 4 rhyme (warmer / former). This is an alternate (cross) rhyme pattern.

Checking the other options

• A (abba): would need line 2 and line 3 to rhyme. "warmer" and "worst" do not.
• C (aabb): would need line 1 and line 2 to rhyme. "first is" and "warmer" do not.
• D (bbaa): the same problem as C, with the pairs in the opposite order.

Answer: B (abab).

Exam tip: Write the last word of each line down the side and label them with letters before you look at the options. Match lines by sound, not spelling. Here "first" and "worst" rhyme, and "warmer" and "former" rhyme, even though the spellings differ slightly.