WAEC 2016 Literature in English · Question 9
Poetry is written in
Options
- A.chapters
- B.paragraphs
- C.scenes
- D.lines
Answer: D. lines
Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key
Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks about the basic unit of structure in poetry, meaning how a poem is organized on the page.
Step 2: Explain the concept Each literary genre has its own structural units:
- Prose (novels): chapters and paragraphs
- Drama (plays): acts and scenes
- Poetry: lines, which are grouped into stanzas
A poem is made up of lines. These lines may be grouped into stanzas (for example, couplets, tercets and quatrains), and they often follow patterns of rhythm, rhyme and meter.
Step 3: Go through the options
- A. Chapters: These belong to novels and other prose works, so this is wrong.
- B. Paragraphs: These are used in prose, such as essays and novels, so this is wrong.
- C. Scenes: These belong to drama, where acts are divided into scenes, so this is wrong.
- D. Lines: Poetry is written in lines, which form stanzas, so this is correct.
Step 4: Answer The correct option is D. lines.
Exam tip: Remember the matching pairs:
- Prose → chapters and paragraphs
- Drama → acts and scenes
- Poetry → lines and stanzas
If you see "stanza" or "verse" in a question, think poetry. If you see "act" or "scene," think drama.
AI can make mistakes. Report anything that looks wrong.
Past questions © the examination body (JAMB/WAEC/NECO). DeeepSolve is not affiliated with them. Rights holders: see /copyright.