Rhyming Couplet - GCSE English Language Definition

A rhyming couplet is made up of two lines that follow one another and end with words that rhyme. These lines often have the same or similar length and rhythm.

Writers use rhyming couplets to give their poetry structure, create emphasis, or signal the end of a thought or scene. They can make ideas more memorable and help the poem flow smoothly.

Example of rhyming couplet in a GCSE text

In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, many scenes end with a rhyming couplet. For example:
“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”
These two rhyming lines give a neat, final sound to Juliet’s farewell, while also showing her sadness and hope.