Step-by-Step Tutorial
How to Scan a Poem
Scansion is the art of mapping a poem's acoustic heartbeat. Here is the definitive five-step method used by literature scholars and poets to scan any line of verse.
Read the Line Aloud at Natural Conversation Speed
Never force an artificial sing-song cadence. Read the verse exactly as you would speak it to hear where natural word accents fall.
Mark the Stressed Syllables First (The Anchors)
Multi-syllable nouns, principal verbs, and adjectives have fixed dictionary accents (e.g. de-BATE, WON-der). Mark these with an ictus mark (-).
Mark the Unstressed Syllables (The Slack Beats)
Monosyllabic grammatical particles, articles (a, an, the), prepositions (in, to, of), and conjunctions (and, but) are usually unstressed (˘).
Divide into Repeating Metrical Feet
Count total syllables and observe repeating sequences. If you see alternating ˘ -, divide with vertical lines: ˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ -.
Name the Foot Type and Line Length
Combine the foot rhythm with line length (e.g. 5 iambic feet = Iambic Pentameter). Note any expressive substitutions like initial trochees.
Worked Example
Scansion in Action: Shakespeare's Sonnet 18
Shall I com-PARE thee TO a SUM-mer's DAY?
˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ - | ˘ -
Result: 5 iambic feet × duple rising meter = Iambic Pentameter (10 syllables).
Know Your Feet
The Six Metrical Feet, Explained
Step 4 requires recognizing the repeating unit. Study each foot in depth:
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Scanning Poetry
What is scansion and why is it useful? ▶
Scansion is the method of marking and analyzing a poem's rhythmic structure. It helps readers, students, and writers understand how rhythm creates mood, emphasizes themes, and guides vocal delivery.
What symbols are used in scansion notation? ▶
In traditional English scansion, a breve (˘) denotes an unstressed syllable, an ictus or macron (- or /) denotes a stressed syllable, and a vertical pipe (|) marks the boundary between metrical feet.
What should I do if a word can be pronounced with 2 or 3 syllables? ▶
Words with flexible syllables (such as 'every', 'heaven', 'hour', or 'general') should be evaluated in context of the surrounding metrical pattern to determine if syncope or poetic elision was intended by the poet.
Can a computer scan a poem accurately? ▶
Automated scansion is an excellent first draft. Dictionary-based tools like our Poetry Meter Checker correctly place stresses for most words, but poets deliberately exploit ambiguity - a machine's best guess should always be checked by ear, which is why every syllable in our results stays clickable and correctable.