What is a limerick and clerihew?

People think that poems have to rhyme – well, they don’t! Rhyming must be used carefully – using it too much can make your poems boring, hard to listen to and understand.

Poems with strict rules, known as a rhyming structure, can make your poem more predictable and fun to listen to. Two poems with a strict rhyming structure are limericks and clerihews.

Learn about limericks by watching this video.

• Limericks follow a strict rhyming pattern.
• In a limerick the first, second and fifth lines have the same rhythm and rhyme.
• The third and fourth lines rhyme with each other too.

Watch this video to learn about the rhyming structures of certain types of poem, including limericks and clerihews.

• The first line is (or ends in) a person’s name.
• The second, third and fourth lines add extra information or something funny.
• The second line rhymes with the first.
• The third and fourth lines rhyme too.

Have a go at writing a limerick or clerihew of your own (or both - it’s up to you!).

Top tips!

• Remember to use the important rhyming structure for both types of poem.

• If you can’t think of a subject to write about, have a look at these pictures on BBC Newsround for inspiration.

• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Redrafting and editing is part of the writing process!

• For more ideas and inspiration, have a look at the example from activity one.