What are rhyming words characterized by?

Rhyming words are characterized by having the same ending sound. This means that the final stressed syllables of the words share the same sounds, which is a key feature that defines rhyme. For example, words like "cat" and "hat" or "sing" and "ring" illustrate this characteristic perfectly, as they both have identical ending sounds that create a poetic and auditory connection.

The focus on the ending sound distinguishes rhymes from other sound patterns, such as alliteration, where the emphasis is placed on similar beginning sounds. While it might be tempting to think about spelling or vowel sounds, the essence of rhyming lies in the phonetic similarity of the endings, rather than the beginnings or the way words are spelled. Therefore, aligning with the definition of rhyming ensures that learners can effectively identify and use words in poetry and other literary elements that require this sound relationship.