GCELiterature in EnglishLiterary Terms and Devices2022

Which of the following correctly describes a 'Petrarchan sonnet'?

AA fourteen-line poem divided into three quatrains and a couplet, rhyming abab cdcd efef gg
BA fourteen-line poem divided into an octave and a sestet, typically rhyming abbaabba cdecdeCORRECT
CA poem of any length that does not follow a fixed rhyme scheme or metre
DA sixteen-line poem that presents an argument and its counter-argument
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Why the answer is B, and why the others tempt you.
The Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet consists of an eight-line octave (rhyming abbaabba) and a six-line sestet (with varying rhyme schemes such as cdecde or cdcdcd), with a volta or turn between them. Option A describes the Shakespearean sonnet, Option C describes free verse, and Option D does not correspond to any standard sonnet form.
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