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Rh placed the adverbs, which are, as a class, accented in the sentence and are, therefore, usually in the arsis. As to the verb, in its finite forms, it has normally a weak accent in the principal clause, but is more or less strongly accented in the subordinate clause. This distinction is to some extent reflected in the gradations of the rhythmic stress. Although the verb of the principal clause is not excluded from an emphatic arsis (with alliteration), it is very frequently placed in an arsis of weaker stress (such as the last arsis of the line); and it is often relegated to the thesis. The remaining grammatical categories are subject to the usual exigencies of sentence-accent, rhythm, or emphasis. An ictus on a personal or demonstrative pronoun, or on a preposition, for example, must be warranted by special conditions.

The structure of the half-line, the primary structural unit in Anglo- Saxon versification, is represented in the following five types:

In type A the rhythm, in its simplest form, is trochaic:

With resolved stress:

The second (or final) thesis (as also in type C) never exceeds one syllable. However, the first thesis (as in B and C) admits a varying