Here's what that means:
* Identical sounds: The rhyming words must sound the same, not just have similar spellings. For example, "cat" and "hat" rhyme because they sound the same, but "cat" and "cot" do not.
* Stressed syllable: The rhyme must occur on the stressed syllable of the word. For example, in the word "above," the stressed syllable is "a."
Examples of external rhyme in poetry:
* "The cat sat on the mat." "Sat" and "mat" are perfect rhymes.
* "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain." "Spain" and "plain" are perfect rhymes.
* "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you." Each line contains a perfect rhyme.
Important note: External rhyme is often contrasted with internal rhyme, where rhyming words occur within the same line of poetry.