The Old Woman From France — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

There came an old woman from France
Who taught grown-up children to dance;
But they were so stiff,
She sent them home in a sniff,
This sprightly old woman from France.

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Learning from "The Old Woman From France"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "The Old Woman From France" uses 5 lines to create a memorable verse — proof that effective poetry doesn't need to be long. Pay attention to the meter: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is what makes the rhyme stick in your head.

Songwriters and poets can borrow these patterns. Try writing your own lyrics using the same rhyme scheme and line length as this nursery rhyme. You can also use words from the poem above as starting points — click any word to find rhymes or look up its definition, then build from there.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the words to The Old Woman From France?
The lyrics to The Old Woman From France are: There came an old woman from France / Who taught grown-up children to dance; / But they were so stiff, / She sent them home in a sniff, / This sprightly old woman from France.
How many lines does The Old Woman From France have?
"The Old Woman From France" has 5 lines of verse.

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