Iambic may be the most common meter. It starts with an unaccented syllable and ends with an accented syllable. According to Poem of Quotes, the famous phrase "To be or not to be" from Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is a good example of iambic meter. Two syllables in iambic meter make up what is known as a "foot." A foot is just one step in the meter's line, so picture the meter as a foot taking steps, which gives the meter its rhythm.
Trochaic is the opposite of iambic. Instead of starting with an unaccented syllable, it starts with an accented syllable and then an unaccented syllable. Poem of Quotes note that "Double, double, toil and trouble" from Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is a good example of trochaic meter, as the first syllable in the words are accented rather than the second.
A spondee is a foot in which both syllables are accented, such as the word "baseball" or "handshake." A pyrrhic foot does just the opposite, featuring two unaccented syllables as a way to vary the rhythm in the poem. Some examples of pyrrhic phrases include "to a" and "in an."
Anapestic is a foot with two unaccented syllables, and then an accented syllable. Poem of Quotes says a good example is "I arise and unbuild it again" from Shelly's "Cloud." Dactylic is the opposite, having an accented syllable and then two unaccented syllables. "Openly" is a good example of a dactylic word.