The rhyme scheme of the Italian sonnet?

The rhyme scheme of the Italian, or Petrarchan, sonnet is ABBA ABBA CDCDCD. This rhyme scheme consists of two interlocking quatrains (4-line stanzas) followed by a sestet (6-line stanza). The quatrains share the same rhyme scheme, while the sestet has its own unique rhyme scheme. This rhyme scheme is often used in sonnets written in English as well as Italian.