Which term is defined as a musical sentence?

Which term is defined as a musical sentence?

• A. Unison
• B. Phrase
• C. Modulation
• D. Time signature

Answer: (B)

A phrase is a musical sentence: it expresses a complete musical thought and typically ends with a cadence, giving a sense of closure similar to how punctuation finishes a sentence. In a melody, phrases are the building blocks that feel like statements or ideas, often arranged in units such as four bars in common time to form a larger musical sentence. Unison refers to voices singing the same pitch, not a musical statement. Modulation means changing keys, which is about harmony, not the length or completeness of a musical idea. Time signature shows the beat structure and meter, not the idea itself.

A phrase is a musical sentence: it expresses a complete musical thought and typically ends with a cadence, giving a sense of closure similar to how punctuation finishes a sentence. In a melody, phrases are the building blocks that feel like statements or ideas, often arranged in units such as four bars in common time to form a larger musical sentence.

Unison refers to voices singing the same pitch, not a musical statement. Modulation means changing keys, which is about harmony, not the length or completeness of a musical idea. Time signature shows the beat structure and meter, not the idea itself.