Grade 3 · lesson 3 of 4

Find a Section That Comes Back

Find where the same section appears again in a letter plan.

About 15 minutes, plus any extended practice

Supplied materials

Paper and a pencil, or typed notes. Write section letters and number their positions.
Example: In the supplied form ABA, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur? Choices: (A) [1, 2, 3] (B) [1, 3] (C) [2] (D) [3].
Try this: In the supplied form ABAB, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur? Choices: (A) [1, 3] (B) [2, 4] (C) [2] (D) [4].

Learn the idea

Form is the arrangement of musical sections. In these plans, matching letters mean the same section. Read from left to right to find where a letter appears again.

Look at the example. Read the section sequence from left to right. The letter A appears at positions [1, 3], so those sections return to the supplied A material. The letters show the order of the sections in this plan.

Letters show the order of the sections in this plan. Music can use many other section patterns too.

Read the ABA example from left to right. Number its three section positions.
Compare positions [1, 3] with [2]. Explain which positions contain A.
Try the check question and the three practice questions. Then read the feedback.
Make an ABAC section map and mark every location where section A returns.
Check your work. A occurs at positions one and three, while B and C are represented as different sections.

Worked example

See the method in action

In the supplied form ABA, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur? Choices: (A) [1, 2, 3] (B) [1, 3] (C) [2] (D) [3]. Answer: [1, 3]. Read the section sequence from left to right. The letter A appears at positions [1, 3], so those sections return to the supplied A material. The letters show the order of the sections in this plan.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

Your answer is temporary and is not saved to an account. Download your current answer before leaving or reloading. Written work on paper or in another app stays in your own file.

Helpful tips

Form labels summarize section relationships.
A label map describes the supplied structure but does not prove how an actual performance sounds.

See the answer and explanation

[1, 3]

Read the section sequence from left to right. The letter A appears at positions [1, 3], so those sections return to the supplied A material. The letters show the order of the sections in this plan.

Take it further

Try a new example: In the supplied form ABCA, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur? Choices: (A) [1, 4] (B) [2, 3] (C) [2] (D) [4]. Answer: [1, 4]. Read the section sequence from left to right. The letter A appears at positions [1, 4], so those sections return to the supplied A material. The letters show the order of the sections in this plan. Make your own: Make an ABAC section map and mark every location where section A returns. Check your work: A occurs at positions one and three, while B and C are represented as different sections.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. The answer download includes your current choice and any checked feedback. It does not include choices from the separate More practice section. Download that section separately.

More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

1. In the supplied form AABA, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur?[4][2][3][1, 2, 4]

Need a hint?

Form labels summarize section relationships.
A label map describes the supplied structure but does not prove how an actual performance sounds.

2. In the supplied form ABBA, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur?[1, 4][4][2][2, 3]

Need a hint?

Form labels summarize section relationships.
A label map describes the supplied structure but does not prove how an actual performance sounds.

3. In the supplied form ABC, matching letters mean the same section. At which positions does section A occur?[3][1][2][2, 3]

Need a hint?

Form labels summarize section relationships.
A label map describes the supplied structure but does not prove how an actual performance sounds.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. Keep your own notes or download them before leaving. The score describes these questions; it does not certify subject mastery.

Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.