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Subjects · Leaving Cert Music

Leaving Cert Music: Time, rhythm & metre

How often Time, rhythm & metre comes up on the Music papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

OL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Time, rhythm & metre, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Time, rhythm & metre.

(a)How is the time signature 6/8 described?
  1. Simple duple
  2. Compound duple
  3. Compound triple
(b)What is an anacrusis?
  1. An accent placed on a weak beat of the bar
  2. A pause held longer than its written value
  3. An upbeat note or notes before the first full bar
(c)How many semiquavers equal a dotted crotchet?
  1. Six
  2. Three
  3. Four
Show the answers

(a) Compound duple

(b) An upbeat note or notes before the first full bar

(c) Six

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Time, rhythm & metre.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2
2024Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2
2023Paper 2, Q2
2022Paper 2, Q2
2021Paper 2, Q2
2019Paper 2, Q2
2018Paper 2, Q2
2017Paper 2, Q2
2016Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Time, rhythm & metre questions

Time, rhythm & metre, 3 marks

What is a duplet?

  1. Three notes played in the time of two
  2. Two notes tied together
  3. Two notes played in the time of three
Show the answer

Two notes played in the time of three

A duplet is used in compound time, e.g. two equal notes taking the time of a dotted-crotchet beat. It is the reverse of a triplet.

Time, rhythm & metre, 2 marks

In a time signature, what does the lower number show?

  1. How fast to play
  2. The note value being counted
  3. How many bars are in the piece
Show the answer

The note value being counted

The lower figure names the note value counted: 4 means crotchets, 8 quavers, 2 minims. The upper figure shows how many of them fill a bar.

Time, rhythm & metre, 3 marks

How many quavers is a double-dotted crotchet worth?

  1. Three and a half
  2. Three and a quarter
  3. Two and a half
Show the answer

Three and a half

A crotchet is two quavers. The first dot adds half of that (one quaver) and the second dot half again (a semiquaver): 2 + 1 + 0.5 = 3.5 quavers.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2
2024Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2
2023Paper 2, Q2
2022Paper 2, Q2
2021Paper 2, Q2
2019Paper 2, Q2
2018Paper 2, Q2
2017Paper 2, Q2
2016Paper 1, Q6, Paper 2, Q2

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Time, rhythm & metre questions

Time, rhythm & metre, 2 marks

How many crotchet beats is a minim worth?

  1. One
  2. Four
  3. Two
Show the answer

Two

A minim is half a semibreve. When the crotchet is the beat, a minim lasts two beats.

Time, rhythm & metre, 2 marks

How many crotchet beats is a semibreve worth?

  1. Three
  2. Four
  3. Two
Show the answer

Four

The semibreve is the longest common note value. It lasts four crotchet beats, a whole bar of 4/4.

Time, rhythm & metre, 2 marks

How many quavers equal one crotchet?

  1. Two
  2. Four
  3. Three
Show the answer

Two

A quaver is half a crotchet. Two quavers are often beamed together to make one crotchet beat.

Other Music topics

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