- Definition
A phrase in music is like a short musical sentence, with a clear start, middle, and end. It's a complete musical idea, often lasting a few measures.
In the song 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' the part you sing for those first words is one musical phrase.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A musical phrase is like taking one big breath and singing a little tune until you need a new breath.
Ask your child: In 'Twinkle, Twinkle,' where do we take a breath?
Common mix-up: Kids may think a musical phrase is just a random string of notes. A phrase is a complete musical thought, like one sentence in a story.
Examples
- The words 'Mary had a little lamb' form one musical phrase.
- Singing 'Happy birthday to you' is the first phrase of the birthday song.
phrase is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
+18 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
