Lesson T1.1.3

T1.1.3 Fluency, accuracy and expression in performance Quiz: KS3 Music, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.1.3, Fluency, accuracy and expression in performance: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Music (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Performing, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is fluency in performance?

    • Playing every note at the exact written volume
    • Smooth, confident playing with no interruptions
    • Performing from memory without looking at any notes
    • Reading the notation without making any sound

  2. What does intonation mean in a performance?

    • How closely each note matches the intended pitch
    • How evenly the instrument's volume changes across a phrase
    • How clearly the lyrics of a song can be understood
    • How quickly a performer can move between two registers

  3. Which marking tells a performer to play gradually louder?

    • Ritardando
    • Crescendo
    • Diminuendo
    • Staccato

  4. What does the term rallentando mean?

    • Gradually speeding up
    • Getting gradually louder
    • Gradually slowing down
    • Playing very quietly

  5. What does legato mean?

    • Played smoothly, notes joined together
    • Played by two performers at the same time
    • Played very loudly with strong accents
    • Played in short, detached, separated notes

  6. What does staccato mean?

    • Played quietly with a soft tone
    • Played smoothly with notes joined together
    • Played in short, detached notes
    • Played gradually slower to the end

  7. What does pianissimo mean?

    • Very loudly
    • Very quietly
    • At a fast speed
    • Moderately loud

  8. Which term describes a pause on a note, held for longer than its written value?

    • Fermata
    • Coda
    • Segno
    • Tie

  9. A cellist plays a passage with all the right notes, but the audience feels nothing. Which element is most missing?

    • Time signature
    • Key signature
    • Pitch range
    • Expression

  10. A pianist plays a piece with very even loudness and no pauses. Which two improvements would most improve expression?

    • Add more pedal and play every note staccato
    • Remove all rests and play through each bar without a break
    • Add dynamic contrast and use rubato to shape phrases
    • Play faster and louder from start to finish

  11. A recorder student has to stop and restart a passage three times. Which skill needs most work?

    • Harmony
    • Articulation
    • Fluency
    • Dynamics

  12. A singer sings a phrase consistently sharp. Which aspect is affected?

    • Intonation
    • Articulation
    • Dynamic range
    • Tempo

  13. A performer is asked to play espressivo. What should they do?

    • Play with no expression, strictly as written
    • Play with the lowest possible volume
    • Play as fast as the instrument can manage
    • Play with feeling and expression

  14. A guitarist plays a riff at a steady tempo but starts each phrase at a different loudness. What does this show?

    • The pitch is too high
    • The rhythm is too slow
    • Dynamics need work
    • The guitar needs retuning

  15. Which practice most improves accuracy in a difficult passage?

    • Playing only the easiest passages until the performance
    • Playing it slowly, fixing each note before speeding up
    • Playing the whole piece once at full speed to get used to it
    • Playing with the volume turned up to hear wrong notes

  16. Why might a performer record themselves when preparing a solo?

    • To change the key of the piece to suit their voice
    • To make the piece shorter for the performance
    • To avoid needing to practise in front of anyone
    • To judge the playing objectively and spot faults

  17. Which pair of markings best describes a sudden loud accent followed by quiet playing?

    • Accelerando followed by ritardando
    • Legato followed by staccato
    • Pianissimo followed by forte
    • Sforzando followed by piano

  18. Why must a performer balance fluency with accuracy?

    • Only accuracy matters, because fluency is just a speed setting
    • Both matter: smooth flow and correct notes
    • Fluency matters only for singers and accuracy only for instruments
    • Both can be ignored once the piece is memorised

  19. A passage is marked mf with a crescendo to f. What should the performer do?

    • Start moderately loud and gradually get louder
    • Start loud and get quieter until the final bar
    • Play at a steady medium volume throughout the passage
    • Start very quietly and stay soft until the end

  20. Which of these is an example of expressive use of tempo?

    • Slowing down at the end of a phrase to give it a sense of closure
    • Playing the whole piece at exactly the same speed regardless of phrasing
    • Setting a metronome to a new speed for each bar
    • Playing the whole piece at a speed set by the loudest instrument

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