In a half cadence, a commonly cited progression is I6/4 to V. Which option represents this pattern?

• A. I6/4 - V
• B. V - I
• C. IV - I
• D. I - V

Answer: (A)

A half cadence pauses on the dominant harmony, signaling that more is to come. The cadential six-four is a classic way to create that pause: the I chord in second inversion (I6/4) functions as a dominant preparation, with the bass outline on the dominant’s pitch while the upper voices imply the V harmony. When this I6/4 resolves to V, the ear hears a strong pull to continue, producing the familiar half-cadential sound. This exactly matches the pattern I6/4 to V, which ends on the dominant rather than the tonic. Other progressions don’t yield that sense of arriving at a pause on the dominant, so they don’t represent a half cadence.