Which form is ABA; the B section is very different and each section could exist independently?

• A. Rondo form
• B. Ternary form
• C. Binary form
• D. Through-Composed form

Answer: (B)

Ternary form has three sections organized as A, B, A. The middle section is contrasting and distinct from the outer material, and the return of A at the end creates a sense of balance and closure. The clue that the B section is very different and that each section could exist independently fits this idea: A and B are treated as self-contained ideas, with the final A reestablishing the initial material.

Rondo form, by contrast, places recurring A sections separated by contrasting episodes (like A–B–A–C–A…), so the pattern isn’t truly ABA. Through-composed form moves forward with new material in every section, with no return of a familiar A. Binary form uses two parts, AB, and lacks a genuine third section that returns to the initial material.