A seventh chord is drawn on the staff, in first inversion. Your task is to identify its type: dominant seventh, half-diminished (leading-tone) seventh or diminished seventh.
The three types of seventh chord
| Type | Symbol | Structure above the root |
|---|---|---|
| Dominant seventh | V7 | M3 + P5 + m7 |
| Half-diminished (leading-tone) seventh | ø7 | m3 + d5 + m7 |
| Diminished seventh | °7 | m3 + d5 + d7 |
How to recognize the first inversion
In first inversion the third is in the bass and the chord is labeled 6/5. The interval of a second sits between the top two notes, and the root is the upper note of that second.
Exercise
How to use the exercise: Choose one of the three possible types and press Check. The app corrects your answer right away and, if you miss, shows the correct one.
Other positions: Root position, Second inversion, Third inversion, All positions. To practice writing them instead of recognizing them, try building seventh chords. For the full theory, see the pages on the dominant seventh, the half-diminished seventh and the diminished seventh.
Printable worksheet (PDF)
The same exercise on paper, for class: 21 seventh chords in first inversion, mixing dominant, leading-tone and diminished, on one side of A4. The student writes the type. With a separate answer sheet.
Download the worksheet (PDF, A4) Answers
You may print and photocopy it freely for the classroom.
More worksheets
Need more practice on paper? Generate as many worksheets as you like, each one with different chords, and print them straight from your browser.