An exercise to recognize at a glance the note values (whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes) and their rests, also with a dot and a double dot. Choose a level, answer and press Check: each answer is corrected right away, and each round has ten questions.
How to recognize each note and its rest
A note is recognized by three details: whether the note head is hollow or filled, whether it has a stem (the vertical line), and how many flags it has. Every note has a rest that lasts exactly the same. The names are whole note (UK: semibreve), half note (UK: minim), quarter note (UK: crotchet), eighth note (UK: quaver) and sixteenth note (UK: semiquaver).
| Note | How it is drawn | Its rest |
|---|---|---|
| Whole note | Hollow head, no stem | A small rectangle hanging from the fourth line |
| Half note | Hollow head with a stem | A small rectangle sitting on the third (middle) line |
| Quarter note | Filled head with a stem | A vertical zigzag stroke |
| Eighth note | Filled head, stem and one flag | A slanted stroke with one hook |
| Sixteenth note | Filled head, stem and two flags | A slanted stroke with two hooks |
The most confused are the whole rest and the half rest, because both are rectangles. The whole rest hangs from the fourth line and the half rest sits on the third line. A trick to remember it: the whole note lasts longer, it is "heavier", so its rest hangs down.
A dot is a point to the right of the note or rest, and a double dot is two points in a row. To practice how much each one adds, see the exercise on note values in each time signature.
Printable worksheet (PDF)
The same exercise on paper, for class: 24 mixed notes and rests, with and without dots, on one A4 sheet. The student writes under each symbol what it is. With a separate answer sheet, with the answers in red.
Download the worksheet (A4 PDF) Answers
You can print and photocopy it freely for class. There is more rhythm practice in note value and rhythm exercises.