What are the main sections of a Sonata form?

• A. Exposition, Recapitulation, Development
• B. Exposition, Development, Coda
• C. Introduction, Development, Finale
• D. Theme, Variations, Cadenza

Answer: (B)

In sonata form, the movement typically unfolds as a presentation of main material, a place where that material is developed and varied, and a concluding section that wraps everything up. The best match among the options is Exposition, Development, Coda because it captures that flow: you start with the themes and establish the tonal area in the exposition, you explore and transform those themes in the development, and you bring the movement to a close with a concluding section that reinforces the material—often a robust final cadence in the coda.

Note that many treatments also highlight a recapitulation, where the themes return in the home key, but the coda is a common closing element that completes the form. The other choices mix in elements that aren’t standard main blocks of the basic sonata form (such as an introductory section or a structure typical of concertos), so they don’t fit as neatly with the traditional three-part architecture.