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A cadence that ends on the dominant chord (V), creating an incomplete, questioning effect.
The half cadence is your "question mark" — it pauses on the dominant, leaving the listener expecting resolution. Use it at the midpoint of a phrase (creating antecedent-consequent structure) or before a new section to create anticipation.
Mozart's theme in Piano Sonata K. 545 — the first phrase ends with a half cadence on G, answered by the second phrase's perfect authentic cadence on C.
Half cadence is one of 228 terms in the Gradus musical dictionary, where every definition is written around how composers actually use the word.
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