In American football, how many quarters are played in a standard game?

Introduction / Context:
Different sports divide playing time into halves, quarters, sets, or periods. Understanding these basic structures is important for general sports literacy. This question specifically refers to American football, where matches are divided into quarters rather than halves. Many learners may confuse this with association football, also called soccer, which is played in two halves, so clear interpretation of the sport mentioned is very important.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sport in question is American football, not soccer.
• The question asks about a standard game under normal rules, not overtime or special formats.
• Options list two, three, four, six, and five quarters.
• We assume standard professional or college rules where timing structure is fixed.

Concept / Approach:
American football divides play into four equal quarters. At the professional level, each quarter usually has a fixed duration, and there is a halftime break after the second quarter. The total regulation time is therefore split into four segments, which is why terms like first quarter and fourth quarter are commonly used in commentary and analysis. Recognising this helps differentiate American football from other sports such as soccer and basketball, which use different timing structures.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the word football in this context refers to American football because of the reference to quarters.Step 2: Recall that American football games are often described by performance in first, second, third, and fourth quarters.Step 3: Note that there is a halftime break after the second quarter, not after the first or third, which also confirms there are four quarters in total.Step 4: Compare this with the options and select the number that matches the four segment structure.Step 5: Therefore, choose the option Four.

Verification / Alternative check:
Watching any American football broadcast will show the scoreboard divided into four quarters.Rule books and basic introductions to American football also clearly state that regulation time is split into four quarters.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Two quarters would effectively mean halves, which is used in soccer, not in American football. Three quarters is not a standard timing division in any major team sport and does not match the rules. Six or five quarters would extend play beyond normal timing and is not recognised in official formats. Therefore, these options do not match the official structure of American football games.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is to think of football as soccer and recall that soccer uses two halves, which may tempt some learners to select two. Another pitfall is simply guessing a number without associating it with real commentary phrases like fourth quarter comeback, which clearly suggest four segments. Careful reading of the full phrase American football and a bit of sports awareness help avoid these mistakes.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Four, because a standard American football game is divided into four quarters.