ABRSM · Grade 3

ABRSM Grade 3 aural tests: what to expect and how to practise

Grade 3 is the last grade with the clap-the-pulse test and the first with minor keys. Four time joins two and three time, the echoes can be major or minor and span an octave, the spot-the-change phrase grows to as many as four bars, and the second features question asks major or minor. The aural carries 18 of the 150 marks and is marked as a whole.

A — Pulse and time

Clap the beat, then say whether it is in two, three or four time.

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The tests at Grade 3

A — Pulse and time

Clap the beat, then say whether it is in two, three or four time.

The examiner plays a piece and you clap the pulse as soon as you can, with the strong beats louder. Then you say whether it is in two, three or four time. The examiner listens for steady claps, clear accents and the right answer. Four time is the one that catches people out: listen for a strong 'one' and a lighter stress on 'three'. Tip: in practice, count aloud as you clap — 'one, two, three, four' — and check which number the strong beat keeps landing on.

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B — Echo singing

Sing back three two-bar phrases as echoes (major or minor, within an octave).

After the key-chord, the starting note and a two-bar count-in, you hear three two-bar phrases, each sung back straight away as an echo. They can now be in a minor key as well as major and can use any notes within an octave, so leaps and lower notes appear. The examiner listens for accurate pitch and rhythm and for keeping in time. Tip: in minor keys, aim deliberately for the darker third note of the scale, a semitone lower than in a major key.

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C — Spot the change

A phrase of up to four bars is played twice; say what changed and where.

The examiner plays the key-chord and key note, counts in two bars, then plays a phrase of up to four bars twice, in a major or minor key. The second time there is a change in pitch or rhythm, and you say what it was and where — or sing or clap it. Repeats are possible if needed, though they may affect the mark. With a longer phrase, memory becomes the challenge. Tip: split the phrase into halves in your head; on the second playing, check the first half, then the second.

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D — Musical features

Talk about the dynamics, articulation or tempo, then the tonality (major or minor).

The examiner names the two features, then plays the piece. The first question is on dynamics, articulation or tempo; the second always asks whether the music is in a major or a minor key. Give a clear answer and a detail that shows how you knew: 'minor — it sounded dark and serious all the way through'. Tip: the opening and the final chord usually show the key most clearly. The Grade 3 musical features page has example answers, from complete to not enough.

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Test D answers explained: what to say about the musical features at Grade 3.

Tips for Grade 3

Practise counting in four: clap with a strong 'one' and notice the slightly heavier beat on 'three'.
Sing major and minor scales up and down an octave every day so minor-key echoes feel natural.
For the longer change test, play 'remember and compare': hear a short tune, sing it back, then hear it again with one change.
Listen to pairs of pieces — one major, one minor — and describe the difference in your own words.
Run all four tests in order once a week so the sequence feels routine on the day.

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A full Grade 3 mock, marked

The examiner runs every test in order, plays as many times as the board does and gives an estimated mark out of 18, with where you lose marks.

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Questions people ask

What's new in the ABRSM Grade 3 aural?

Four time is added to the pulse test, the echoes can be minor as well as major and cover an octave, the change test uses a phrase of up to four bars, and the second features question is always about tonality — whether the piece is in a major or a minor key.

How can I tell major from minor?

Minor keys usually sound darker, sadder or more serious, and major keys brighter. The difference lies in the third note of the scale, which is a semitone lower in minor. Listen closely to the opening and the final chord, and try imagining the key note and the third above it.

Is Grade 3 the last grade with the pulse test?

Yes. From Grade 4, test A becomes singing (or playing) a melody from memory. The clapping moves to a rhythm extract from the features piece, which you clap back before saying whether it is in two, three or four time — so hearing the time still matters after Grade 3.

How is the Grade 3 aural marked?

It is worth 18 of the 150 marks, and the examiner gives one mark for the whole section, not a mark per test. As a guide, 12 out of 18 is pass level, 15 merit and 17 distinction. You do not have to pass every section to pass the exam.

Can I practise the Grade 3 aural online?

Yes: free daily practice of every Grade 3 test, with no sign-up needed, and singing and clapping checked through your microphone. A free mini-mock gives an estimated mark out of 18; full mocks are in the paid plans. Use mocks to find weak spots rather than to predict a result.

Independent practice. We are not affiliated with ABRSM; the tests here are generated by our engine from the published format, not taken from the board's books. Mock marks are estimates — the examiner's judgement is final.