ABRSM Grade 7 aural tests: what to expect and how to practise

A two-part phrase is played twice; sing (or play) the lower part.

The examiner plays the key-chord and starting note, counts in two bars and plays a two-part phrase twice. This time you sing — or play, on an instrument pitched in C, B♭, E♭ or F — the lower part. It stays within an octave, in a major or minor key with up to three sharps or flats. The examiner listens for accurate pitch and rhythm. A further playing and a second attempt are possible but may affect the mark. Tip: on the second playing, sing the lower line in your head — it often moves by step against the tune.

Sing the upper part of a two-part phrase from notation while the examiner plays the lower part.

You sing the upper part of a two-part phrase from a score, in treble or bass clef, while the examiner plays the lower part. Keys go up to four sharps or flats, major or minor, within an octave. You hear the key-chord, starting note and pulse, prepare briefly (aloud if you like), then hear the chord and note again and a two-bar count-in. The examiner listens for pitch, rhythm and holding your line against the other part. Tip: in the preparation time, sing the hardest interval and the final bar first.

Is the final cadence perfect, imperfect or interrupted?

The examiner plays the key-chord, then a phrase twice, in a major or minor key. You name the cadence at the end: perfect, imperfect or interrupted, with root-position chords. Interrupted is the new one — it builds the same expectation as a perfect cadence, then swerves to an unexpected chord, usually vi, instead of home. The examiner simply wants the right name. Tip: if the ending sounds like a surprise, or 'not quite home yet', think interrupted. The cadence guide explains the sounds in more detail.

Name the two chords that form the cadence (I, IV, V, V7 or vi).

Then the examiner names and plays the key-chord and plays the two cadence chords as a pair. You name both, choosing from the tonic, subdominant, dominant, dominant seventh and submediant, all in root position. Technical names, Roman numerals (I, IV, V, V7, vi) or letter names such as G major are all accepted. The examiner listens for both chords named correctly. Tip: decide the cadence type first — it narrows the choice, since a perfect cadence must end on I and an interrupted one on vi.

A passage starting in a major key modulates — to the dominant, subdominant or relative minor?

A different passage, starting in a major key, is played once after the examiner names and plays its starting key-chord. You say where it modulates: to the dominant, the subdominant or the relative minor, using the technical name or the letter name of the new key. The examiner wants the correct destination. Tip: compare the final cadence with the opening key-chord — brighter and lifted suggests the dominant, relaxed and lower the subdominant, darker the relative minor. See the modulation guide.

Talk about any two features the examiner chooses.

The examiner chooses any two of the eight features — dynamics, articulation, tempo, tonality, character, style and period, texture, structure — and names them before playing the piece. Answer each with what you heard and where it happens, adding reasons for character and period. Because nothing is fixed, you need a ready vocabulary for all eight. Tip: once you know the two features, ignore everything else and listen only for those. Example answers are on the Grade 7 musical features page.

Clap the rhythm of an extract from the same piece, then say the time.

The examiner plays an extract from the same piece twice, unharmonised. You clap back the rhythm and say whether it is in two, three or four time — or, new at this grade, 6/8 time. The examiner listens for accurate note lengths, rests and a steady beat, then the right answer about the time. Tip: 6/8 has two beats, each split into three quavers, so it lilts like 'tum-ti-ti, tum-ti-ti'; if the beat divides in threes, think 6/8 rather than three time.