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Trinity · Grade 5

Trinity Grade 5 aural test: practice for the eight-bar piece

Grade 5 doubles the piece to eight bars, harmonised, in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 or 6/8, and asks you to name the time signature for the first time. You'll also describe how the tonality changes, choose between four cadence types and name intervals up to the octave. It's the last grade where aural is one of four supporting-test options; from Grade 6 it's the alternative to improvisation.

Aural test

Clap the pulse and name the time signature; say how the tonality changes; name the final cadence and an interval from the melody; find the bars of the rhythm and pitch changes.

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The tests at Grade 5

Aural test

Clap the pulse and name the time signature; say how the tonality changes; name the final cadence and an interval from the melody; find the bars of the rhythm and pitch changes.

Pulse and time: clap on the second playing, then name the time signature. Tonality and cadence: after two playings, say how the tonality changes and name the final cadence — perfect, plagal, imperfect or interrupted. Interval: name the interval between two melody notes, from a minor 2nd to a major 7th, or an octave. Changes: following a copy, find the bars of one rhythm change and one pitch change, both in the melody. Trinity doesn't define the tonality question exactly; our trainer asks whether the music moves from major to minor or the reverse.

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Tips for Grade 5

  • Time signature: count the beats between strong accents, and listen for a lilting long–short swing that points to 6/8.
  • Cadence nicknames: perfect is a full stop, imperfect a comma, plagal an 'Amen', interrupted a surprise.
  • Sevenths sound like 'almost an octave': sing up to the octave and hear whether the note falls short by a semitone or a tone.
  • Compare the mood at the start and the end: if the ending sounds brighter or darker, the tonality has changed.
  • Both changes are in the melody, so keep your eyes on the top line of the copy.

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A full Grade 5 mock, marked

The examiner runs every test in order, plays as many times as the board does and gives an estimated mark out of 10, with where you lose marks.

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Questions people ask

What does the changing-tonality question mean?

Trinity's documents don't define it precisely — it could cover a move between major and minor, or into a related key. Our trainer practises one clear version: the piece moves to its relative key, and you say whether the tonality goes from major to minor or from minor to major. Ask your teacher how they'd like you to phrase it.

Why do the practice pieces end only with perfect or imperfect cadences?

Our Grade 5 pieces are built from a melody with harmony, and for now their endings come out perfect or imperfect. All four answers are still offered, so you can't guess by elimination. Practise plagal and interrupted endings separately, for example with our cadence guide.

Is Grade 5 the last grade where aural is one of four choices?

Yes. From Initial to Grade 5 you pick two of sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge. From Grade 6, sight reading is compulsory and the second test is either aural or improvisation, so Grade 5 is a good time to decide which of the two suits you.

Are there official sample tests?

Trinity publishes its own sample tests in Aural Tests from 2017 — Book 1 covers Initial to Grade 5 and comes with CDs. Our trainer doesn't use or adapt them: every piece is generated fresh from the published format, so each practice piece is new to you.

Independent practice. We are not affiliated with Trinity College London; 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.