ABRSM Grade 5 Theory Syllabus
To progress beyond Grade 5 on any ABRSM practical instrument or singing exam, students must first pass the ABRSM Grade 5 Theory exam. This ensures they have a solid understanding of how music works, both in notation and in practice.
What the Syllabus Includes
My one-to-one tuition covers the entire Grade 5 syllabus, including:
🎶 Section 1 – Music Notation Fundamentals
The stave and different clefs — treble, bass, alto and tenor
Note values (crotchet, quaver, minim, semibreve, etc.) and rests
Ties, dots and beams
Bars, bar-lines and repeat signs
🎼 Section 3 – Scales and Keys
All major and minor scales up to six sharps or flats
Harmonic and melodic minor forms
Key signatures and how they relate to scales
Using the circle of fifths to understand key relationships
Transposition — rewriting a simple melody up or down a major 2nd (e.g. trumpet in B♭), a minor 3rd (e.g. clarinet in A), or a perfect 5th (e.g. horn in F)
🕐 Section 2 – Rhythm and Metre
Simple and compound time signatures
Duple, triple and quadruple time
Grouping notes and rests correctly within the beat
🎵 Section 4 – Intervals and Harmony
Naming and recognising intervals
Triads (major, minor, diminished, augmented)
Cadences (perfect, imperfect, plagal, interrupted)
🎨 Section 5 – Musical Terms and Signs
Understanding the vocabulary of music means recognising both the words and the symbols that tell performers how a piece should sound. The Grade 5 syllabus includes terms and signs relating to tempo, dynamics, articulation, and expression, drawn mainly from Italian but also from French and German.
Tempo words and signs: allegro, andante, ritardando, accelerando, and tempo-change markings such as dashed lines
Dynamic markings: p, f, mf, pp, ff, crescendo ( < ), diminuendo ( > ), hairpin and written forms
Articulation and expression: staccato, legato, tenuto, slurs, phrasing marks
Ornaments and special signs: trill (tr), mordent, turn, appoggiatura, acciaccatura ( grace note), and other expressive symbols
Language awareness: recognition of common French (vif, lent), German (schnell, langsam) and Italian (espressivo) terms
🎶 Section 6 – Melodic Awareness
While the Grade 5 Theory exam no longer requires students to compose or complete a melody, understanding how melody works remains important.
Recognising phrase structure
Seeing how melody interacts with harmony
Practising with short melodic examples for enrichment
📖 Section 7 – Reading Extracts
The Grade 5 Theory exam includes short extracts of printed music - for piano, voices, or mixed instruments - to test how well students can apply their theoretical knowledge to real music.
Candidates may be asked to:
Identify key, time signature, or rhythmic grouping
Recognise chords, cadences, and intervals
Interpret dynamic, articulation, and tempo markings
Follow two-staff piano writing or simple open-score formats (e.g. two vocal parts in treble and bass clefs)
Full four-part choral (SATB) score reading, formerly part of older syllabuses, is no longer required at Grade 5. The focus is now on practical score awareness rather than complex vocal notation
Preparing for the Exam
The Grade 5 Theory exam is designed not just to test knowledge, but to encourage clear thinking and confidence with written music. My approach begins with the big picture, then moves into detail and timed practice with past papers, so every student is fully ready on exam day.
Every student’s journey is different.
Book your free, no-obligation online consultation and I’ll guide you through the best approach for your child.