Brainlag Plus Music
Brainlag Plus MusicThe paper and your three hours
How the 100 marks are shared between the five questions, the grade boundaries, and a plan for three hours built from the marks.
Where the marks are
Now the marks matter: they tell you where to spend your time. The paper has 100 marks over five questions:
- 3 hours
- written paper
- 100
- marks
- 66
- pass
- 80
- merit
- 90
- distinction
- 15Question 1: Figured bassWrite the chords above a given bass of about four bars, for four voices or for keyboard.
- 15Question 2: Harmonise a melodyChoose chords for a melody of about eight bars, or write a bass with figures under it.
- 20Question 3: Write a melodyContinue a given opening for a named instrument; it may move to a related key.
- 25Question 4: Score analysisQuestions on a printed extract: chords, cadences, ornaments, terms, phrases and instruments.
- 25Question 5: Score analysis, several partsMore questions on printed music, which may be for voices or several instruments.
Next exam in the UK: 10 November 2026, 17:00
Booking for it closed on 7 October 2026. ABRSM has not yet published the next year's dates. Results usually come about four weeks after the exam (about six weeks outside the UK). Other countries have their own dates: ABRSM exam dates and fees.
Checked against the ABRSM syllabus and exam dates, 8 October 2026. Source: ABRSM Music Theory qualification specification.
The rest of this lesson and its 4 practice questions are in Plus Music.
Screen 1 of 4, free to read.
- 4 exam-style questions, marked as you go, each with a worked solution
- Anything you get wrong is saved to your flashcards