Grade 6- Q1a

Marks Description
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Distinction
14-15 marks  Chord progressions are harmonically acceptable and stylistically
appropriate
 Initiative is shown in the chord choice, i.e. inversions, use of chords
other than I, IV, V, etc., where appropriate
 Grammatical implications are correct
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Merit
12-13 marks  Chord progressions are harmonically acceptable and stylistically aware
 Initiative is shown in the chord choice, i.e. some inversions, use of
chords other than I, IV, V, etc., where appropriate
 \Grammatical implications are mostly correct
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Pass
10–11 marks  Chord progressions are generally harmonically acceptable
 Chord choice is more limited, i.e. largely I, V, root position, etc.
 A limited number of incorrect grammatical implications
 Imperfect grasp of key/tonality, cadence points
Below pass
8–9 marks  A significant number of harmonically unacceptable chord progressions
 Some chords do not relate correctly to given melody notes
 Chords not allotted to some asterisks
 A significant number of incorrect grammatical implications

 Incorrect grasp of key/tonality, cadence points

Not achieved
5–7 marks  Most chord progressions are harmonically unacceptable
 A significant number of chords do not relate correctly to the given
melody notes
 Chords not allotted to many asterisks
 Widespread incorrect grammatical implications
Grade 6- Q1b

Marks Description
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Distinction
14-15 marks  Bass notes and figuring imply satisfactory harmonic progressions
 Initiative is shown in the chord choice, i.e. inversions, use of chords
other than I, IV, V, etc., where appropriate
 Chord choice shows some grasp of the style
 Grammatical implications are correct
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Merit
12-13 marks  Bass notes and figuring imply satisfactory harmonic progressions
 Initiative is shown in the chord choice, i.e. some inversions, use of
chords other than I, IV, V, etc., where appropriate
 Chord choice shows some grasp of the style
 Grammatical implications are mostly correct
 Key/tonality, cadence points are correctly treated
Pass
10–11 marks  Bass notes and figuring imply harmonic progressions which are
generally acceptable
 Chord choice is more limited, i.e. largely I, V, root position, etc.
 A limited number of incorrect grammatical implications
 Imperfect grasp of key/tonality, cadence points
Below pass
8–9 marks  Bass notes and/or figuring imply a significant number of harmonically
unacceptable progressions
 Some bass notes/figures do not relate correctly to given melody notes
 Frequent incorrect grammatical implications
 Incorrect grasp of key/tonality, cadence points
Not achieved
5–7 marks  Bass notes and/or figuring imply mostly unacceptable harmonic
progressions
 A significant number of bass notes/figures do not relate correctly to
given melody notes
 Widespread incorrect grammatical implications
Grade 6- Q2

Marks Description
 Figuring is correctly interpreted
Distinction
14-15 marks  Melodic line shows musical interest
 Part-writing is good and 6/4–5/3 progression(s) correctly handled
 Grammatical errors are sparse
 Figuring is mostly correctly interpreted
Merit
12-13 marks  Melodic line shows some musical interest
 Part-writing is generally good and 6/4–5/3 progression(s)
 correctly handled
 Grammatical errors are few
 Few errors in interpretation of figuring
Pass
10–11 marks  Melodic line not always musically effective but is generally sound
 Part-writing is acceptable, if not always musically convincing
 There are some grammatical errors
 Some errors in interpretation of figuring
Below pass
8–9 marks  Bass notes not harmonised
 Part-writing is poor
 There are numerous grammatical errors
 Much incorrect interpretation of figuring
Not achieved
5–7 marks  Numerous bass notes not harmonised
 Little or no attention given to part-writing
 Grammatical errors are widespread
Grade 6- Q3

Marks Description
 An excellent sense of shape and direction
Distinction
18–20 marks  Style/character of the given opening has been well maintained and
developed
 The melody implies a convincing harmonic foundation
 Melodic/rhythmic aspects of the given opening have been well
developed and continued
 In option [a] the modulation has been correctly and musically
achieved
 There is a suitably balanced phrase structure
 Awareness of anacrusic nature of given opening, if present
 The melody is suited to and explores the range of the stipulated
instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions have been musically applied
 A good sense of shape and direction
Merit
16–17 marks  Style/character of the given opening has been well maintained
 The melody implies a plausible harmonic foundation
 Melodic/rhythmic aspects of the given opening have been well
developed and continued
 In option [a] the modulation has been correctly achieved
 There is a suitably balanced phrase structure
 Awareness of anacrusic nature of given opening, if present
 The melody is suited to and within compass of the stipulated
instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions have been mostly musically
applied
 Some sense of shape and direction
Pass
13–15 marks  Some attempt has been made to maintain the style/character of the
opening
 Melodic/rhythmic aspects of the given opening have been continued,
if somewhat unimaginatively (rather repetitious, over-use of
sequence, etc.)
 Some sense of phrase structure
 Occasional faults in rhythmic notation
 In option [a] the modulation has been achieved
 The melody is reasonably suited to, and generally within the compass
 of the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions are present
 The melody lacks overall shape and direction
Below Pass
10–12 marks  Poor maintenance of the style/character of the opening
 Very repetitious and unimaginative in the use of melodic/rhythmic
aspects of the given opening
 Some faults in rhythmic notation
 Poor sense of phrase structure
 The melody is not well suited to/does not keep well within the
compass of the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions are sparse and/or inappropriate
 The melody is very shapeless and meandering
Not Achieved 
7–9 marks  Style/character of the given opening not maintained
 No proper attempt to utilise melodic/rhythmic aspects of the given
opening
 Frequent faults in rhythmic notation
 No sense of phrase structure
 The melody shows no real thought for the practicalities or compass
of the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions absent or quite inappropriate
Grade 7- Q1

Marks Description
 Key/tonality/modulations (if present) have been correctly perceived
Distinction
14-15 marks  The figuring provides a musically satisfactory harmonic structure and
a secure sense of style
 The harmonic vocabulary shows some initiative, and features such as
sequences have been correctly observed
 Key/tonality/modulations (if present) have been correctly perceived
Merit
12-13 marks  The figuring provides a musically satisfactory harmonic structure and
some sense of style
 The harmonic vocabulary shows some initiative, and features such as
sequences have been correctly observed
 Key/tonality/modulations (if present) have been correctly perceived
Pass
10–11 marks  The figuring provides a harmonic basis which is generally acceptable
 The harmonic vocabulary is modest but generally plausible
 An imperfect grasp of key/tonality/modulations (if present)
Below pass
8–9 marks  The figuring implies a significant number of harmonically
unacceptable progressions
 The figuring does not always relate correctly to the given bass or
melody notes
 An incorrect grasp of key/tonality/modulations (if present)
Not achieved
5–7 marks  The figuring implies mostly unacceptable harmonic progressions
 Absence of many necessary figures
 A significant number of figures do not relate correctly to the given
bass or melody notes
Grade 7- Q2
Description 
Marks
 Harmonic outline consistently well embellished
Distinction
14-15 marks  Excellent consistency of texture and style throughout the passage
 Implied features such as sequences have been observed
 Grammatical aspects are correct
 Harmonic outline mostly well (but not excessively) embellished
Merit
12-13 marks  Good consistency of texture and style throughout the passage
 Grammatical aspects are mostly correct
 Some embellishment of the harmonic outline
Pass
10–11 marks  An attempt to maintain texture and style
 A limited number of incorrect grammatical aspects
 Sparse embellishment of harmonic outline
Below pass
8–9 marks  Some clashing harmonies
 Poor maintenance of texture and style
 Some harmonies on Staves A have been altered on Staves B
 A significant number of incorrect grammatical aspects
 Much of the harmonic outline not embellished
5–7 marks
 No real awareness of texture or style
 Many harmonies on Staves A have been altered on Staves B
 Widespread incorrect grammatical aspects
Grade 7- Q3a

Marks Description
 Melody has an excellent shape, sense of direction and style
Distinction
18–20 marks  Melody completely agrees with the harmonic structure of the passage
 Melody lies well within the compass and capabilities of the
instrument
 Grammatical aspects are correct
 Melody has good shape, sense of direction and style
Merit
16–17 marks  Melody agrees well with the harmonic structure of the passage
 Melody lies well within the compass and capabilities of the
instrument
 Grammatical aspects are generally correct
 Melody has some shape
Pass
13–15 marks  There is general agreement between the melody and the harmonic
structure of the passage
 Melody is generally within the compass and capabilities of the
instrument
 A limited number of grammatical errors
 Poorly shaped melodic line
Below Pass
10–12 marks  Some harmonic clashes
 Melodic line frequently exceeds the compass, and/or is unsuited to
the capabilities of, the instrument for which it is written
 A significant number of grammatical errors
 No proper shape to the melodic line
Not Achieved
7–9 marks  Many discrepancies between the melody and the harmonic structure
of the passage
 Little awareness of the compass or capabilities of the instrument for
which the melody is written
 Widespread grammatical errors
Grade 7- Q3b

Marks Description
 An excellent sense of shape and direction
Distinction
18–20 marks  There is an excellent unified sense of style/character
 Rhythmic/melodic aspects of the given opening have been well
utilised (but this is optional in chord progression question)
 Chord progressions have been correctly utilised or well
developed
 Melody is suited to and within the compass of the stipulated or
chosen instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions have been musically applied
 A good sense of shape and direction
Merit
16–17 marks  There is a good unified sense of style/character
 Rhythmic/melodic aspects of the given opening have been well
utilised (but this is optional in chord progression question)
 Chord progressions have been correctly utilised,
including appropriate modulation
 Melody is suited to and within the compass of the stipulated or
chosen instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions have been musically applied
 The melody has some sense of shape and direction
Pass
13–15 marks  There is some overall sense of style/character
 Some utilisation has been made of the rhythmic/melodic
aspects of the given opening (but this is optional in chord
progression question)
 Occasional faults in rhythmic notation
 Chord progressions have been generally correctly utilised
 Melody is reasonably suited to, and generally within the
compass of, the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions are present
 Melody lacks overall shape and direction
Below Pass
10–12 marks  Melody contains some awkward intervals
 Poor sense of style/character
 Unimaginative/repetitious use of given opening (optional in
chord progression question)
 Significant incorrect utilisation of chord progressions, including
omitted modulations
  Some faults in rhythmic notation
 Melody is not well suited to/does not keep well within the
compass of the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions sparse and/or inappropriate
 Melody is very shapeless and meandering
Not Achieved
7–9 marks  Melody contains many awkward intervals
 Chord progressions are mostly incorrectly utilised
 Melody shows no real thought for, or awareness of the
compass of the stipulated instrument
 Dynamics/performance directions are absent or quite
inappropriate
 Frequent faults in rhythmic notation