All Students preparing for Grade exams are recommended to use the Hofnotes on-line training pages to practise for the aural tests.
At higher grades you must be able to discuss with the examiner musical features such as texture, form, style, and period of a piece of music. My own web pages to help with these parts of the test at Grade 5+ and at GCSE are available here!
Grade V
"To identify certain features of a piece played by the examiner...confined to...general perception of texture, rhythm, form, style and period" - ABRSM syllabus
You will be told before hearing the extract which features you are going to be asked about, and different textures will be quite clearly defined:
arpeggios
melody with accompaniment
harmonic
contrapuntal or imitative
Link to the BBC's revision set for musical appreciation.
Grade VI
"To answer questions on the features of a piece played by the examiner, including the general perception of texture, form (including phrase structure), style and period" - ABRSM syllabus
This sounds very similar to the previous grade, so you will be expected to go into more detail, and the piece may be longer. So you will need to:
remember for longer
notice more variety or complexity in textures
relate texture to other facets such as period and style
relate texture to the instrument for which it was written
Link to the BBC's revision set for musical appreciation
Grade VII
"To answer questions on the features of a piece played by the examiner, including the general perception of texture, form (including phrase structure), style and period" - ABRSM syllabus
At this grade you will be expected to
compare and contrast textures within the piece
demonstrate a good range of listening experience
talk fluently about texture
relate texture to style, period and instrument
Link to the BBC's revision set for musical appreciation