Hi, I'm doing my grade 5 theory, but I need some advice on composition. I've only been doing music for 2 and a bit years, and don't understand how to make a good composition. Have you got any advice on things likes keys, chords things like that? Thanks!

Try to make it balanced - 8 bars long (so two 4 bar sections). Use notes from the dominant chord in bar 4 and bar 7 and notes from the tonic chord in bar 8. It can sometimes also be a good idea to repeat the opening at the beginning of the second phrase (e.g. bar 5).

If I think of anything more then I'll post again!

Thats the other thing - dominant and dimished chords! How do you know work out which one a chord is? Thanks!

Do you need to know about diminished chords for grade 5?
The dominant is the one based on the 5th note of the scale (the dominant).

I thought it was-maybe I read it on the syllabus for a higher grade maybe? Thanks anyway:D

I always chose the melody syllabus (as opposed to the song-to-words one) although it's your own preference.

Since the first one or two bars were already started for you, I usually repeated the pattern but a note lower/higher, i.e. in a sequence, and changed bar 4 so that it led up to the dominant note. Then for the next three bars, I used sequences again, and in bar 8 I tried to make a Ic - V - I progression (kind of; though only with the melody notes). I only got 12/15 though, so it may not have been the best approach.

12/15 is fine!!!

I try and get my students to use this pattern as best they can, although the beginning bit of tune they give you can affect this. Use one chord for each bar. 1-5-1-5-1-4-5-1. That's 8 chords one for each bar. Base the notes of the melody around these notes in the chord, adding passing notes etc. If you can make it work, it's great and produces good marks.