Hope I am not being dreadfully dense but I have come up against a brick wall!!!

Earlier this morning I made a start on the first chapter re Q 1(a) of Theory Workbook Grade 6 but ground to a halt on page 4, point 2. All was going well as I had identified the triads as directed. It then states;
some chords will be easy to choose; for example bar 2, where the first chord must be V.
Why oh why must the first chord be V in bar 2 ??????
Sorry if I am being hopeless, everything else is properly explained but this statement is not explained and I am giving myself a headache trying to work it out (and I dont see my piano teacher until next week!).
If anyone can help I would be very grateful.
Best wishes

Niobe, I think you have a good point here. The first chord in bar 2 doesn't HAVE to be V, it just looks to be a good "fit" if you were to write a perfect cadence at this point.

What helps me - and I hope will help enough to secure good marks next week - is to write out the triads in the key you're in, making sure to indicate major and minor, aug or dim. It helps to visualise the notes within a given chord at any one time. I would also suggest, once you've got an idea of which chords you want to use, roughing out a base line as per your suggestions and seeing how well they compliment the given melody.

Hope this helps - don't get too tied up with this point. This workbook is a great help but I think once you've found your own process and remember to KEEP IT SIMPLE, you'll be fine. Get lots of past papers directly from the board also as this has really, really helped me.

Thank you so much. The text (if taken literally) suggests there is only one answer (ie the V) and that made no sense as there are alternatives (I, iii or V). Now I know iii is rarely used but that still left the option of I or V.

The problem with studying alone is that the texts assume things which aren't immediately obvious to the lone learner. I spend ages checking for consecutive fifths and so forth but the answer sections (in those texts which offer answers) dont explain whether they present a definitive answer or whether other solutions might be available.

Hopefully this will all make sense one day!!
Thanks again.

Checking for implied consecutives, etc, on Q1 is good practice but not as critical as for Q2 and the rules that apply to the doubling - these you will just have to learn:

Root position: 1 or 5
1st Inversion: double anything (ideally not 3rd)
2nd Inversion: 5

Hope that helps and PM me if you need any more advice.

I would suggest that you get a tutor, even if it's for a once a month session. I've learnt so much from getting another professional to point out all the silly mistakes that essentially lose you silly marks and can make the difference - literally - between passing and failing. After all, 66% is a higher pass mark than a degree so we have to know where we can improve.

Another extremely useful thing you can do to help yourself when you start tackling Q2 is to go on the MyMusicTheory website. Great for the Grade 5 foreign terms which we have to know for G6, but also for the lessons on the figured bass and composition of a melody questions.

Good luck!

All these points re extremely useful, thanks. I have already started dipping into the MyTheory website and it was because I had understood the material there that I subsequently found the G6 book confusing regarding the opening chapter on Q1a (ie I had established that there were 3 potential triads and queried the use of V).
My 'quiet' half term break is becoming quite busy after all!
Best wishes.

The first chord in Bar 2 can only be chord V. The chord you are to write has to contain an A and an E - one chord for the 2 notes as asked for in the example - and the only chord in D major that has both A and E is chord V

Thank you - I can see the author's point now. Wish this had been explained in the text, it is so easy to focus on one element.
All comments today greatly appreciated. Have been doing some revision this evening and for a while the fog was clearing - but it's late now so tiredness is setting in again!!
Best wishes.

If you can put in cadential progressions and know how to use the passing 6/4 that takes care of a good chunk leaving you with not too much to work out.

JM Hamilton is right. When I turned back a page in the workbook and reminded myself of the entire extract, I saw both notes with the same chord beneath both, and so yes, only a V would work.

Just remember to get your triads written out on scrap once you've worked out the key and youll feel more organised.