ABRSM Grade 1 Performance Directions exam questions and answers (verified for accuracy)

1. accelerando gradually getting quicker 2. adagio slow 3. allegretto fairly quick (but not as quick as allegro) 4. allegro quick (literally 'cheerful') 5. andante ata medium ('walking') speed 6. cantabile in a singing style 7. crescendo (or cresc.) gradually getting louder 8. da capo (or D.C.) repeat from the beginning 9. dal segno (or D.S.) repeat from the sign 10. decrescendo (or decresc.) gradually getting quieter 11. fine the end 12. f (=forte) loud 13. ff (=fortissimo) very loud 14. legato smoothly 15. lento slow 16. mezzo half 17. mf (=mezzo forte) moderately loud (literally 'half' loud) 18. mp (=mezzo piano) moderately quiet (literally 'half' quiet) 19. moderato moderately 20. allegro moderato moderately quick 21. p (=piano) quiet 22. pp (=pianissimo) very quiet 23. poco a little 24. rallentando (or rall.) gradually getting slower 25. ritardando (or rittard. or rit.) gradually getting slower 26. ritenuto (or riten. or rit.) held back 27. staccato (or stacc.) detached 28. tempo speed, tempo 29. a tempo in time