Printable worksheet
Roman Numeral Chords: Analysis Worksheet
Printable Roman numeral chords worksheet: label chords in major or minor keys, with inversions and sevenths at higher levels. Answers included.
Roman Numeral Chords: Analysis Worksheet
Sheet #
Name Date Score /
Answer key
Roman Numeral Chords: Analysis Worksheet · Sheet #
About the Roman Numeral Analysis Worksheet
Roman numeral chords are labels that show where each chord sits in a key, such as I, IV or V, so a progression like I–IV–V reads the same in any key. This free worksheet generator runs in your web browser with no sign-up, and it creates printable practice sheets where you label one chord per question. Each sheet can be set to major or minor keys and to easy, medium or hard levels, with inversions and sevenths added at higher levels. Answers are included, so you can check your work right away.
Each question shows one chord on a staff with its key signature. Once you can label single chords by function, progressions such as I–IV–V (often written 1 4 5) or ii–V–I (2 5 1) read the same way in every key.
How to use the Roman Numeral Analysis Worksheet
- Choose Key mode: Major keys or Minor keys (major is the default).
- Pick a Difficulty: easy, medium or hard.
- Pick a Questions count: 10 or 20.
- Click New worksheet. Each question shows the key and one chord on a staff with its key signature.
- Write a Roman numeral for each chord. Find the scale degree of the chord’s root and its quality, then add any inversion figures.
- Click Show answers to check your work, or click Print to get page 1 with the questions and page 2 with the answer key.
Every sheet has a number (Sheet #), and the page URL keeps your settings and that number (?seed=…). You can reopen the same sheet or share the link with someone else. The printed sheet has Name, Date and Score lines, and it prints correctly on A4 or US Letter paper.
Start on easy and move up once you can label root-position triads without hesitation. When you’re comfortable in major keys, switch Key mode to Minor keys. V and vii° need a raised seventh degree there. In A minor, for example, V is E-G♯-B.
Copy the page URL to save your work. It keeps your settings and Sheet #, so you can reopen the same questions later or send them to someone else.
Printing gives you the questions on page 1 and the answer key on page 2. Try the sheet on paper first, then check your answers against page 2.
How do I find the Roman numeral of a chord?#
Name the scale of the key first, then find the scale degree of the chord’s root, numbered I to VII. Use a capital numeral for a major chord, a lowercase numeral for a minor chord, lowercase with ° for diminished, and capital with + for augmented.
In a major key, I, IV and V are major, ii, iii and vi are minor, and vii° is diminished. If a chord is inverted, restack its notes in thirds to find the root before you count the degree. Sevenths are written as V7 (dominant), ii7 (minor seventh), iiø7 (half-diminished) and vii°7 (fully diminished).
Why do V and vii° change in minor keys?#
Minor keys use the harmonic minor scale, where the seventh degree is raised by a semitone to make a leading tone. That raised note is why V and vii° contain a raised seventh in minor keys. In A minor, the V chord is E-G♯-B and the vii° chord is G♯-B-D.
The Roman numeral label itself does not change. The same V describes the dominant chord in every key; only the notes behind it change.
What do the inversion figures mean?#
Figures show which note is in the bass. Count the intervals above the bass note. Triads use no figure for root position, 6 for first inversion and 6/4 for second inversion. Seventh chords use 7 for root position, 6/5 for first inversion, 4/3 for second and 4/2 for third.
What are the most common Roman numeral progressions?#
The most common progressions are I–IV–V–I, I–V–vi–IV, ii–V–I and I–vi–IV–V. Each one is a chain of chords labelled by scale degree, so the same numbers describe the pattern in any key.
- I–IV–V–I: the basic pattern, moving from the home chord to the IV and V chords and back home.
- I–V–vi–IV: a four-chord loop that appears in many songs.
- ii–V–I: a common ending pattern. In C major it is Dm–G–C.
- I–vi–IV–V: a familiar cycle through the major key’s chords.
Capital numerals are major chords and lowercase numerals are minor chords. In a major key, I, IV and V are major, while ii, iii and vi are minor.
To practice labelling these, set Key mode to Major keys on the worksheet above, choose a difficulty, and click New worksheet. Use Show answers or print the answer key on page 2 to check your work.