EIKEN Grade Pre-1 study materials
EIKEN Grade Pre-1 study resources

EIKEN Grade Pre-1 key terms

EIKEN Grade Pre-1 · Get comfortable with the vocabulary.

inference

A conclusion drawn from evidence in a text rather than stated outright. Grade 1 reading questions often ask what a writer implies about causes, motives, or likely outcomes.

Related: implication, tone
implication

A meaning suggested indirectly by word choice or context rather than said explicitly. Distinguishing implication from stated fact is a core skill in long EIKEN Grade 1 passages.

Related: inference, connotation
connotation

The emotional or evaluative association a word carries beyond its literal meaning. Recognizing whether a term sounds approving, neutral, or critical helps identify an author's stance.

Related: tone, implication
tone

The attitude an author conveys toward the subject, such as skeptical, sympathetic, or ironic. Questions may ask you to characterize tone from adjectives and qualifiers in the passage.

Related: connotation, inference
cohesion

The way sentences and paragraphs are linked so a text reads as one unit. Pronouns, repeated key nouns, and transition words all create cohesion in academic English.

Related: coherence, transition
coherence

The logical ordering of ideas so each point follows from the previous one. A coherent essay moves from claim to support to conclusion without unexplained jumps.

Related: cohesion, thesis statement
thesis statement

A single sentence that states the central claim of an essay or argument. Locating it early in a passage helps you predict how the rest of the text will develop.

Related: coherence, counterargument
counterargument

An opposing view that a writer acknowledges and then answers. Recognizing where an author concedes a point prevents misreading the passage's overall position.

Related: thesis statement, rebuttal
rebuttal

The part of an argument that directly answers an objection. It usually follows a concession and signals the writer's final position with phrases like 'however' or 'even so'.

Related: counterargument, concession
concession

A point a writer grants to the opposing side to appear fair or to narrow the debate. Concessions are often introduced by 'admittedly' or 'it is true that'.

Related: rebuttal, counterargument
transition

A word or phrase such as 'nevertheless' or 'in contrast' that shows how two ideas relate. Misreading a transition can reverse the meaning of a whole paragraph.

Related: cohesion, contrast
contrast

A rhetorical move that sets two ideas against each other to highlight differences. Signal words include 'whereas', 'unlike', and 'on the other hand'.

Related: transition, cohesion
abstract

A short summary placed at the start of an academic article. Reading the abstract first gives you the study's purpose, method, and conclusion quickly.

Related: summary, thesis statement
anecdote

A brief personal story used to illustrate a point. Writers often open an essay with an anecdote before moving to a general claim.

Related: evidence, topic sentence
nuance

A subtle difference in meaning or attitude. Grade 1 items often turn on nuance, where two answer choices differ only slightly in emphasis.

Related: connotation, implication
gist

The overall meaning or main point of a spoken or written text. Listening questions frequently ask for the gist rather than specific numbers or names.

Related: summary, inference
distractor

An answer choice that sounds plausible but is not supported by the recording. Distractors often repeat a word from the audio while changing the relationship between ideas.

Related: paraphrase, gist
note-taking

Writing brief keywords and symbols while listening to track structure and key points. Effective notes mark signposts, examples, and any shift in the speaker's argument.

Related: signpost, gist
signpost

A spoken phrase such as 'first', 'to sum up', or 'on the other hand' that shows the structure of a talk. Signposts help listeners anticipate what comes next.

Related: note-taking, transition
speaker's stance

The position or attitude a speaker takes toward the topic, signaled by stress, word choice, and qualifiers. Identifying stance is often the key to a listening item.

Related: tone, gist
rhetorical question

A question asked for effect rather than to obtain an answer. It often appears in persuasive speeches to draw listeners toward the speaker's conclusion.

Related: speaker's stance, signpost
detail question

A listening question that asks for a specific piece of information, such as a time, a price, a place, or a reason, stated in the recording.

Related: gist, note-taking
intonation

The rise and fall of the voice when speaking. It can signal a question, surprise, or a change of topic, and it helps listeners follow the speaker's meaning.

Related: stress, gist
stress

The extra loudness or length given to a particular syllable or word. In English, stressed words usually carry the most important meaning in a sentence.

Related: intonation, gist