EIKEN Grade 1

It is the highest grade in the EIKEN series, described by the foundation as the final goal for examinees. It certifies that you can understand and use the English necessary to participate effectively in a wide range of social, professional, and educational situations, and it is listed as equivalent to CEFR C1.

Stage 1 allots 100 minutes for Reading and Writing together, plus approximately 35 minutes for Listening. Stage 2 is an English interview of about 10 minutes. Plan your practice sessions around those blocks rather than around individual sections, since reading and writing share one 100-minute window.

Reading tasks include sentence completion, gap fill on passages, and questions based on passages. Writing has an English summary of 90-110 words and an English composition of 200-240 words. Listening includes questions based on dialogues, questions based on monologues, real-life listening, and questions based on a long interview, all multiple choice with four printed options.

Two examiners conduct it. You have a one-minute free conversation, then choose one topic from five choices on a Topic Card and get one minute to prepare. You deliver a two-minute speech, followed by four minutes of questions based on your speech and topic. Evaluation categories are Short Speech, Interaction, Grammar and Vocabulary, and Pronunciation.

It is the top grade, so expect authentic texts and abstract topics rather than simplified ones. The foundation lists general social situations, arts, culture, history, education, science, nature, environment, medicine, technology, business, and politics as topic areas, so breadth of background knowledge matters as much as vocabulary drills.

The source material does not state a retake policy or a validity period, so confirm current rules with the Eiken Foundation before relying on either. What the source does show is that administrations recur across the year, with past papers published for recent rounds, so you can plan a retake around the published schedule.

Build reading stamina first, since the sentence completion, gap fill, and passage questions share the same 100 minutes as writing. Then train the summary to 90-110 words and the essay to 200-240 words under timed conditions. Add listening practice in all four task types, and rehearse the speech format last but regularly.

Running out of time in the combined Reading and Writing window, and writing summaries or essays outside the stated word ranges. In Stage 2, a speech that drifts off the chosen topic or stalls during the four-minute question period costs marks in Short Speech and Interaction. Practise finishing inside the limits rather than aiming for maximum length.

The foundation lists 2630 for Grade 1, alongside TEAP 396, CEFR C1, and TOEFL PBT 600 / iBT 100. Treat the CSE figure as the reference point published by the foundation, and check its current scoring guidance directly if your institution uses the score for admission or credit.

The Japanese-language page states that Grades 1 and Pre-1 are conducted only at 本会場, the main official venues, rather than at secondary or school venues. Check the venue list for your area when you register, because this restriction affects where you can sit the exam.