EIKEN Grade 2 study guide
EIKEN Grade 2 · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
EIKEN Grade 2 is the mid-level credential in the Eiken Foundation of Japan's seven-grade framework, positioned one step above Grade Pre-2. The foundation describes it as incorporating the knowledge and applied skills acquired up to Grade Pre-2 across a wide variety of real-life situations, and it is aimed at Japanese high school graduates who can use English in social, professional, and educational settings. Certification is commonly used for post-secondary applications and academic credit, and is widely accepted as proof of general English ability for study or work abroad. The test has two stages. The EIKEN Grade 2 study guide has 4 sections and about 1,947 words.
01Reading - EIKEN Grade 2
Grade 2 Reading sits inside the 85-minute written paper and is by far its largest block: 38 multiple-choice questions across four item types, followed by the writing task. It tests whether you can handle upper-high-school English - roughly 5,000 words plus common idioms - at speed.
494 words, about 2 min02Writing - EIKEN Grade 2
Grade 2 Writing is one task in the written paper: an opinion essay of 80-100 words, written in about 25 minutes. The prompt gives a yes/no statement and three hint points, and you must use two of them.
515 words, about 3 min03Listening - EIKEN Grade 2
Around 25 minutes and 30 questions, run continuously from a single audio source. Question and options are printed in the booklet, so your job is to read ahead, catch the one line that decides the answer, and mark it before the next item starts.
466 words, about 2 min04Speaking - EIKEN Grade 2
The Grade 2 interview lasts about seven minutes with one examiner and covers four tasks: read a short passage aloud, answer a question about it, describe an illustration, and give opinions on two social topics. The passage is roughly 50 words and you get about 20 seconds to read it silently.
472 words, about 2 min