EIKEN cheat sheet

Eiken grades run from 5 (lowest) to 1 (highest); grade 2 is the common university-entry benchmark and grade 1 is the most demanding.

The reading section of grade 2 uses a 100-point scale with a pass mark near 60; grade 1 uses a 100-point scale with a pass mark near 70, and scores are scaled, not raw counts.

Grade 1 and grade 1 preliminary reading passages test paraphrase recognition: the correct answer restates the passage in different words, while distractors copy surface wording.

Grade 2 reading includes short informational passages, a longer passage, and a chart/graph question; the chart item asks for a single value or comparison stated in the data.

Vocabulary questions in the reading section are answered from context, not from the option that merely looks familiar; eliminate options whose part of speech does not fit the blank.

For summary questions, the correct option covers the whole passage; options that are true but cover only one paragraph are the standard trap.

Pronoun reference questions (it, they, this) resolve to the nearest preceding noun phrase that agrees in number and makes logical sense.

Skimming for structure first (topic sentence per paragraph) then scanning for the question keyword is faster than reading every word before answering.

Eiken listening has four parts at grades 1 and 2: short dialogues with a picture or situation, short dialogues without a picture, longer monologues or conversations, and a final section read twice with two questions.

The final listening section is read twice: the first reading supports the main-idea question, the second supports the detail question.

Numbers, times, and prices are almost always given twice in the audio, once incorrectly and once correctly; the last number heard is not automatically the answer.

Distractors in listening repeat words from the audio; the correct option typically uses a synonym or a paraphrase of what was said.

In picture-based items, listen for the action verb and the location, since wrong options describe the right object with the wrong action.

Question stems and options are printed in the booklet and can be read before the audio starts; the pause between items is the time to pre-read the next question.

Speakers signal answers with contrast markers: but, actually, instead, not really, and on second thought usually precede the correct information.

Grade 1 listening monologues include academic topics (lectures, news reports) with abstract vocabulary; grade 2 focuses on everyday situations such as travel, shopping, and school.

Eiken writing is a timed English composition: grade 2 requires 80-100 words in about 25 minutes; grade 1 preliminary requires 100-120 words in about 25 minutes; grade 1 requires a 200-word essay in about 40 minutes.

Grade 1 preliminary and grade 1 writing gives a topic with three or four given points; the response must use at least two of the points and state a clear opinion.

Scoring at grade 1 uses four criteria: content (points covered and relevant), structure (paragraphing and logical flow), vocabulary, and grammar.

A grade 2 composition follows a fixed frame: state the opinion, give two supporting reasons with an example each, then a one-sentence conclusion.

The word limit is a range, not a maximum; writing far below the lower bound (for example, under 60 words at grade 2) loses content and structure points.

Each given point must be developed into its own reason with an explanation; listing a point without explaining why it supports the opinion earns no content credit.

Grade 1 essays need a counterargument paragraph or an explicit acknowledgement of the opposing view to reach the top structure band.

Common grammar deductions at all grades: subject-verb agreement, article use, tense consistency, and plural forms; these are checked before sophisticated vocabulary is rewarded.

Eiken grade 2 speaking is a four-task interview: reading aloud, then three questions on the passage, then a picture-description task, then two opinion questions; total time is about 7 minutes.

Grade 1 preliminary speaking adds a passage summary and a topic-card task with a 1-minute preparation and 2-minute speech.

Reading aloud is scored on pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation; a single mispronounced word costs less than a flat, word-by-word delivery.

The picture-description task requires describing what people are doing and where, using present continuous; a common failure is narrating the picture in past tense.

Opinion questions at grade 2 expect a direct answer plus one reason plus one example or detail; a yes/no with no reason scores zero on content.

In grade 1 speaking, the candidate may ask the examiner to repeat a question once; this does not affect the score and is preferable to guessing.

The narration task at grade 1 preliminary (four-panel story) must use past tense and linking words such as then, after that, and finally.

Fillers (um, well, let me think) are acceptable rhythm devices but must not replace content; silence longer than a few seconds is penalized more than a hesitation sound.

Eiken reading questions are ordered roughly parallel to the passage, so the answer to question 3 usually lies after the answer to question 2.

Grade 2 reading passages are about 300-400 words; grade 1 passages are longer and may include argumentative or scientific texts with abstract nouns.

A 'not stated' option is wrong only if the passage contradicts it; if the passage neither confirms nor denies it, it is still a valid distractor to eliminate.

When two options seem correct, the one that requires fewer assumptions beyond the text is the intended answer.

Time allocation at grade 2 reading: about 1 minute per short passage and 2-3 minutes for the long passage, leaving the chart item for last if time is short.

Signal words for the author's conclusion are therefore, thus, in conclusion, and as a result; the sentence after them is usually the answer to main-idea questions.

Part 1 of Eiken listening presents a situation with a printed picture or a short statement; the question asks what the speaker will do next or where the conversation takes place.

Part 2 items have no picture and ask about a detail; the answer is usually stated by the second speaker, not the first.

Part 3 monologues are longer (announcements, lectures) and the answer often appears in the second half of the audio.

If two options are both mentioned, the correct one is the one the speaker endorses; the other is usually attributed to someone else or negated.

Grade 1 essay topics are social or academic (for example, technology and society, education policy); examples should be general knowledge, not personal anecdotes only.

Linking words for grade 1 essays: first, moreover, in contrast, for this reason, consequently; their absence is a structure deduction.

A thesis statement must appear in the first paragraph at grade 1; an essay that reveals its opinion only in the conclusion loses structure points.

Grade 2 compositions should use at least one relative clause and one conditional to show grammatical range within the 80-100 word limit.

Grade 2 interview order is fixed: greeting and name, passage reading, three comprehension questions, picture description, two opinion questions.

Comprehension questions after the reading aloud can be answered by re-reading the relevant sentence; the passage stays visible during these questions.

In the grade 1 preliminary topic card, the 1-minute preparation should produce three points (opinion, reason, example) written as keywords, not full sentences.

Pronunciation targets that examiners notice: final consonants, -ed endings, and word stress in multi-syllable words such as development and environment.