Tottori Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination - English
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
Tottori Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination - English is the English paper in the achievement test used for admission to Tottori's prefectural public high schools. It is set and administered by the Tottori Prefectural Board of Education, and it is taken mainly by students completing junior high school in the prefecture, along with other applicants who meet that year's eligibility rules. The English score is one input into selection: it is combined with the school record and, depending on the school and the selection round, other material, so it is not a stand-alone pass/fail barrier.
The paper samples the English taught in Japanese junior high schools, but broadly: listening to short dialogues and announcements, reading passages of several paragraphs, discrete grammar and vocabulary items, situational responses, and a short composition written to given conditions. Nothing reaches beyond the standard curriculum - the difficulty comes from speed, stamina and following instructions exactly.
Preparation works in a predictable order. Build vocabulary and core sentence patterns first, read short passages daily against a timer, write one short composition a week and have someone check it, and listen to English for a few minutes every day rather than cramming in the final weeks. Work through the past papers the prefecture releases, and confirm the current format and timing in the official guidelines for your year.
What you'll study
About Tottori Prefectural Public High School Entrance Examination - English preparation
What does the English paper actually contain?
Expect a mixture of multiple-choice items and short written answers: listening tasks, reading passages with comprehension questions, grammar and vocabulary items, a situational or dialogue-response task, and an English composition written to stated conditions. The Board of Education publishes the structure for the current year, so check the official guidelines or ask your school rather than relying on older material.
How hard is it compared with my regular school tests?
The grammar and vocabulary stay inside the junior high course, so nothing should look new. The gap is speed and stamina: passages run longer than textbook ones, listening is played at natural pace, and the composition asks you to satisfy several conditions at once. Students who lose marks usually ran out of time or misread instructions, not because the English was unknown.
Can I take the examination more than once?
There is no single rule that covers every case. Eligibility and the number of selection rounds are set for each year, and additional recruitment happens in some years but not others. If you were not admitted and want to sit again, confirm your own situation with the Tottori Prefectural Board of Education's published guidelines before you plan.
How long is the paper, and how many questions are there?
Those figures are set for each year's selection and announced by the Tottori Prefectural Board of Education, so this page does not quote them. Take the current allowance from the official guidelines for your year, and use exactly that when you practise full papers, because your pacing should match what you will actually face.
What score do I need to pass?
No fixed cut-off score is published. Selection combines the achievement test with your school record and, depending on the school and round, interview or other material, with weightings decided per year. Aim to be solid in every section rather than chasing a number; the official guidelines describe the method used for your year.
In what order should I study?
Vocabulary and core sentence patterns first, because they underpin everything else. Then daily reading of short passages with a timer, then the composition, which improves fastest with weekly practice and feedback. Keep listening as a short daily habit from the start instead of saving it for the last month, when improvement is slowest.
Where do candidates usually lose marks?
Three patterns repeat. The composition fails to answer every condition in the prompt, or is written in sentences too ambitious to control. Listening answers are missed because the options were not read before the audio started. Reading questions are answered from memory of the passage rather than from the line the question points at.
How should I handle the English composition?
Read the conditions first and tick each one off as you cover it. Write short, clear sentences you can control, and leave time to check tense, plurals and spelling. Graders reward on-task, accurate English far more than long, risky structures, so a simple paragraph that answers every point scores better than an ambitious one that ignores half the prompt.
Should I practise with past papers?
Yes, once the basics are in place. Use them for timing and for getting used to the instruction style, not for memorising topics. Do a paper, mark it honestly, and note whether the lost marks came from time, instructions or genuine gaps in English; each of those needs a different fix. Ask your school which papers are available.