About EIKEN Grade Pre-2 Plus

Grade Pre-2 Plus is a grade at which examinees can understand the overview, main points, and details of passages or talks about familiar social topics, and can communicate detailed information, ideas, and feelings about familiar social topics using a variety of words and phrases. This level is aimed at advanced Japanese high school students. Grade Pre-2 Plus certification provides an increasingly wide range of benefits, such as its usefulness in applying to secondary and post-secondary academic institutions. The examination is divided into two parts, Stage 1 (with reading, writing, and listening tests) and Stage 2 (an interview-format speaking test).

Pass level comparison

EIKEN EIKEN CSE Score CEFR
Grade Pre-2 Plus 1829 A2
  • Click here for more information about the EIKEN CSE Score.

Level description

Can understand the overview, main points, and details of passages or talks about familiar social topics, and can communicate detailed information, ideas, and feelings about familiar social topics using a variety of words and phrases.

Overview of test structure

First stage

Time allotted: Reading & Writing（85 minutes）／ Listening（app. 25 minutes）

Skill area Task Format Items Response type
Reading Sentence completion 17 short texts (one or two sentences/dialogues) from which one word or phrase has been omitted 17 Multiple-choice (Four printed options)
Gap fill (passages) 2 passages from which several words or phrases have been omitted 6
Q&A based on passages 2 passages followed by questions 8
Writing English Summary Summarize the content of the text in English. 1 45-55 word summary
English Composition Write your opinion in English on the given question. 1 80-100 word composition
Listening Q&A based on dialogues 15 recorded conversations/discussions followed by questions 15 Multiple-choice (Four printed options)
Q&A based on monologues 15 recorded announcements, advertisements, news stories, or short lectures followed by questions 15
Topics

School, hobbies, travel, shopping, sports, movies, music, food, weather, giving directions, foreign cultures, profiles of people, history, education, sciences, nature, environment, technology, etc.

Second stage

English interview (app. 7min)

Skill area Task Format Time allotted Notes
Speaking Oral reading Preparation Examinee reads passage on question card silently 20 seconds

Evaluation Criteria:
Examinees are evaluated on their responses to each of the tasks and for their attitude toward actively engaging in communication. The following categories are also taken into account: pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

No. of Examiners:1
Reading aloud Examinee reads passage aloud
Q&A No. 1 Examiner asks question based on content of passage
Narration No. 2 Preparation Examinee reads card silently and prepares to narrate three-panel illustration shown on card 20 seconds
Narration Examinee gives narration of illustration
Q&A No. 3 Examiner asks question to elicit examinee’s opinion about trends, ideas, and issues broadly related to topic of passage
No. 4 Examiner asks question to elicit examinee’s opinion about topic related to everyday life (may not be related to topic of passage)

Virtual speaking test (Grade Pre-2 Plus)

An animated, easy-to-understand walkthrough of the Stage 2 Interview Test, showing the entire process from the time the examinee enters the room until he or she leaves it. (requires Japanese)