Eiken Grade Pre-1 Explained: What Changed in the 2024 Renewal

I actually took Eiken Grade Pre-1 (the second-highest level of Eiken, Japan’s best-known English test) six times, and finally passed on the sixth try. I passed in December 2024 on S-CBT, the computer-based version. That happened to be my first time taking it after the test content changed a lot.

Back then, I was desperate to pass and studied hard with all kinds of test strategies. Once the big changes were announced, I pushed myself to pass before it got harder. In the end, I passed on my first try with the new format. Personally, I think the changes aren’t a big problem if you’ve done the Pre-1 past papers properly, know a decent amount of vocabulary, can write an average essay and have prepared for listening. The summary question was brand new then, so there was hardly any advice out there, and I practiced by asking AI.

I went back and gathered information online to sort out what actually changed. I hope it helps if you’re taking Pre-1 or thinking about it.

If you’re looking into Pre-1, you’re probably past the “What is Eiken?” stage, so I’ll skip the basics and focus on what specifically changed in the renewal.

Three changes in the 2024 renewal

When I sorted it out, there were three main changes for Pre-1.

1. Reading went from 41 questions to 31
2. A summary question was added to the writing section (Part 4)
3. An introductory sentence was added to Question No. 4 in the second stage (the interview)

The test I took should have been in exactly this format, but honestly, at the time I only thought “oh, the new format,” and didn’t pay attention to the details. Let’s look at them one by one.

What’s in the first stage (written test, 90 minutes)

First, here’s the structure of the new first-stage test for Eiken Pre-1.

Reading (Parts 1–3) has 31 questions and about 1,800 words in total. Before the renewal there were 41, so Part 1 lost 7 questions and Part 3 lost one passage (3 questions).

The key point is that Parts 2 and 3 always have the same structure. In Part 2, each passage has 3 paragraphs with one blank in each, every time. Part 3 is the same: passage A has 3 paragraphs and 3 questions, B has 4 paragraphs and 4 questions, and the question numbers line up neatly with the paragraphs. So if you read in order, “question 1 is about paragraph 1, question 2 is about paragraph 2,” you won’t get lost. That’s a handy strategy. The topics also have patterns: A tends to be history or archaeology, and B tends to be science, technology or bioethics.

Suitman didn’t go to university, but when I watch people on YouTube solving university entrance exam questions, I feel like reading passages where you can answer the questions in order, like Eiken, aren’t the really tough kind. Reading a question and then hunting for the answer somewhere in a long passage, not even in order? That’s way too hard. In that sense, I think Eiken is quite easy to work through. Not easy, though.

The topics vary: genes passed down in a region, politics, history, science and more. I still remember the hardest one: the formic acid question (lol). It was about ants giving off a special smell when they walk, and their friends following the smell. It was so full of technical terms that at first I had no clue at all.

The new summary question, and the “zero-point incident”

Of everything I found online, this is the part I most want to share.

In Part 4, you read an English passage of about 200 words (3 paragraphs) and summarize it in 60–70 English words. When it started in 2024, the year I took it, it was loosely worded as a “Suggested length.” But from fiscal year 2025, the instruction became strict: “Summarize it between 60 and 70 words.”

You might think, “It’s only a few words, right?” But in the third test of fiscal year 2025 (held in January 2026), answers from people who didn’t know about this change were reportedly given zero points, regardless of the content. It seems to have been talked about on social media as the “zero-point incident.”

And it wasn’t only people who struggle with English. I also saw reports that people with perfect TOEIC scores and Eiken Grade 1 holders were among them. Getting zero just because you didn’t know about a rule change, even with real ability, is a serious problem for test takers, so I want anyone taking it to know this first.

Putting the online information together, these were the most common tips for avoiding a zero on the summary:

• Don’t write your own opinion (no “I think” or “In my opinion.” It’s a summary, not an opinion essay)
• Don’t copy the original word for word (copying apparently costs a lot of vocabulary points, so you need to paraphrase)
• Stick to 60–70 words (to be safe, aim for 65 in the middle, and count your words at least twice before you submit)
• Pick up the main point of all three paragraphs, one sentence each, without missing any

If I took it now, I’m sure I’d mess up the word count at least once, lol.

On Eiken S-CBT, I think a word count showed up while you type on the computer… my memory is fuzzy. But on the paper test, of course you can’t see the word count in real time. So it helps to practice regularly on the same kind of answer sheet (the past paper books sold in bookstores come with answer sheets) or in a notebook, and learn how many words you write per line in your own handwriting on A4 paper. If one line is about 11 words, then by the time you reach the 6th line, you can assume you already have 55 words.

Changes to the second stage (interview)

If you pass the first stage of the paper test, you take the second stage face to face on a separate day. On the computer-based S-CBT, you do everything in one day, including the speaking test (the interview). I think the speaking part comes first in that case, and I remember being a bit thrown by the unusual order. Also, everyone takes it at the same time wearing noise-blocking headphones, and when my answer ran long, I felt this strange pressure, like I was the only one talking (lol).

Only Pre-1 changed in the second stage: an introductory sentence was added at the start of No. 4, the question asking for your own opinion.

For example: “The wealth gap between rich countries and poor countries often becomes a topic for discussion. Should rich countries do more to help poor countries develop?” A sentence giving the background now comes before the question itself. Being given the context first does seem easier than being asked for your opinion out of nowhere.

Paper vs. S-CBT: what’s the difference?

S-CBT has come up a few times above. For Pre-1, there are two ways to take the test: the traditional paper version, and S-CBT on a computer. S-CBT goes up to Pre-1; Grade 1 seems to be taken only on paper plus an interview.

This is often misunderstood, but the content, difficulty and pass criteria are exactly the same; only the way you take it is different. The qualification has the same value either way. The biggest advantages of S-CBT seem to be “done in one day” and “you can choose the date.”

Suitman has taken Pre-1 both on paper and on S-CBT. Eiken covers a wide range of topics, so whether you get your strong or weak areas changes how it feels a lot. On the paper test, the environment matters a lot too: where you sit, who sits next to you, and whether you get your own desk or share a long table. Once, a student diagonally in front of me jiggled their leg nonstop through the whole test, right in my line of sight, and I couldn’t focus. Another time, at a long shared table, I always start with the vocabulary questions, but the student next to me probably started with writing. Every time they erased something, the table shook, side to side, wobble wobble… So the environment really matters. With listening, if you’re too close to the speaker it’s too loud, and if you’re too far it echoes and is hard to hear. And it’s always at those moments that your focus snaps and every little movement around you gets on your nerves, lol.

On S-CBT, by contrast, you use a computer, you hear the listening clearly through headphones, and for writing you can copy and paste, so if you’re used to typing, it’s a real advantage. My recommendation is S-CBT. It’s done in one day and much easier to take.

Why it’s said to be hard to get a high score

Pre-1 CSE scores (Eiken’s own score used to decide pass or fail) are adjusted for each test using a statistical method called IRT (item response theory).

What I found interesting was that how easily your score rises is very different for each skill. For writing, about 80% correct can push your CSE score close to 700, while for reading, even over 80% correct stays around 629. So if you want points, strengthening your writing is the more efficient route. The pass line is around CSE 600, and in terms of correct answers, the high 60s to about 70% seems to be the safe zone. But looking back at my five failures, I once failed even with 70% correct, so there’s no line where you can say “I got this, I passed!” You stay nervous until the results come out.

By the way, the Eiken Foundation reportedly hasn’t published official pass rates since fiscal year 2016. When you see people online saying it “got harder” or “got easier,” that’s based on how it felt to test takers, not on official data. I thought that was useful to know.

How often it’s held, how long it’s valid, and how it’s used

Finally, some basic information about the test itself.

How often it’s held

From fiscal year 2025, you can apply for the same grade up to three times within the same test period. That kind of flexibility is unique to S-CBT.

How long it’s valid

An Eiken pass itself never expires; once you pass, it’s valid for life. However, some schools and companies set their own rule, like “only scores from the last X years are accepted”, so it’s worth checking their requirements. Just saying “valid for life” felt a bit unhelpful, so I wanted to be clear about this.

How it’s used

For students: when should you take it?

For students planning to use it for university entrance, here’s a note on timing.

If you’re using it for entrance exams, the rough target is to get it by the second half of your second year to the first term of your third year of high school. The paper test is held 3 times a year, so you get 3 chances in your second year and one more in the first term of your third year, and adding S-CBT gives you even more.

One thing to watch out for: results take about a month. If you don’t plan backward from the application period with room to spare, you might not make it in time.

By the way, please look up for yourself which universities give advantages for Pre-1. Each university’s advantages and CSE score requirements change every year; even specialist prep schools rewrite their articles on this every year. If I gave old information here, it could mislead you in your application. I’ll just mention the three types of advantages, “① treated as a full score ② extra points ③ exemption from the English exam,” and ask you to check the latest application guidelines on the official website of the university you’re aiming for.

Summary

The test I took happened to be my first after the format changed, so I went back and sorted out the information. The “zero-point incident” around the summary question in particular is something you’ll really regret not knowing, so I hope this helps anyone taking it.

• Reading went from 41 to 31 questions, and Parts 2 and 3 have a fixed structure
• The summary (Part 4) must be 60–70 words. From fiscal year 2025, anything outside that range gets zero, no questions asked
• An introductory sentence was added to interview question No. 4
• S-CBT and paper differ only in how you take them; the value is the same
• Writing makes your score rise more easily
• The qualification itself is valid for life, but check the time limits of wherever you submit it
• For university entrance, aim for the second half of the second year to the first term of the third year of high school. Results take about a month, so plan backward

In my next post, I’ll write about what I actually did to pass Pre-1.