by ·Comments Off on JLPT Scoring
One of the most important things you need to understand in order the pass the exam is how JLPT scoring works. Without this understanding, how can you devise a good test taking strategy or study plan? For those like me who read the official test website and still couldn't figure it out, I'll explain what a passing score is below and give you some tips on where to spend your time.

Minimum Passing Score

Test questions at all levels can be broken into 4 major focus areas: vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. (Check out my post about the different question types for more information.) These focus areas are grouped into sections for scoring. The following table shows how the focus areas are grouped per JLPT level.
Level Points Per Section Total Possible Score Passing Score
Vocabulary Grammar Reading Listening
N1 60 60 60 180 100
N2 60 60 60 180 90
N3 60 60 60 180 95
N4 120 60 180 90
N5 120 60 180 80
In…
Read More...

by ·Comments Off on JLPT Format
Read the official website and still don't understand the JLPT format? I'll give an easily understood description of each JLPT section. The test consist of 4 major focus areas: vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. Each area is further segmented into by question type. After reading the official page most people are still left with a "Huh? So what kind of questions can I expect?" I'll give an easy to understand explanation below. Of course you should also see (and use for practice) the sample questions provided on the official website. The N3-N5 levels have 3 timed sections: vocabulary, grammar + reading, and listening. The N1-N2 levels consist of 2 timed sections: vocabulary + grammar + reading and listening. This provides more flexibility in how you use you time during the N1-N2, but means that you need to manage your time well.

JLPT Format

JLPT Format

Vocabulary

There are usually a handful of questions for each type listed below.
  • Kanji Reading: Choose the reading for the underlined kanji.
  • Orthography: (N2-N5 only) Choose the kanji for the underlined word written in hiragana.
  • Word Formation: (N2 only) Fill in the blank where the blank…

Read More...

by ·Comments Off on Top 5 JLPT Tools (I Used All Of Them)
Here are my top 5 JLPT study tools. Yes, I used all of them when I was studying for the JLPT. I still use some of them today because they are great resources. Get the full 8 page pdf writeup by Subscribing.

0 - Knowledge Of The Test

http://www.jlpt.jp/e/ No, this is not one of the top study tools. It is a precursor, a prerequisite before you start studying for the exam. You need to know about the exam format, what type of questions will appear, and a how it will be scored (although there is no information on the current test format, I believe that old test format provides a general idea of the scoring). If you were learning to play baseball, before I tell you the best bat to buy and drills to do you need to know the rules of the game.

1 - Anki (Flashcard Software)

https://apps.ankiweb.net/ Do you remember when you were in grade school and had to study for a test? I bet you used flashcards to help you remember various random facts such as the meaning of words or your multiplication tables. At least I did. I would…
Read More...

by ·Comments Off on Free JLPT N1 Flashcards
This is the set of JLPT N1 flashcards I used to pass the test back in 2012. The underlying material for the exam hasn't changed much since then, so these flashcards should still be useful for anyone studying now. I am offering these cards to you free for personal use. Please do not redistribute or sell them. Note: This is the deck I used as is. I offer no guarantee that the cards are correct. But, they worked for me because I passed

Download JLPT N1 Flashcards

N1 Vocabulary (1671 cards) N1 Kanji (1146 cards) N1 Grammar (278 cards) The Vocabulary may contain some words that also appear in the N2. I included these in my study because language is cumulative; just because the N1 targets certain difficult words doesn't mean that simpler N2-N5 words won't appear in the sentences. I'll give an extreme example. 白いワンピースを着た＿＿＿感じの女性が私と友人です。 (a)清楚な (b)不潔な (c)ご機嫌な (d)起こっている The correct answer here would be (a)清楚せいそな(neat and clean). If you forgot the meaning of 着る(to wear), you might end up choosing one of the wrong answers. Maybe you thought 着る = to throw away. Then you might mistakenly choose (b) or (d), although neither fit…
Read More...