The countdown is on – you have about 1 month left until the JLPT December 2023.
The test will take place on December 3rd.
It is time to knuckle down and make your final, last-ditch effort to pass the test.
Here is Toranomon Language School’s JLPT countdown checklist – everything you need to have prepared before the exam for the beginner N5 and N4 levels.
If you are looking for an in-depth guide to passing the JLPT, here is our ultimate guide to the N5.
Time yourself
Have you completed any practice tests using a timer?
You need to plan how much time to give to each section and each question, and be able to work at this speed during a test situation. You don’t want to linger too long over the reading, then miss out on points you may have gotten easily in another section, for example. Think about strategies like if you go over X minutes on a question, skip to the next and come back to it at the end.
The exam is multiple choice, so if you find yourself with just a couple of minutes left, colour in all the answers anyway as statistically you should score a couple of points this way. DO NOT leave them blank, as this is worse than guessing the answer, as you would then have 0% chance of getting a point.
The JLPT N5
There are 3 sections: vocabulary, grammar & reading, listening.
For vocabulary, you get 25 minutes. This is quick. You’ll be tested on kanji readings, expressions, spelling and paraphrasing.
We recommend whizzing through this, spending only 30 seconds or so on each question. If you don’t know it immediately, skip it. After you’ve answered the ones you do know, go back to the others. Make sure that you are familiar with all the kanji required, both the meaning and readings. These are the kanji required for N5.
For grammar & reading, you get 50 minutes.
With reading, the answers are found in the text. Read the questions first so that you can skim read the text and know what to look for.
The grammar section is where you will be scratching your head, second guessing yourself constantly. (a) sounds right but so does (b), panic! Do what you can then move onto the reading, and go back to the ones stumping you at the end, so you don’t waste time thinking too hard on these.
The JLPT N4
There are 3 sections just like in the N5: vocabulary, grammar & reading, listening. The pace of the N4 needs to be a bit faster, as the questions are harder and you will need to wrack your brains a bit more.
For vocabulary, you get 30 minutes. This is quick. You’ll be tested on kanji readings, expressions, spelling and paraphrasing.
We recommend whizzing through this, spending only 30 seconds or so on each question. If you don’t know it immediately, skip it. After you’ve answered the ones you do know, go back to the others.
For grammar & reading, you get 60 minutes.
With reading, the answers are found in the text. Read the questions first so that you can skim read the text and know what to look for. There is some information included that is unnecessary for the answers and is there to waste your time, so be savvy.
The grammar section is where you will be scratching your head, second guessing yourself constantly. (a) sounds right but so does (b), panic! Do what you can then move onto the reading, and go back to the ones stumping you at the end, so you don’t waste time thinking too hard on these.
With these strategies in mind, make sure you take several practice tests before the big day and ensure you can finish ALL sections within the time limits.
Your strategy
What is your strategy for the exam? You must think about things like:
1) What to do if time is running out and you have heaps of questions left
2) What stumps you the most (eg particles) and how will you manage your learning to get an idea of how the JLPT tends to approach your struggle points
3) Some questions are worth more than others. How should you approach them based on points?
If you need help making a strategy, our teachers at TLS are happy to help their students with a personalized test strategy.
Test taking stamina – sit full tests
Practising the sample tests is not just about ensuring you keep within the time limit. You also need to practice maintaining your concentration for long periods in a foreign language. It might be easy to spend 20 minutes doing some practice questions, but how about for two hours straight in exam conditions.
You need to ensure that your time is fast, that you appropriately skim the text in the reading section based on the questions, that you are able to maintain the information from the listening enough to answer the questions and that you can do everything under pressure. Do NOT allow yourself to peek at your notes during the practice exams, you must practice in test conditions.
Practice listening for comprehension, speed and retention
The listening can be TOUGH. If you miss just one thing, you might be desperately trying to figure out what they said, while the track keeps playing and you’ve just missed the entire next part in the meantime. Big mistake. You cannot dwell on bits you miss or you will just miss even more.
You need to practice staying focused. It’s so easy to tune out other languages, but even a 10 second daydream could have you missing something crucial. Believe me.
Listen to sample listening sections online in order to get an idea of how the listening is usually paced, how fast it goes, how much info is given before you need to answer a question.
For N5 and N4, the speed is fairly clear, it is a little slower than native speed, but still challenging, especially for things like verb conjugations (having to work out what the root verb is immediately, without spending time thinking about it), and long vowels.
Your supplies
Have you prepared your test supplies?
You will need:
- Personal ID (eg residence card)
- The JLPT test voucher (it comes in the mail)
- Multiple pencils (2B or darker)
- Pencil sharpener (if not mechanical)
- Pencil lead (if mechanical)
- An eraser
- A wristwatch (to see how much time is left)
- Snacks and water (to be kept in your bag)
Follow all of these pointers and you should be ready and confident for the exam in December, good luck!
Start studying Japanese with TLS and pass the JLPT exam!
Want to pass the JLPT exam? TLS has JLPT prep classes in Minato-ku, or online, lead by experienced instructors who have helped past students pass the test.