JLPT 2 - recommended texts/resources?

[NickT]

I just took JLPT3 last weekend, and I have spent the last week contemplating the long road ahead to JLPT level 2.

I know a few people on this forum are at or approaching JLPT level 2 (or beyond in some cases), and I wondered if anyone had any good tips or strategies on getting from level 3 to 2 in as short a time as possible?

The two areas that worry me the most are Kanji and grammar. I have decided to purchase the "Kanji in Context" series mentioned in another thread, and assuming it lives up to expectations, I think a good few years of hard study should have that in the bag.

So that leaves grammar. I don't plan to systematically attack it in the same way as kanji, but what I could really use is a comprehensive reference to guide me in my studies, that contains all the grammar points for level 2, with decent explanations and example sentences. Can anyone make any recommendations?

[annie]

the 完全マスター (Kanzen Master) series is great.

The grammar book (isbn: 4883190889) covers every grammar point you need to know. (though all of the explanations are in Japanese, which can be a bit intimidating.) But, I felt really well-prepared for the grammar after using their book.

They have a kanji one as well, but I only made it about 2/3 of the way through that. And they just published a book on reading as well, but I was unable to get a hold of it.

I also have the Intermediate Kanji Book (isbn: 4893583565), though, I think I liked the formatting for their Basic Kanji books better. But, it's a good resource. It focuses a lot on opposites and synonyms, and which of these kanji don't belong, etc.

Good Luck!

[Bueller_007]

As Annie said, if you want to systematically attack grammar, JLPT study guides are a good way.

I used the UNICOM series, and I thought it was quite good.

[NickT]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I heard good things about the kanzen master 3kyuu book, but I have been told that the 2kyuu books is quite hard going - lots of hard kanji and vocab in the example sentences and explanations. Do you think this is a good book for someone fresh out of 3kyuu, as opposed to someone studying for 2kyuu in the near future? (ie roughly at 2kyuu level already?)

Another criticism i heard was that it was not in any kind of order or grouping - so it was hard to find what you wanted if using it as a reference.

Does the Unicom book have similar issues?

[Bueller_007]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I heard good things about the kanzen master 3kyuu book, but I have been told that the 2kyuu books is quite hard going - lots of hard kanji and vocab in the example sentences and explanations. Do you think this is a good book for someone fresh out of 3kyuu, as opposed to someone studying for 2kyuu in the near future? (ie roughly at 2kyuu level already?)

Another criticism i heard was that it was not in any kind of order or grouping - so it was hard to find what you wanted if using it as a reference.

Does the Unicom book have similar issues?

The Unicom book is arranged in a-i-u-e-o order, so it's easy to find things as a reference. If you're fresh out of sankyu, you might have a difficult time with some of the kanji and vocab used in the book, but grammar-wise they don't expect you to know any more than sankyu when you start.

[annie]

Another criticism i heard was that it was not in any kind of order or grouping - so it was hard to find what you wanted if using it as a reference

There's an index at the back of the kanzen master grammar book for all of the grammar points. My biggest problem with the book is that it's beyond boring.

I have the 1・2kyu combined grammar book and it might be a bitter easier. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be as in depth, though it has little stories which are nice. I feel like the kanzen master will prepare you better for the exam.

Transitioning from 3kyu to 2kyu, I'd suggest picking up a copy of Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese (by Miura, maybe). It's an excellent intermediate text and will give you a good foundation in grammar, kanji, and vocab that are found on the 2kyu exam. But, it's not too early to start on the JLPT guides... it was so dull, it took me 6 months to make it through the grammar one.

[Bucko]

I'm at the same stage as you - just did level 3 and am on my way to level 2. This is how I'm going about preparing:
- reading as much manga as I can. At the moment I'm reading Death Note. I understand about 40% of it so I downloaded the English versions off the internet for when I have no idea. In the last 3 weeks alone my reading speed has skyrocketed.
- using the Unicom listening practice CD. I'm studying about three questions a week from it, which gives me a good chance to fully retain the vocab, and look up and unknown grammar points. It's broken up into sections too, like graphs, faces, calendars, directions etc.
- watching Japanese TV shows, anime, and news for more natural listening practice
- Using a textbook called 中級へ行こう for learning grammar and practicing reading. I have my Japanese teacher explain this all to me
- Making vocab lists of mostly random words, including people and place names. Doing the same with kanji

My weakest areas are vocab and listening so I'm going to drill them into my head all year.

[tiroth2]

Bucko,

I think you are well on your way to 2級. If you work hard using those resources you should have no problems.

[NickT]

Bucko,

Your approach sounds pretty similar to mine. I also have 中級へ行こう and the unicom listening practice. Out of interest, what are you doing for Kanji?

Incidentally, another grammar book I have heard good things about is どんな時どう使う 日本語表現文型500 (search for it on amazon.co.jp). Does anyone have any experience with this book, good or bad? I like that fact that it has all the grammar for 1級 and 2級, grouped together by similar meanings but also clearly identifying what is 1級 and what is 2級.

[Bucko]

Your approach sounds pretty similar to mine. I also have 中級へ行こう and the unicom listening practice. Out of interest, what are you doing for Kanji?

Incidentally, another grammar book I have heard good things about is どんな時どう使う 日本語表現文型500 (search for it on amazon.co.jp). Does anyone have any experience with this book, good or bad? I like that fact that it has all the grammar for 1級 and 2級, grouped together by similar meanings but also clearly identifying what is 1級 and what is 2級.

So how are you finding 中級へ行こう? I'm only up to the second chapter, but I like the articles and stories they have at the beginning. Although I wish the CD contained more listening questions, because once you read the text you'll already know the answers. I guess we could try doing the listening questions before reading the text, but then there's all that unknown grammar and vocab. Unicom is pretty good though, hey. Especially with their explanations and keywords down the bottom.

For kanji and vocab, this is my approach: I have a list of the required vocab and kanji for 2級 on my computer. Because I'm terrible at remembering directly from lists I learn the vocab and kanji passively - i.e. I wait til they come to me before learning them. So while I'm reading a comic book, or the text, or any situation that requires me to learn new words (last week while organising my trip to Wakayama I realised that I didn't know the words for 'return trip', 'one way', 'reserved seat') I'll write down the words that I don't know, then later check to see if they're on the 2級 test, and I'll also check if their kanji is on 2級. After a few weeks of noting down unknown words and kanji that are on 2級 I'll make a big list (usually about 100 words, 100 kanji) and revise from that.

For remembering kanji meanings I'm using 'Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters' by Kenneth G. Henshall. I find that if I make a little mneumonic from the radicals I can usually remember the English meaning. Remembering the onyomi and kunyomi is just a matter of rote memorisation.

[tiroth2]

I'm a big fan of Henshall. I typed reduced versions of his explanations into Supermemo for his entire book.

[NickT]

I have no idea what supermemo is, but I also have Henshall's book and I have found it very useful. A lot of his mnemonics are a bit crap, but because he breaks down the radicals and gives a bit about the etymology of the characters, it is normally quite easy to come up with your own more memorable ones.

I don't bother memorizing the on and kunyomi though, I find that it is much more useful to focus on remembering compounds words that use that kanji and preferably another kanji I also know.

kanji.koohii.com　can also be useful if you are really stuck for a mnemonic, but I wouldn't rely on it too much.