Japanese Study: JLPT N2 Workflow 2026

Daily Cycle (90 minutes)
  ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
  │  Vocabulary(25min) → Grammar(25min) → Listening/Reading(40min)  │
  └─────────┬───────────────────────┘
            │
Weekly Cycle (Saturday, 3 hours)
  ┌─────────┴───────────────────────┐
  │  Mock test → Scoring → Error analysis → Weakness identification  │
  └─────────┬───────────────────────┘
            │
Monthly Cycle (Last day of month)
  ┌─────────┴───────────────────────┐
  │  Score trend analysis → Strategy revision → Next month plan  │
  └─────────────────────────────────┘

[Execution Order]
1. Open Anki app → Process review cards first (10 min)
2. Study 15 new cards (10 min)
3. Tag incorrect cards → Add to error notebook (5 min)

Stage 1: Pattern Understanding (5 min)
   Grasp the meaning and conjugation rules from the textbook
   Ex: ~mono nara → Verb potential form + mono nara = "If one could ~, one would want to ~"

Stage 2: Read 5 Example Sentences Aloud (10 min)
   Read aloud to make them natural
   Ex1: Dekiru mono nara, yarinaoshitai.
   Ex2: Modoreru mono nara, gakusei jidai ni modoritai.
   Ex3: Yurusareru mono nara, ichinichijuu nete itai.

Stage 3: Write 2 Sentences (10 min)
   Create sentences about your own situation
   My sentence: Jikan ga aru mono nara, mainichi nihongo wo 5-jikan benkyou shitai.

[Top 30 by Exam Frequency - Study First]
~ni taishite, ~ni tsuite, ~to shite, ~ni oite,
~ni totte, ~ni kakete, ~ni kurabete, ~ni kanshite,
~bakari ka, ~dake de naku, ~nomi narazu,
~wake ga nai, ~hazu ga nai, ~wake ni wa ikanai,
~koto ni natte iru, ~you ni naru, ~koto ni suru,
~ppoi, ~gachi, ~gimi,
~shidai, ~ta totan, ~ka to omottara,
~uchi ni, ~saichuu ni, ~sai ni,
~wo chuushin ni, ~wo moto ni, ~ni motozuite,
~muki, ~muke, ~wari (ni)

[Order]
1. Short reading 2 questions (10 min) - Focus on accuracy
2. Medium reading 1 question (15 min) - Structure analysis practice
3. Error analysis (10 min) - Note why you got it wrong in your native language
4. Register unknown expressions in Anki (5 min)

Structure A: Contrast type
  Generally people think ~, but (shikashi/tokoro ga) actually ~.
  → The author's argument comes after the conjunction

Structure B: Example enumeration type
  Argument → Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 → Argument restated
  → The first and last sentences are key

Structure C: Cause-effect type
  Situation description → sono tame / shitagatte → Conclusion
  → Underline cause-effect conjunctions

Structure D: Question-answer type
  Why is ~ (naze darou ka) → Explanation → Conclusion
  → The answer comes right after the question

[Order]
1. Shadowing (15 min)
   - Follow along with the audio without a script
   - Mark sections you couldn't follow

2. Dictation (15 min)
   - Repeat a 30-second segment 3 times and transcribe fully
   - Check parts you couldn't hear

3. Listening questions (10 min)
   - Solve 2-3 questions and check explanations

09:00-10:45  Language Knowledge & Reading (105 min)
   - Start at the same time as the real test
   - Absolutely no phone checking during the test
   - Solve everything even if time runs out

10:45-11:00  Break 15 min

11:00-11:50  Listening (50 min)
   - Use speakers, not earphones (simulate test venue environment)

11:50-13:00  Scoring + Error Analysis (70 min)

## Week 12 Mock Test Error Analysis

### Grammar #23 - ~zu ni wa irarenai

- My answer: 2 (~nai de wa okanai)
- Correct answer: 3 (~zu ni wa irarenai)
- Reason for error: Didn't know the subject constraints of both expressions
  - ~zu ni wa irarenai: Subject must be a person (emotion/impulse)
  - ~nai de wa okanai: Subject can also be a thing (causes a result)
- Review sentence: Kare no hanashi wo kiite, warawazu ni wa irarenakatta.

### Reading #45 - Long passage, 3 paragraphs

- My answer: 1
- Correct answer: 4
- Reason for error: Mistook the example in paragraph 2 for the author's argument
  - Content after "tatoeba" is an example, not an argument
  - The actual argument comes after "tsumari" in the last paragraph
- Lesson: Need to reconfirm the role of conjunctions

# weekly_tracker.py
import csv
from datetime import datetime

SCORE_FILE = "n2_weekly_scores.csv"

def add_weekly_score(week, vg_score, rd_score, ls_score, notes=""):
    """Record weekly mock test scores."""
    total = vg_score + rd_score + ls_score
    passed = total >= 90 and all(s >= 19 for s in [vg_score, rd_score, ls_score])

    row = {
        "date": datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d"),
        "week": week,
        "vocab_grammar": vg_score,
        "reading": rd_score,
        "listening": ls_score,
        "total": total,
        "pass": "Y" if passed else "N",
        "notes": notes
    }

    with open(SCORE_FILE, "a", newline="") as f:
        writer = csv.DictWriter(f, fieldnames=row.keys())
        if f.tell() == 0:
            writer.writeheader()
        writer.writerow(row)

    print(f"Week {week}: VG={vg_score} RD={rd_score} LS={ls_score} "
          f"Total={total}/180 {'PASS' if passed else 'FAIL'}")

# Usage example
add_weekly_score(12, vg_score=32, rd_score=25, ls_score=18,
                 notes="Listening below cutoff. Need to focus on immediate response type")

1. Score trend check
   - Are mock test scores trending upward over 4 weeks?
   - Is a specific section consistently below the cutoff?

2. Time investment analysis
   - Did you actually maintain the daily 90 minutes?
   - If more than 2 days missed per week, redesign the routine

3. Weakness area reassessment
   - Identify top 3 error causes
   - Decide focus areas for next month

4. Textbook/tool review
   - Is the current textbook appropriate for your level?
   - If Anki accuracy exceeds 90% → Add more difficult content
   - If accuracy is under 60% → Cards are too difficult or there are too many

[Vocabulary/Grammar]
- JLPT Official Sample Questions: https://www.jlpt.jp/samples/n2/index.html
- JTest4You N2 Grammar Questions: https://japanesetest4you.com/jlpt-n2-grammar-list/

[Listening]
- NHK NEWS WEB EASY: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/
- NHK Radio News: https://www.nhk.or.jp/radionews/

[Reading]
- Aozora Bunko (Modern Japanese literature, free): https://www.aozora.gr.jp/
- NHK News (General news): https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/

D-14: Last full mock test. Check scores.
D-13~D-8: Review entire error notebook. Stop learning new content.
D-7: Full review of top 30 grammar patterns (by exam frequency).
D-6: Reconfirm reading strategies by type. Final time allocation practice.
D-5: Solve 2 questions per listening question type.
D-4: Review only weak kanji/vocabulary cards.
D-3: Light review. Begin managing physical condition.
D-2: Confirm test venue location. Prepare materials.
D-1: Complete rest. Go to bed early.
D-day: After breakfast, spend only 30 minutes lightly scanning notes.