How the JLPT Works — Question Type Guide

A sentence with one word underlined. That word is written in kanji. Your job is to pick the correct furigana reading from four options. The wrong options are plausible mis-readings — similar sounds or different on/kun readings of the same characters. Read the sentence for context; sometimes it helps narrow down the meaning even if you're unsure of the reading.

The reverse of 問題１. An underlined word is written in hiragana — you pick the correct kanji spelling from four options. The wrong options use characters that look similar or share the same reading but have a different meaning. This question type only appears at N5 and N4; from N3 upwards it is replaced by additional vocabulary questions.

A sentence with a gap — （　） — and four vocabulary words to choose from. Only one fits the meaning of the sentence. The trap options are often words that sound related or appear in the same topic area, so you need to think about the meaning of the whole sentence, not just the gap in isolation.

A sentence with one word or phrase underlined. You choose the option that is closest in meaning to the underlined part — either a single synonym or a paraphrased sentence. This tests whether you genuinely understand the word, not just recognise it. The wrong options are often words or phrases that seem related but shift the meaning in a specific way.

A sentence with a gap, where you select the word that fits correctly — similar to 問題３, but at higher levels the options are often grammatically interchangeable and the difference is purely about which word collocates naturally with the surrounding sentence. Knowing which words tend to appear together in Japanese is the key skill here.

A sentence with a gap. You choose the correct grammar form, particle, or conjugation. At lower levels this is often a particle (で、に、を) or a simple verb ending. At higher levels the options are closely related grammar patterns where the nuance between them is the real test — for example choosing between ために and ように, or between たら and なら.

This is the most distinctive JLPT question type. You're given an incomplete sentence with four blank slots. Four word or phrase chunks fill those slots — but you're only asked which chunk belongs in the slot marked ★. To find it, you need to mentally assemble the whole sentence in the correct order, then identify what lands on the star. Read all four chunks first, build the sentence, and work out the ★ position from there.

A short passage (usually 5–8 sentences) with five numbered gaps. Each gap has four options. Unlike 問題１ where each sentence stands alone, here the gaps are connected — the tense, topic, and flow of the whole passage constrain what fits in each slot. Read the whole passage first before answering, and check that your choices are consistent with each other.

A passage followed by two or three comprehension questions. The questions ask about facts stated in the text, the writer's intention, or what a passage implies. The key trap is choosing an option that sounds reasonable but contradicts or goes beyond what the text actually says. Stick to what the passage tells you — don't add outside knowledge.

A practical document — a notice, timetable, email, flyer, or sign — followed by two questions. The questions ask you to extract specific information: a date, a price, a condition, a rule. You don't need to read the whole document in depth; scan for the relevant section. The wrong options often use numbers or words that appear in the document but in a different context.