JLPT N2 Textbooks
The N2 is the second highest level you can take for the JLPT. On this page you will find the JLPT N2 textbooks needed to pass the exam.
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About the JLPT N2
According to the official website, at this level you should have “The ability to understand Japanese used in everyday situations, and in a variety of circumstances to a certain degree“.
JLPT N2 Textbooks
Tettei Drill N2
This practice workbook was written for those taking the N2 level of the Japanese Language Placement Test (JLPT), but it can be used by any intermediate Japanese language student to improve their language skills. It is designed to provide the learner with practice in all test sections and to be a complete preparation guide for the JLPT.
What sets this book apart from other similar workbooks is its approach to drills and its aim to make the learner aware of basic patterns in the way the JLPT structures its exam questions. By training yourself to recognize question patterns, you will be more likely to understand the correct answer.
The book is divided into 4 chapters – Vocabulary, Listening Comprehension, Grammar and Reading Comprehension – based on the 4 areas of the JLPT. As you work through the examples and become used to the question types, you will build confidence to perform your best on test day.
Shin Kanzen Master N2
This is easily the most comprehensive N2 preparation book series currently available.
Japanese language students who want to pass the JLPT N2 exam should look at these five books of the New Kanzen Master series. These Japanese language manuals are only available in Japanese.
The complete book set contains:
- New Kanzen Master JLPT N2: Grammar
- New Kanzen Master JLPT N2: Kanji (w/CD)
- New Kanzen Master JLPT N2: Listening (w/CD)
- New Kanzen Master JLPT N2: Vocabulary
- New Kanzen Master JLPT N2: Reading Comprehension
Shin Kanzen Master N2: Grammar
Contains:
- Mondai Shokai – An introduction to the type of questions you will find in this book and advise on how to approach them.
- Jitsuryoku Yoseihen – Similar grammar structures paired together, explained in Japanese and with typically 3 example sentences. Once you learned the grammar structures of a lesson, there are plenty of practice questions to help you better understand and remember them.
- Jitsuryoku Yoseihen Part 2 - This chapter reviews sentence building rules that are easy to forgot or get wrong. An example are grammar structures that always need a negation.
- Jitsuryoku Yoseihen Part 3 - This chapter focuses on grammar in texts. In everyday life, we often need more than one sentence at a time when we speak or read something. Connecting sentences without it sounding stupid can be hard, which is why this book features a whole section on this topic.
- Mogi Shiken – A mock test covering everything you learned in this book. The questions use the same format as the real JLPT N2.
Shin Kanzen Master N2: Kanji
Contains:
- The book features 53 lessons and is set up to be finished in 53 days. Each lesson should take you about 15-30 minutes to complete.
- Before you start a lesson, it is advised to check the kanji list for the kanji that you have to know for each lesson. If there are any kanji you do not know yet, learn them. This step can be skipped if you are confident in your kanji skills.
- Each lesson features both writing and reading practice. Lessons typically start with the writing practice.
Shin Kanzen Master N2: Listening
Contains:
- Mondai Shokai: This segment introduces the different kinds of listening comprehension questions in this book and in the JLPT.
- Jitsuryoku Yoseihen: This part challenges you to do the actual practice questions. There are 6 types of questions in this book, just like in the JLPT: Instant response, task comprehension, point comprehension, general comprehension, and integrated comprehension.
- Mogi Shiken: Test your progress with a mock test. Are you ready for the N2?
Shin Kanzen Master N2: Vocabulary
Contains:
- The book is aimed at those planning to take the N2 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), though it is an excellent tool for any learner to improve their Japanese vocabulary.
- The book is divided into the following two parts:
- Jitsuryoku Yoseihen – An introduction of new vocabulary
- Mogi Shiken – A mock test that enables the learner to identify their strengths and weaknesses
- This book strengthens not only the learner’s vocabulary, but also their overall ability at the intermediate level.
Shin Kanzen Master N2: Reading
Contains:
- Reviews, Explanations and Essays: This section covers these 3 as well as similar types of texts. This section is further split into two parts. The first one covers how to understand sentence structure, while the second one is about learning to find the right answer to questions.
- Advertisments, Notices and Instructions: While you read these 3 kinds of texts, you will learn two things: How to grasp the general topic of a text, as well as how to search for specific information in a text.
- Practice Questions: This 3rd section is all about practice. Read texts and answer questions about them.
- Mock test: Test if your effort paid off & if you are ready for the N2.
A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar
A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar by The Japan Times is the third and final installment in what many consider to be the most comprehensive resource for Japanese grammar available. It contains in-depth explanations in English and Japanese of approximately 230 grammatical concepts that make up the foundation of the Japanese language.
Organized alphabetically from aetu to zu tomo, each grammar point is broken down step by step and includes abundant examples to illustrate context and usage.
The English Index enables students to look up the book’s main entries using English. The Japanese Index is comprehensive; it includes all the main entries and related expressions that appear in all three installments.
Whether studying a textbook, taking a Japanese class or reading your favorite manga, A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar is the ideal companion, covering virtually all essential grammar concepts you are likely to encounter.
More JLPT Information
There are five levels in the JLPT. They are N1, N2, N3, N4, and N5. N5 is the easiest, while N1 is the most difficult.
The JLPT is only an approximate measure of your understanding of the Japanese language. You are tested in terms of Reading and Listening. Speaking and Writing is NOT part of the exam.
N4 and N5 tries to measure your language skills for basic communication, mainly learnt in the classroom from a teacher.
N1 and N2 try to measure your skills in a range of realistic situations found in everyday life.
N3 is the bridge between N4/5 and N1/2.
You can find out more information about the JLPT from the Official JLPT Website.