I took N2 last year and compared to the test questions online it was like, way easier? Like on the test I got a couple points off of a full score when on the practice tests I was getting like 75% correct. I know it’s graded based on like answer patterns but that still seems kinda off? All of the questions felt like super answerable too. This year I’m getting like 75% on N1 practice tests but I don’t know what to expect since they were so inaccurate to the N2.
Also when I did some of the grammar questions you can find on like jlptdrills with a Japanese friend of mine we both thought a lot of the questions sounded kinda… weird? Like the person who wrote them was purposefully trying to use grammar that they don’t themselves use. (Although she also understood a couple that I didn’t cause she’s like a native with 10 more years experience and I’m not very good at grammar questions) So maybe the writing of the actual JLPT is just better? I have no idea where exactly they get the practice ones from since I doubt they can use the like (probably) copyrighted ones found in the official books (although it’s gotta be the same source(s) because they repeat the same ones)
2 comments
I think it depends on the test they’re running that particular year. A few years back people were complaining about how hard the winter test was compared to the summer test.
I think one of the readings on the test I took was just 3 sentences that when on for like a quarter of the page.
I’d prepare for the worst and hope you get an easy one.
I think you’ll find it differing by year and how comfortable you are with the topics in the reading. I find the biggest challenge is to stay focussed for the duration and then not kill someone during the listening section after when you really don’t give a fuck where Tanaka san is going after this.