The Last Month Before the JLPT: A Four-Week Plan
In the last month before the JLPT, stop adding new material and switch to exam practice. Take at least two full timed mock tests, review every mistake, revise the vocabulary and grammar you already half-know, and do a little listening every day. In the final week, sleep well, check your test voucher and venue, and do short, light reviews rather than late-night cramming. A month is not enough to jump a level, but it is enough to turn what you know into points.
A four-week plan
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 4 (a month out) | Take a full timed mock test. Mark it by section and list your three weakest question types. |
| Week 3 | Work on those weak types. Revise grammar and vocabulary you got wrong. Daily listening, 20–30 minutes. |
| Week 2 | Second full mock test, strictly timed. Practise your time plan for the reading section. |
| Final week | Light review of your mistake notes, a few listening questions a day, early nights, logistics. |
For where to find mock papers and how to use them, see JLPT practice tests.
Where the quick points are
- Time management in reading. Many candidates know enough to answer but run out of time. Decide in advance how many minutes each question type gets, and move on when time is up. See JLPT reading tips.
- Listening every day. Listening improves with regular exposure more than with long sessions. Short daily practice in the last month pays off. See JLPT listening tips.
- Grammar you confuse. Make a short list of look-alike patterns you keep mixing up and review it daily. See JLPT grammar tips.
- Never leave an answer blank. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so always choose something.
- Sectional minimums. You need a minimum score in each section as well as the overall pass mark, so don’t abandon your weakest section. See JLPT results and certificates.
What not to do
- Start a new textbook or app. Stick with what you have and get more out of it.
- Learn hundreds of new kanji. Revise the ones you’ve seen and the readings you keep missing instead.
- Cram the night before. Sleep matters more on test day than one more hour of vocabulary.
- Panic after a bad mock. Use it to decide what to review, not as a prediction.
The final week checklist
- Print or find your test voucher and check the venue, start time and travel route.
- Check what your test centre asks you to bring, such as pencils, an eraser, a watch (not a smartwatch) and ID.
- Do one listening section at the same time of day as your exam.
- Plan a light breakfast and something to eat between sections.
For the day itself, see JLPT test day tips.
Useful words on the day
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 受験票 | jukenhyō | Test voucher |
| 解答用紙 | kaitō yōshi | Answer sheet |
| 始めてください。 | hajimete kudasai. | Please begin. |
| やめてください。 | yamete kudasai. | Please stop (writing). |
How Hanabuddies can help
A month is a good time for a few focused lessons. Our native tutors teach one-to-one online and can go through your mock test results with you, explain the questions you got wrong, drill the question types that cost you the most points and help you build a time plan for the reading section. For longer-term preparation, see JLPT tutoring.