Knowledge and understanding of Japanese language and culture
What this domain asks of you
This strand tests explicit knowledge: grammar terminology and function, script and pronunciation systems, and cultural practices and values that shape how Japanese is used. Questions may ask you to identify a form, explain why a speaker chose it, or interpret a cultural behaviour.
Concepts you must command
- Verb groups and forms: 五段 (godan), 一段 (ichidan), irregular する／来る; the て form, た form, potential, passive, causative, causative-passive, conditional と／ば／たら／なら.
- Particles with distinct functions: は (topic) versus が (subject/new information), に (time, destination, agent in passives) versus で (location of action, means), を with movement verbs (公園を歩く).
- Transitivity pairs: 開く／開ける, 始まる／始める - the intransitive often describes a natural state.
- Keigo system: 尊敬語, 謙譲語, 丁寧語 and when each is required (customer service, business email, speaking about one's own family to an outsider).
- Culture: 内／外 (in-group/out-group) explains humble forms for one's own group; 本音／建前 (true feeling versus public stance); お中元・お歳暮 gift seasons; bowing depth and 名刺 exchange etiquette; 敬語 in アルバイト speech.
Traps
- Treating は and が as interchangeable - question words take が (だれが来ましたか).
- Applying humble forms to the other person - いらっしゃる is respectful, never used for yourself.
- Assuming culture questions want stereotypes - answers should explain language behaviour, not generalise about personality.
- Confusing 〜そうです (looks like) with 〜そうです (I heard) - the stem differs: おいしそうです versus おいしいそうです.
Worked example
A shop assistant says 「少々お待ちください」 and later, of a colleague, 「田中が伺います」. Explain the choice. お待ちください is 尊敬語 (respect toward the customer); 伺う is 謙譲語 lowering the colleague because the colleague belongs to the speaker's 内 group. Rule of thumb: raise the other side, lower your own side - that single principle explains most keigo questions.