JLPT Listening Strategies

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Depending on the JLPT level, you will encounter 4-5 types of questions in the listening section. Having an effective strategy to tackle each question type beforehand will give you a better chance of answering more questions correctly. I make no guarantee that these JLPT listening strategies will actually raise your score, but they worked for me.

Before I get into detailed strategies for each question type, I want to say that many people associate the listening section with listening only. But I have found taking notes and crossing off wrong answers to be very helpful. Many questions have nothing written in the test booklet…you only get a blank “γƒŽγƒΌγƒˆ” space. Mines looks like chicken scratch when the section is done. In trying my best to catch every detail in the conversation, I often forget what was said in the very beginning. Also, I like to write “1 2 3 4” for each question to represent the choices. As the answers are spoken during the test, I cross off obviously wrong ones. This helps me when I need to guess. I don’t have to try remembering if choice 1 or 2 was wrong because I can clearly see it on the page.

OK, now let’s get into some of the strategies I used for each question type.

1. Task Based Comprehension

Question flow

  1. A situation is described
  2. The question is asked
  3. You listen to a conversation
  4. The question is asked again
  5. You are given only a moment to choose from the answers written in the test booklet

Key strategies

The key to this type of question is taking advantage of the fact that the question is asked upfront. Knowing the question before you hear the conversation lets you hone in on the most important part of the conversation without getting distracted with useless details.

I like to take a small note about the question before the conversation starts. Usually, I’ll just jot it down in English or romaji (if I couldn’t understand the question) because writing in Japanese takes too long and too much brain power. I make it a point to write the question right next to the answers in the test booklet. This makes it easy to see both the question and the potential answers together.

My play by play

The following steps correspond the steps in the “Question flow” section above.

  1. Usually the situation description isn’t terribly useful, so I take this time to scan the answers. Even though I don’t yet know the question, this helps me a lot. For example, I’m pretty bad at reading long katakana words. So I might take this time to read and sound out any that are in the potential answers.
  2. I jot down the question.
  3. This is where I do most of my work. Since you don’t get time at the end to read the answer choices, I multi task as the conversation is going, crossing off choices that are obviously wrong. The questions are meant to be tricky and provide answers that seem correct because they appeared in the conversation. Knowing the question ahead of time allows me to cross these off.
  4. I circle the correct answer and guess if unsure.
  5. I bubble in the answer sheet.

2. Comprehension Of Key Points

Question flow

  1. A situation is described
  2. The question is asked
  3. You listen to a conversation
  4. The question is asked again
  5. You choose from the answers written on the page

This is very similar to 1. Task Based Comprehension, but these questions usually ask about a small detail in the conversation. Something more nuanced to see if you actually grasp the meaning of the conversation.

Key strategies

See the above 1. Task Based Comprehension.

My play by play

See the above 1. Task Based Comprehension.

3. Comprehension Of General Outline

(N1-N3 Only)

Question flow

  1. A situation is described
  2. You listen to a long conversation or monologue
  3. The question is asked
  4. You choose from the answers that are spoken

As the name suggests, this question type asks about the general idea/meaning of a rather long monologue. I personally find this to be the most challenging question type and have not completely mastered it.

Key strategies

The key to this question type is remembering that the question will be about the general idea or meaning. Unlike the previous two question types, you don’t have the luxury of hearing the question before hand. So, it is easy to get sidetracked by irrelevant details and forget the big picture.

My play by play

Before the question starts I write “1 2 3 4” on the test sheet. These represent the answer choices. I will use these later.

  1. Listen and jot down a word or two to describe what is coming. Throughout the coming monologue I will look at the one or two words I wrote. This really helps me to focus on the big picture.
  2. I do not take notes during the extended monologue. The reason is because notes tend to push me down into the little details, but the question is supposed to ask about the big picture. Instead, I try to visualize the scene in my head as the monologue progresses. What is this person talking about? What Do they have a positive or negative opinion? What is a single sentence summary of the scene?
  3. I am fully focused on listening
  4. As each choice is spoken, I cross off ones that I know are wrong. After the last choice is spoken, I quickly guess if I must and bubble in the answer sheet.

4. Verbal Expressions

(N3-N5 Only)

Question flow

  1. A picture is given on the test sheet. An arrow is pointing to one person in the picture.
  2. The situation is described
  3. 3 choices are spoken. Choose the one that the person being pointed to should say

Key strategies

The picture is there to help you. Even if you haven’t fully understood the situation, you can guess or get a good feel from just looking at the picture.

Like with other questions, I like to physically cross off wrong answers using the test sheet.

My play by play

Before the question starts I write “1 2 3” on the test sheet. These represent the answer choices.

  2. I look at the picture and imagine what I would say if I were the person with the arrow.
  3. As each choice is spoken, I cross off ones that I know are wrong. After the last choice is spoken, I quickly guess if I must and bubble in the answer sheet.

5. Quick Response

Question flow

  1. A cue is spoken.
  2. 3 possible responses are given. Pick the most appropriate one.

These questions come at you rapid fire. It can be disorienting if you are thinking about the current question and the next one starts before you have bubbled in your answer.

Key strategies

I think the most important thing is to keep calm and push forward. Even if you aren’t sure of the answer, bubble something and get ready for the next question. The only thing worst than missing one question is missing the next one too because you weren’t ready.

One strategy that I use is thinking positive/negative. Upon hearing the cue, I label it as feeling positive or negative. Usually I can get this right even if I don’t fully understand the cue. If the cue is positive, then I expect a positive response and visa versa.

My play by play

Again, before the question starts I write “1 2 3” on the test sheet. These represent the answer choices.

  1. Listen to the cue and label it as positive (+) or negative (-). I write this right next to the choices “1 2 3”.
  2. As each choice is spoken, I cross off ones that I know are wrong. After the last choice is spoken, I quickly guess if I must and bubble in the answer sheet.

6. Integrated Comprehension

(N1-N2 Only)

Question flow

  1. A situation is described
  2. You listen to an impressively long conversation
  3. The first question is asked
  4. You choose from the answers written on the page
  5. The second question is asked
  6. You choose from the answers written on the page

This is the mother of all listening questions. The conversation is extremely long, you don’t know the questions ahead of time, and you probably need to understand the details.

Key strategy

Although this question type is long, it is very predictable.

The 4 answer choices are written in the test book. The key is to take notes on each choice during the conversation. For example, there might be a conversation where 2 people are discussing 4 different products. I take detailed notes on each product while the conversation is going. I can then guess that the question will be which product person A will buy and which product person B will buy.

My play by play

  1. Listen carefully because this will give hints about what is to come and what the questions will likely be
  2. As the conversation is going, I scribble notes about each choice written in the test booklet (hopefully understanding what is being said)/li>
  3. Cross off any obviously wrong choices
  4. Bubble in my answer sheet
  5. Cross off any obviously wrong choices
  6. Bubble in my answer sheet

Checkout the rest of the JLPT Playbook