Oral examination
Characteristics of better responses:
- language was manipulated effectively and questions were responded to with relevant information and in some depth
- candidates could respond from a range of perspectives
- a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures was used and responses were not repetitive
- ideas and information were communicated with a high level of accuracy
- confident and fluent responses with excellent pronunciation and appropriate intonation; use of authentic expressions such as sou desu ne, zannen desu ga, jitsu wa.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- use of prepared answers that did not address the question
- aizuchi was overused
- incomplete sentences and inconsistent use of tense and register
- candidates confused goro/gurai, nihongo/nihon, tsukurimasu/tsukaimasu, koto/mono, yasashii/yasui, chuugaku/chuugoku, arimasu/imasu, ikimasu/kimasu, eiga/eigo, itta koto ga arimasu/ikimashita
- incorrect use of particles, incorrect formation of te and tari forms
- incorrect use of plain form before to omoimasu and kara
- incorrect conjugation of i and na adjectives
- use of particle ni after a general time word
- omission of kara when using nazenara
- omission of negative ending when using amari.
Written examination
Section I – Listening
Characteristics of better responses:
- responses were not simply a translation of the text
- there was evidence of analysis, synthesis and evaluation where required
- responses were concise and not repetitive
- all relevant details were provided, including specific examples of language use and tone where required
- audience, purpose and context were identified where applicable.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates confused the days of the week, otouto/ototoi, byouki/byouin, warui/ii
- candidates were unfamiliar with the vocabulary shichigatsu (Q.1), hatsuka (Q.2), seibutsu (Q.7), musuko (Q.7)
- mistranslated ji as words
- missed nakareba naranai (obligation) in Question 9
- answers were simply translations of text and did not fully address the question
- information that was not in the text was included
- opinions were not supported by evidence from the text
- examples of language use were not provided.
Section II – Reading and Responding
Characteristics of better responses:
- relevant details from the text were included to support opinions, including specific examples of language use where required
- there was excellent understanding of the vocabulary, grammatical structures and kanji in the passages
- answers were concise and not repetitive.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- candidates did not know the meaning of te shimau and no ni (Q.10), tokai (Q.11)
- confusion of kashite kureta with katte kureta (Q.10)
- mistranslation of kimono as clothes (Q.10)
- garden village as garden bridge (Q.11)
- koutsuu as traffic (Q.11)
- misunderstanding of ooya as a person’s name rather than landlady
- examples of language use/language features not provided
- candidates did not use the glossed items at the bottom of the passage.
Section III – Writing in Japanese
Characteristics of better responses:
- a wide range of vocabulary, language structures and kanji was used
- highly relevant and original ideas that fully addressed the question were presented
- ideas and information communicated with a high degree of accuracy, and structured and sequenced logically and fluently
- appropriate text-type conventions were used.
Characteristics of weaker responses:
- inconsistent and/or incorrect use of tense, register and text-type conventions
- particle errors
- misspelling of isshoni, kyoumi, yuumei, shumi, sakkaa, basuketto booru
- confusion of daigaku/daigakkou, kougakkou/koukou, ryuugaku/ryokou, ikimasu/kimasu
- incorrect use of kara (because), agemasu/kuremasu/moraimasu, transitive/intransitive verbs mitsukeru/mitsukaru and hajimeru/hajimaru, noni and kedo/ga, adjectives before naru/to omou and joining adjectives
- use of Chinese simplified characters
- pre-learned responses not relevant to the question; inability to explain reasons for wanting to host (Q.12)
- responses were not persuasive (Q.14a)
- responses were not reflective (Q.14b)
- there was limited use of prescribed kanji.
