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Study Guide

Field 100: Japanese
Language Structures

Expand All Sample Responses | Collapse All Sample Responses

Sample Directions for Language Structures

This section of the test consists of one exercise with two parts (Parts A and B), each of which requires you to demonstrate your command of the structures and usage of the target language. Directions are provided before each part. Write your response to each part on one of the response sheets provided to you. Before you continue, please label your response sheets with the appropriate part labels as follows.

  1. "Language Structures: Part A"
  2. "Language Structures: Part B"

You may use the erasable notebooklet to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your responses to the exercises. However, your final responses to the exercises must be written on the response sheets provided.

Your final responses must be scanned using the scanner provided at your workstation. Instructions for scanning your Response Sheets are available by clicking the "Scanning Help" button at the top of the screen.

Your responses will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria.

Any time spent responding to the exercises, including scanning the response sheet(s), is part of your testing time. Monitor your time carefully. When your testing time expires, a pop-up message will appear on-screen indicating the conclusion of your test session. Only response sheets that are scanned before you end your test or before time has expired will be scored. Any response sheet that is not scanned before testing ends will NOT be scored.

Select the Next button to continue.

Sample Language Structures Exercise

Follow the directions for each of the two parts (Part A and Part B) below.

Part A (1–14)

Complete the passage by writing the Japanese letters (hiragana) that are grammatically correct and appropriate in the context. Provide a particle for each blank in parentheses and a word for each blank not in parentheses.

Two acquaintances at Rika's house

Enter to expand or collapse answer.Answer expanded
Note: This represents a sample correct response. Other variations may also be correct.

Part B (15–20)

Imagine that you are asking someone to lend you a cell phone (). Write an appropriate request and response for each of the following situations

  1. Asking a close friend in casual style

    (15)

    (16)

  2. Asking an acquaintance

    (17)

    (18)

  3. Asking your teacher in KEI-GO (polite language)

    (19)

    (20)

Enter to expand or collapse sample response.Sample response expanded
Note: This represents a sample correct response. Other variations may also be correct.

Performance Characteristics for the Language Structures Assignment

Grammar 14 items require supplying the correct term
Correction 6 items require supplying a correct question or reply

Scoring Scale for the Language Structures Assignments

The examinee's response for the item is correct if, and only if, it is described by the following:

Section 3 Notation Notation Description
Part A
(Items 1–14)
C Correct—the candidate's response is correct and appropriate within the context of the presented statement (i.e., the response satisfies all of the target language's rules of grammar demanded by the instructions and intended by the context of the statement).
Part B
(Items 15–20)
C Correct—the candidate's response is correct and appropriate within the given context (i.e., the response satisfies all of the target language's rules of grammar and is sociolinguistically appropriate for the given context).

The examinee's response for the item is not correct if it is described by the following:

Section 3 Notation Notation Description
Part A
(Items 1–20)
NC Not correct—the candidate's response does not accurately follow the target language's rules or the response is incomplete.
Score Point Score Point Description
4 16 to 20 tasks handled correctly
3 11 to 15 tasks handled correctly
2 6 to 10 tasks handled correctly
1 0 to 5 tasks handled correctly
U Unscorable—The candidate's response is unscorable because it is not on the given topic, illegible, not in the appropriate language, or too short to score.
B Blank—There is no response to the assignment.