Vocabulary for study and exam preparation

Vocabulary for study and exam preparation

Vocabulary for study and exam preparation covers words used when someone studies at school or university, reviews material, and faces examinations. These words are often tested in the form of choosing the closest meaning, choosing a word to fill a blank, reading kanji, and writing kanji. The following discussion is grouped according to study activities.

Section 1. Preparation and review

• 予習(よしゅう, preparation for class in advance) — studying the material to be taught before the lesson begins. The pattern 〜ておく is used to show that this preparation has been done beforehand. Example: 次の授業の前に、教科書の新しい章を読んでおきます。
• 復習(ふくしゅう, reviewing lessons) — studying again material that has already been taught, usually after the lesson or before an exam. Example: 授業が終わったら、その日の内容をノートで復習します。
• The difference in timing is important: material not yet taught is prepared with 予習, while material already taught is reviewed with 復習. Therefore, to go over the contents of a textbook before an exam, the correct word is 復習, not 予習 or 練習.
• 見直す(みなおす, to look over again) — checking again something that has been made or studied, such as notes or an assignment. Its meaning is close to 確認する(かくにんする, to confirm) and 復習. Example: 提出する前に、レポートを見直します。
• 繰り返す(くりかえす, to repeat many times) — the adverb form 繰り返し(くりかえし, repeatedly) is used for actions that are repeated. 繰り返し読む means reading many times, not reading once and then stopping. Example: 漢字を繰り返し書いて覚えます。
• 準備する(じゅんびする, to prepare) — the pattern 〜が足りなかった is used to state that a lack of preparation was the cause of a poor result. Example: 準備が足りなかったので、思ったより難しく感じた。
• 練習(れんしゅう, practice) — practicing to become skilled or to master question patterns, not reviewing theory material that has already been taught. Example: 発音の練習を毎日しています。
• 研究(けんきゅう, research) — in-depth scientific study of a field. 研究している means being engaged in research. Example: 大学院で日本の教育制度を研究しています。
• 研修(けんしゅう, job training) and 訓練(くんれん, targeted training) — both are forms of training, but they are not academic activities like research. Neither is appropriate for expressing scientific study.

Section 2. Understanding material