Free Practice Questions for HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW)

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HSC Armenian Continuers (NSW)

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Key Facts: HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) Exam

100 Qs

Practice MCQs

OpenExamPrep HSC Bank

200 Kanji

Prescribed NESA Kanji

NESA Continuers Syllabus

3 Themes

Syllabus Framework

NESA Stage 6 Syllabus

This practice question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering topics from the NESA Stage 6 HSC Japanese Continuers syllabus. It covers prescribed themes (The Individual, Japanese-Speaking Communities, The Changing World), kanji recognition, grammatical structures, listening transcript comprehension, and reading analysis.

Sample HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read the following Japanese sentence: 『私は毎日、７時に起きます。』 What is the correct reading and meaning of the underlined kanji compound 「毎日」?

A.まいにち (mainichi) — every day

B.まいあさ (maiasa) — every morning

C.まいばん (maiban) — every night

D.まい週 (maishuu) — every week

Explanation: The kanji compound 「毎日」 is read as まいにち (mainichi) and means 'every day'. It combines 「毎」 (every) and 「日」 (day), which is one of the foundational prescribed NESA Continuers kanji.

2Which particle correctly completes the sentence indicating the location where an action takes place? 『図書館（　）日本語を勉強します。』

A.に (ni)

B.で (de)

C.を (wo)

D.へ (he)

Explanation: The particle 「で」 is used to mark the location where an action occurs (studying at the library). In contrast, 「に」 indicates existence or destination, 「を」 marks the direct object, and 「へ」 indicates direction.

3How do you form a polite request in Japanese using the verb 「書きます」 (to write)?

A.書かないでください (Kakanaide kudasai)

B.書くことができません (Kaku koto ga dekimasen)

C.書いてください (Kaite kudasai)

D.書きましょう (Kakimashou)

Explanation: A polite request is formed by attaching 「〜てください」 to the te-form of a verb. For 「書きます」 (Group 1 verb), the te-form is 「書いて」, making 「書いてください」 ('Please write').

4Which Japanese sentence correctly expresses the past experience of having visited Japan ('I have been to Japan before')?

A.日本へ行くつもりです。

B.日本へ行きたいです。

C.日本へ行かなければなりません。

D.日本へ行ったことがあります。

Explanation: Past experience is expressed using the plain past form (ta-form) + 「ことがあります」. Thus, 「日本へ行ったことがあります」 translates directly to 'I have been to Japan before'.

5Under the syllabus theme 'The Individual', when talking about your own family to someone outside your family, which term should you use to refer to your own mother?

A.母 (haha)

B.お母さん (okaasan)

C.おばさん (obasan)

D.おばあさん (obaasan)

Explanation: In Japanese ingroup/outgroup (uchi/soto) dynamics, you use humble terms for your own family when speaking to outsiders. Therefore, you refer to your own mother as 「母」 (haha). 「お母さん」 is used to address your mother directly or refer to someone else's mother.

6Which particle fill-in correctly completes the sentence: 『来週、友達（　）海へ行きます。』 to mean 'Next week, I will go to the beach with a friend'?

A.に (ni)

B.と (to)

C.から (kara)

D.より (yori)

Explanation: The particle 「と」 is used to indicate companionship ('together with'). Thus, 「友達と」 means 'with a friend'.

7Identify the correct reading and meaning for the prescribed NESA kanji compound 「病院」.

A.びよういん (biyouin) — beauty salon

B.だいがく (daigaku) — university

C.びょういん (byouin) — hospital

D.きっさてん (kissaten) — coffee shop

Explanation: 「病院」 combines 「病」 (illness) and 「院」 (institution), read as びょういん (byouin) meaning 'hospital'. Note the long 'byou' sound compared to びよういん (beauty salon).

8Choose the correct structure to state a strict prohibition in Japanese ('You must not take photos here'): 『ここで写真を（　）。』

A.撮ってもいいです (totte mo ii desu)

B.撮りたいです (toritai desu)

C.撮ることができます (toru koto ga dekimasu)

D.撮ってはいけません (totte wa ikemasen)

Explanation: Prohibition ('must not do') is expressed using verb te-form + 「はいけません」. Therefore, 「撮ってはいけません」 means 'You must not take photos'.

9Under 'Japanese-Speaking Communities', what is the traditional greeting said before beginning a meal in Japan to express gratitude for the food?

A.いただきます (itadakimasu)

B.ごちそうさまでした (gochisoosama deshita)

C.いってきます (ittekimasu)

D.おかえりなさい (okaerinasai)

Explanation: Before eating a meal in Japan, it is customary to say 「いただきます」 (itadakimasu), which humbly acknowledges receiving the meal and thanks those who prepared it and the nature that provided it.

10What is the reading and meaning of the NESA prescribed kanji compound 「勉強」 in the sentence 『毎日、日本語を勉強します。』?

A.しゅくだい (shukudai) — homework

B.べんきょう (benkyou) — study

C.じゅぎょう (jugyou) — class/lesson

D.しけん (shiken) — exam

Explanation: 「勉強」 is read as べんきょう (benkyou) and means 'study'. Combined with する, 「勉強する」 means 'to study'.

About the HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) Exam

The NESA HSC Japanese Continuers examination assesses proficiency in Japanese across listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Candidates demonstrate understanding of Japanese culture, grammar, prescribed kanji, and communication within the themes of The Individual, Japanese-Speaking Communities, and The Changing World. This question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation for practicing comprehension, grammar, kanji recognition, and listening transcript analysis.

Exam sponsor: NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Section I: Listening (25 marks), Section II: Reading & Responding (30 marks), Section III: Writing in Japanese (25 marks), plus Oral Speaking Exam (20 marks). Total 100 marks.

Time Limit

3 hours + 10 mins reading time (written) + 10 mins (oral)

Passing Score

Performance Bands 1-6 (Band 6 represents highest achievement, 90-100 marks)

Exam / Certification Fees

Included in standard NSW HSC registration

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: ~42% (Bands 5 and 6). Based on historical NESA HSC Japanese Continuers performance band distribution statistics. This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

30%

Theme: The Individual

Personal identity, family, friendships, school activities, hobbies, health, and personal ambitions.

30%

Theme: Japanese-Speaking Communities

Daily lifestyle, traditional festivals, food culture, travel, arts, accommodation, and hospitality.

20%

Theme: The Changing World

Technology, youth trends, environmental awareness, future study/career pathways, and global connections.

20%

Kanji & Grammar Foundations

Prescribed NESA Stage 6 kanji, particle rules, verb inflections, honorifics, sentence structures, and discourse markers.

Preparing for the HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW) Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Performance Bands 1-6 (Band 6 represents highest achievement, 90-100 marks)
Assessment: Section I: Listening (25 marks), Section II: Reading & Responding (30 marks), Section III: Writing in Japanese (25 marks), plus Oral Speaking Exam (20 marks). Total 100 marks.
Time limit: 3 hours + 10 mins reading time (written) + 10 mins (oral)
Exam / certification fees: Included in standard NSW HSC registration Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW): Suggested Study Strategy

1Master all 200 prescribed NESA kanji early by practicing compound word readings and writing them in complete sentences.

2Listen regularly to authentic audio dialogues and practice noting down key details (who, where, when, why, and main ideas) during listening tasks.

3Review particle functions, sentence-ending expressions, and conjunctions to quickly identify relationships between clauses in reading passages.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the official structure of the NESA HSC Japanese Continuers examination?

The examination comprises an Oral Speaking examination (10 minutes, 20 marks) held in Term 3, and a Written examination (3 hours + 10 mins reading time, 80 marks) held in Term 4. The written exam includes Section I: Listening (25 marks), Section II: Reading and Responding (30 marks), and Section III: Writing in Japanese (25 marks).

Does this practice question bank replace the official NESA examination format?

No. Official NESA examinations include audio listening tasks, short-answer responses in English/Japanese, and extended written pieces in Japanese script. This question bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation designed for targeted revision of kanji, grammar, reading comprehension, and audio transcript interpretation.

What kanji are required for HSC Japanese Continuers?

NESA prescribes approximately 200 kanji characters for Continuers. Candidates are expected to recognize and write these kanji in context, understanding both reading (on-reading and kun-reading) and compound word meanings.

What themes are tested in HSC Japanese Continuers?

The syllabus is organized into three prescribed themes: 'The Individual' (personal identity, relationships, education), 'Japanese-Speaking Communities' (daily life, traditions, travel), and 'The Changing World' (technology, work, future plans, environment).

Free Practice Questions for HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW)

HSC Japanese Continuers (NSW)