I don't know if I just don't understand Japanese grammar, but renshuu's level scaling between grammar and kanji/vocab seems out of whack. I am consistently stunned by every grammar question and I find myself randomly clicking around to just comprehend the meaning of the sample sentence, before even attempting to identify the "best fit" from the provided choices. It's a nightmare. I fully accept that I need more exposure to Japanese grammar rules, but renshuu doesn't seem to do any onboarding at all.
A typical grammar question at my level is "新商しょう品 の ネ ー ミ ン グ は 中野君くんに 一任にんする" and then a typical vocab question is "ringo = apple."
Am I wrong? It really feels like renshuu is throwing users in the deep end of the pool when it comes to grammar but maybe I'm going about it the wrong way? At the moment I am completely lost, even the explanations & sample sentences are so dense that I have no idea how to proceed or how to identify the correct choice.
I found the grammar questions pretty difficult when I started them, but as my vocabulary, and grammar improved they started to feel easier and easier.
One realization that helped me was, when you look at a grammar question, you don't really need to know what each word is or what it means. You just need to identify what role that word is playing: is this word a person, a place, an object, or a verb ? If you can figure out the roles that the words are playing then you can figure out grammatically where they have to go, regardless of their meanings.
It may also help to make sure you have these options selected in your schedule:
- Show info about words when I tap on them in the sentence. - Show definitions for words that you don't know.
Which level is your grammar schedule that you're currently on?
Edit: I looked up the sentence, and I'm guessing that you are on Pre-Intermediate (N4)? That particular level is currently being worked through and brought to a closer level to what is ideal.
Compared to the first two levels of renshuu (Japanese Basics and Beginner Japanese), N4 doesn't have the tight link that those two do, but it will by the end of the year. The written lessons for all the N4 grammar are being written as well, and the new, re-packaged schedules (with better matching vocab lessons) will be released then.
I realize that this does not solve your issues now, but I wanted to let you know where it's heading.
Thanks for the replies! I actually really like renshuu, I was just frustrated when I posted that. Good to hear that the unit is still being tweaked and I admit that a lot of it is on me as I don't have much reading experience yet. I regularly get 95% on my kanji/vocab reviews so to be getting 40% on my grammar reviews made me feel like I had somehow skipped about fifty levels on accident.
One realization that helped me was, when you look at a grammar question, you don't really need to know what each word is or what it means. You just need to identify what role that word is playing: is this word a person, a place, an object, or a verb ? If you can figure out the roles that the words are playing then you can figure out grammatically where they have to go, regardless of their meanings.
Thanks for the suggestion, I will take this onboard!
Difficulty aside, do not be too hard on yourself- grammar is HARD, full stop. Kanji and vocabulary are, at its core, information recall. There is not as much thinking as there is "is that data stored in my head"
Grammar is a system which multiple rules, ordering, nuances, etc. There are extremely few grammar expressions where you can retain it as a single "unit" of information can be recalled and applied without any need for adjustment, conjugation, word-order consideration, etc.
