I am constantly trying to memorize grammar rules but I just end up forgetting them. How do you guys study grammar for the JLPT? I'm taking N3 in a month.
I've never taken N3, so I'm not sure how this approach would translate to lower levels of the test, but what I did for N2 and N1 was to make a list of all the grammar points listed for that test. (I think I used this site as well as Renshuu, because there's no official list for the new tests and there seemed to be some variation between sites.) I went through and deleted all the grammar points I felt comfortable with, and then started looking up the others. I think that the Dictionary of Basic/Intermediate/Advanced Japanese Grammar series may be the best resource out there for clear explanations and lots of example sentences, but when I couldn't find a term there, I also used the Renshuu example sentences and grammar section, the examples on the Tanos site I linked above, and, occasionally, old-fashioned Google searches. I usually tried to find at least half a dozen examples that illustrated how to use the grammar point. Then I reviewed my homemade study guide until the test. Almost everyone else I know used the Sou Matome or Kanzen Master series for test prep, but I'm not convinced they're any better: I found that most intermediate and higher level grammar books simply didn't have enough explanation or examples for me to really grasp the nuances. And making your own study guide is also really helpful in and of itself because it forces you to think about and organize the information in the way that makes most sense to you.
I think it's worth noting that you don't have to produce any Japanese for the JLPT, just understand it in context and recognize when it's correct vs. incorrect. In fact, some of the grammar sections that tend to give people the most trouble, like the word-scramble one, simply test your ability to recognize and remember a sequence (e.g. which particle goes before which verb.) This means that, if your primary goal right now is just to pass the test, it's probably more efficient to focus on reading as many examples of the target grammar as possible, rather than worrying about whether you can use it spontaneously in a sentence. It also helps to be familiar with the kinds of questions the test will ask, particularly if you've never taken the JLPT before, and practice answering questions with a time limit. You can get a free, somewhat abbreviated sample test for each JLPT level on the official site, and I believe there are also full-length tests available for purchase.
