日本語の教室In Japanese Class
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Name common classroom objects using the vocabulary introduced in this chapter.
- Point out and identify objects using the demonstratives これ、それ、あれ、どれ.
- Ask "What is this?" and similar questions using 〜は何ですか.
- Show possession or connection between two nouns using the particle の.
- Add the particle も to mean "also" or "too."
- Say that something is not the case, using the negative copular form 〜ではありません.
- Ask for repetition and clarification using classroom survival expressions.
- Recognize and write the second group of hiragana, from な through ま.
- Recognize the three kanji introduced in this chapter: 日、本、人.
- Count from 6 to 10 in Japanese.
Communication Scenario
It is the first morning of class. Yamada-sensei asks students to look around the room and name the objects on their desks. A new student, Keiko, arrives late and asks a classmate what a nearby object is. Meanwhile, everyone is still getting comfortable asking the teacher to slow down or repeat something.
- Think about how you might ask "What is that?" or "Whose is this?" in your first language. What words do you use to distinguish between near and far objects?
- In this chapter you will learn a systematic set of four Japanese pointing words — こ・そ・あ・ど — that work across many different contexts. Mastering this system will let you ask about almost any unfamiliar object, name, or concept you encounter.
Core Vocabulary
教室のもの — Classroom objects
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 本 | hon | book | Also means "origin" or "true"; the kanji 本 is introduced in this chapter |
| 教科書 | kyōkasho | textbook | Literally "book used in teaching" |
| ノート | nōto | notebook | From English "note"; written in katakana as a loanword |
| えんぴつ | enpitsu | pencil | |
| ペン | pen | pen | Loanword; written in katakana |
| けしゴム | keshigomu | eraser | Mixed script: けし (hiragana) + ゴム (katakana, from Dutch gom) |
| かばん | kaban | bag | |
| 机 | tsukue | desk | Furigana provided; kanji not yet active for production |
| 椅子 | isu | chair | Furigana provided; kanji not yet active for production |
| ドア | doa | door | Loanword; written in katakana |
| まど | mado | window | |
| ホワイトボード | howaitobōdo | whiteboard | Loanword; written in katakana |
Loanwords written in katakana (ノート、ペン、ドア、ホワイトボード) are Japanese vocabulary with Japanese pronunciations. Do not assume they sound exactly like their English source words. The katakana system is introduced formally beginning in Chapter 4; for now, these words appear for recognition and are supported by romanization.
しつもんのことば — Question and clarification expressions
| Japanese | Reading | English meaning | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| これは何ですか。 | Kore wa nan desu ka. | What is this? | Asking about something near the speaker |
| それは何ですか。 | Sore wa nan desu ka. | What is that? | Asking about something near the listener |
| 日本語で何ですか。 | Nihongo de nan desu ka. | What is it in Japanese? | Asking for the Japanese word for something |
| もういちどおねがいします。 | Mō ichido onegaishimasu. | Once more, please. | Asking the speaker to repeat |
| ゆっくりおねがいします。 | Yukkuri onegaishimasu. | Slowly, please. | Asking the speaker to slow down |
| 意味は何ですか。 | Imi wa nan desu ka. | What does it mean? | Asking for the meaning of a word or phrase |
| わかりません。 | Wakarimasen. | I don't understand. | Saying you don't follow; use with a small bow or apologetic tone in formal settings |
These clarification expressions are essential tools in a language classroom. Use もういちどおねがいします and ゆっくりおねがいします freely — asking for clarification is a normal, valued part of learning. In Chapter 1 you already learned the pattern 〜おねがいします; notice that the same pattern appears in new combinations here.
かず ６〜１０ — Numbers 6–10
Like 4 in Chapter 1, the numbers 7 and 9 each have two common readings: なな／しち and きゅう／く. Which reading to use depends on the counter and context; you will learn the rules as specific counters are introduced across the course. For now, practice both readings for recognition and practice the primary reading (なな and きゅう) for production.
Hiragana and First Kanji
だいにグループ — Second hiragana group: な through ま
In Chapter 1 you learned the five vowel hiragana and the か row through た/と. This chapter adds the next three rows: な, は, and ま. You will now be able to write a much wider range of Japanese words in hiragana.
* は and へ are pronounced "wa" and "e" respectively when used as grammatical particles. You already know this from Chapter 1. In all other positions, they are pronounced "ha" and "he."
Japanese hiragana uses two diacritical marks to create additional sounds from the basic rows. The dakuten (゛), two small strokes placed at the upper right of a symbol, turns an unvoiced consonant into its voiced counterpart:
- は→ば (ha → ba), ひ→び (hi → bi), ふ→ぶ (fu → bu), へ→べ (he → be), ほ→ぼ (ho → bo)
The handakuten (゜), a small circle, applies only to the は row and produces a "p" sound:
- は→ぱ (ha → pa), ひ→ぴ (hi → pi), ふ→ぷ (fu → pu), へ→ぺ (he → pe), ほ→ぽ (ho → po)
These marks must be written clearly and in the correct position. A missing dakuten changes the word entirely: はな (hana, flower/nose) is not the same word as ばな. You will encounter dakuten throughout your vocabulary; treat the mark as part of the symbol, not an optional decoration.
れんしゅう — Practice: Copy each of the fifteen new hiragana symbols three times. Then, without looking at the chart, write the hiragana for the following sounds: na, ni, ha, fu, he, ma, mo, ba, pa.
はじめてのかんじ — First kanji: 日・本・人
This chapter introduces the first three kanji of the course. Each one appears in high-frequency words you will use immediately. For now, focus on recognizing these characters in the vocabulary and readings below; active production (writing from memory) will develop gradually as kanji practice accumulates across the chapter.
These three kanji combine to form words you already know or will use very soon:
- 日本Nihon — Japan日 (sun) + 本 (origin) — "origin of the sun"
- 日本語Nihongo — Japanese language日本 (Japan) + 語 (language)
- 日本人Nihonjin — Japanese person日本 (Japan) + 人 (person)
- 本hon — bookThe same kanji in a stand-alone word
The kanji 人 appears with three readings listed above: ひと, じん, and にん. This is typical of Japanese kanji — the reading depends on the word, not on the character alone. Avoid the temptation to memorize all possible readings of a character at once. The most reliable approach is to learn readings as part of whole words: 人 (a person), 日本人 (a Japanese person), 何人 (how many people). Furigana — the small reading guides above a kanji — will continue to support you throughout this volume and beyond.
れんしゅう — Practice: Look at the three kanji and their example words. Cover the readings and try to recall the hiragana for each word. Then practice writing 日, 本, and 人 once each, paying attention to stroke order and proportion.
Pronunciation
ふ and the は row
The は-row consonants deserve particular attention from English-speaking learners.
- ふ — This mora is often romanized "fu," but the consonant is not identical to English "f." The lips do not press together or touch the teeth; instead, the sound is produced by bringing the upper and lower lips close together and letting air pass through. Listen carefully and aim for a softer, more central friction than the English "f."
- ひ — The consonant here is similar to English "h," but before the vowel い it sounds more like a light "sh"-like friction in some speakers' speech. Focus on the vowel quality and even mora timing rather than engineering a precise consonant.
Adding dakuten to the は row creates the ば row (ba, bi, bu, be, bo). The handakuten creates the ぱ row (pa, pi, pu, pe, po). When you see dakuten, the change is not just spelling — the sound genuinely shifts from unvoiced to voiced, or from h to b to p. Practice saying minimal pairs such as はな (flower/nose) and ばな, or ほん (book) and ぼん (tray/basin), so your ear and mouth both register the difference.
Mora timing: longer words
As vocabulary grows, mora counting becomes increasingly useful. Try tapping out the mora counts of this chapter's new words:
- えんぴつ — four morae: e-n-pi-tsu
- ホワイトボード — seven morae: ho-wa-i-to-bō-do (the long vowel ー counts as one mora)
- わかりません — five morae: wa-ka-ri-ma-se-n — wait, that is six. Count carefully.
Miscounting morae is common. Always count syllable-by-syllable while listening to a model, then verify by tapping.
The particle の, which you will study in the grammar section below, is a single mora — one even beat. In connected speech, however, の is relatively unstressed and can pass by quickly. Train yourself to hear it clearly in phrases such as わたしのほん (my book): three words, four morae (wa-ta-shi-no-ho-n — actually six; count again carefully). Developing accurate mora awareness now will pay dividends throughout the course.
Grammar Instruction
2.1 これ・それ・あれ・どれ — Demonstratives
Purpose: point out and identify objects in relation to the speaker and listener.
Japanese has a systematic set of pointing words organized around the concept of distance and perspective. Four of them — これ、それ、あれ、どれ — replace a noun when pointing at a thing:
| Japanese | Approximate meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| これ | this one | Near the speaker; the speaker can reach it |
| それ | that one | Near the listener; or a step away from the speaker |
| あれ | that one over there | Away from both speaker and listener; some distance away |
| どれ | which one? | Question word; "which of these things?" |
Combined with は〜ですか, these demonstratives let you ask and answer questions about any object:
- これはえんぴつです。Kore wa enpitsu desu. — This is a pencil.[これ] + は + [えんぴつ] + です
- それはノートですか。Sore wa nōto desu ka. — Is that a notebook?
- あれは何ですか。Are wa nan desu ka. — What is that over there?
- どれがあなたのかばんですか。Dore ga anata no kaban desu ka. — Which one is your bag?
English "this" and "that" map roughly onto a two-way near/far distinction. Japanese uses a three-way system, and the boundary between それ and あれ is not purely about physical distance. それ often signals that the object is in the listener's zone — on their desk, in their hand, or closer to them than to the speaker. あれ typically signals something outside both parties' immediate space. As you listen to natural Japanese, pay attention to which word speakers choose and notice that perspective and shared attention matter, not only centimeters.
2.2 この・その・あの・どの + noun — Demonstrative modifiers
Purpose: use a demonstrative directly before a noun to describe it, rather than replacing it.
When you want to say "this book" or "that pencil" (combining the demonstrative with a noun), use the modifier forms, which end in 〜の:
| Standalone (replaces noun) | Modifier (before noun) | Example |
|---|---|---|
| これ | この〜 | この本 — this book |
| それ | その〜 | そのペン — that pen |
| あれ | あの〜 | あのかばん — that bag over there |
| どれ | どの〜 | どのノート — which notebook? |
- このえんぴつはだれのですか。Kono enpitsu wa dare no desu ka. — Whose pencil is this?
- そのノートはわたしのです。Sono nōto wa watashi no desu. — That notebook is mine.
2.3 〜の〜 — The linking particle の
Purpose: connect two nouns to show possession, association, or classification.
The particle の links two nouns. It most often signals that the first noun modifies or belongs to the second noun. Think of it as a flexible connector; "of," "'s," or "—'s" in English can each translate it, depending on context:
- わたしの本watashi no hon — my book (lit. "I's book")[わたし] + の + [本]
- やまださんのペンYamada-san no pen — Yamada-san's pen
- 日本語の教科書Nihongo no kyōkasho — Japanese-language textbookClassification: a textbook of Japanese
In a sentence like そのノートはわたしのです。 (That notebook is mine), the final の after わたし stands in for the noun that was just mentioned — here, ノート. This use of の as a noun-substitute, meaning "the one belonging to me" or "mine," is common and worth recognizing early. Its fuller grammar will be developed in a later chapter.
2.4 〜も — "Also" and "too"
Purpose: express that something applies equally to another item or person, using も in place of は or が.
The particle も replaces は when you want to say that the same statement applies to an additional item. It often corresponds to English "also," "too," or "either" (in negative sentences):
- これはえんぴつです。それもえんぴつです。This is a pencil. That is also a pencil.も replaces は to signal "also applies"
- わたしも学生です。Watashi mo gakusei desu. — I am also a student.
- それもちがいます。Sore mo chigaimasu. — That is also wrong / different.
A very common beginner error is to write *わたしはもです, treating も as something added alongside は. In Japanese, も replaces は (or が) entirely. There is no double-particle combination はも. Compare: わたしは学生です。 (I am a student.) versus わたしも学生です。 (I am also a student.)
2.5 〜ではありません — Negative copular
Purpose: say that something is not something else, using the polite negative form of the copula.
In Chapter 1 you learned 〜です to make statements. The polite negative form is 〜ではありません:
- これはえんぴつではありません。Kore wa enpitsu dewa arimasen. — This is not a pencil.[これ] + は + [えんぴつ] + ではありません
- わたしは先生ではありません。学生です。Watashi wa sensei dewa arimasen. Gakusei desu. — I am not a teacher. I am a student.
You may also hear the shortened form じゃありません in ordinary speech. This is a natural, common contraction. For now, practice the full form ではありません, which is always appropriate in polite interaction, and treat じゃありません as recognition-only material.
The こ・そ・あ・ど system. Japanese organizes many pointing and questioning words into a tidy four-way grid built around the stems こ・そ・あ・ど. You have now met two sets within this grid: the standalone demonstratives (これ・それ・あれ・どれ) and the modifier demonstratives (この・その・あの・どの). The same four stems will reappear as you learn words for places (ここ・そこ・あそこ・どこ) and directions (こちら・そちら・あちら・どちら). Recognizing the shared stems will make these new words much easier to learn when you encounter them.
Practice — これ、それ、あれ or どれ?
Choose the correct demonstrative for each situation described. There may be more than one defensible answer; explain your reasoning.
- You want to ask about a book sitting on your own desk: ＿＿はなんですか。
- You want to ask about a dictionary your classmate is holding: ＿＿はなんですか。
- You want to ask about an object on the floor across the room: ＿＿はなんですか。
- You want to ask which of three bags on a table belongs to Yamada-sensei: ＿＿がやまださんのですか。
Practice — Filling in は, の, or も
Choose the correct particle for each blank: は、の、も.
- これ＿＿わたし＿＿えんぴつです。
- あれ＿＿ペンです。 (Also a pen, not the first one.)
- この本＿＿やまださん＿＿です。
- トムさん＿＿学生です。レイラさん＿＿学生です。
Model Dialogue
Setting: Yamada-sensei's Japanese classroom, first morning. Keiko arrives late and quietly asks her neighbour, Tom, about an object on the desk. Then Yamada-sensei addresses the whole class.
(やまだ先生が話し始めます。— Yamada-sensei begins to speak.)
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What two objects does Keiko ask about? Which demonstrative does she use for each, and why are they different?
- What expression does Layla use when she needs the teacher to repeat? Is this an expression from Chapter 1 or a new one?
- In Tom's first answer, he uses ですよ rather than plain です. What small difference in nuance might the sentence-final particle よ add? (Hint: think about whether Tom is asserting information Keiko didn't know.)
- What does よくできました mean, and how might a teacher use it?
Yamada-sensei uses では to transition to the next question: では、それはなんですか。 This では functions as a discourse connector meaning "well then" or "in that case" — a natural way to move from one topic or activity to the next in class and in everyday conversation. It is different from the では inside the negative form ではありません, though they share the same hiragana sequence. Context makes the distinction clear.
Listening
Ask your instructor, a partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following short exchange aloud twice at a moderate pace. The first time, focus only on the objects mentioned. The second time, focus on the demonstratives used.
やまだ：「これはなんですか。」
ケイコ：「それはえんぴつです。」
やまだ：「そうです。では、あれはなんですか。」
ケイコ：「あれはホワイトボードですか。」
やまだ：「はい、そうです。あれはホワイトボードです。このノートはだれのですか。」
ケイコ：「それはわたしのではありません。トムさんのです。」
聞くタスク — Listening task:
| Line | Object mentioned | Demonstrative used | Speaker's perspective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yamada, line 1 | ______ | ______ | Object is near ______ |
| Keiko, line 1 | ______ | ______ | Object is near ______ |
| Yamada, line 2 | ______ | ______ | Object is ______ |
| Yamada, final question | ______ | ______ | Modifier; combined with ______ |
ディクテーション — Dictation: Listen to the last two lines of the passage again. Write Keiko's final answer in hiragana (using furigana over the loanword トム for now). Then check your hiragana shapes against the script you know from Chapters 1–2.
Reading
Read the following three short classroom labels and the brief student note below. Then answer the questions.
Classroom label A
日本語の教科書
Classroom label B
ノートとえんぴつ
Classroom label C
やまださんの本
Student note
これはわたしのノートです。それはわたしのではありません。あれはトムさんのかばんです。このえんぴつはわたしのですが、そのペンはわたしのではありません。
ないようりかい — Comprehension questions:
- What two objects are listed together in Label B? What particle is used to list them?
- Who does the book in Label C belong to?
- In the student note, which three objects does the writer say belong to them?
- What does the writer say about the pen? How do they express this negatively?
- The student note uses ですが to connect two sentences. From context, what do you think が signals here?
The three kanji introduced in this chapter — 日、本、人 — appear in Label A and in the classroom vocabulary. You will also notice 教科書 and 机 with furigana; these kanji are not yet active for production and are given full furigana support. When you encounter a kanji you do not recognize, look first at the furigana above it, then read the meaning from context before looking it up. This strategy — furigana first, context second, dictionary third — will serve you throughout the course.
Writing Workshop
In this chapter you will write a short classroom inventory note, using the demonstratives, particles, and negative form you have learned.
- Choose five objects. Look around your real or imagined classroom and choose five objects: two near you, one near a classmate, and two across the room. Write their names in Japanese from this chapter's vocabulary.
- Write identifying sentences. For each object, write one sentence using the appropriate demonstrative (これ・それ・あれ) and 〜は〜です. Aim for at least one sentence using の to show whose object it is.
- Write one negative sentence. Choose one object and write a sentence saying it is not something, using ではありません. For example: これはノートではありません。教科書です。
- Write one も sentence. Choose a second object of the same type and use も to add it to your description.
- Revise and check. Go through the editing checklist below before submitting your note.
チェックリスト — Editing checklist:
- I used the correct demonstrative (これ・それ・あれ) based on where each object is.
- I used の to connect two nouns correctly, without a space between them.
- I used も in place of は, not alongside it.
- I wrote ではありません in full, without mixing in じゃ.
- I checked my hiragana shapes, especially the dakuten marks.
- I ended each sentence with a Japanese full stop 。.
- I have not written any kanji that have not been introduced (use hiragana or ask your instructor).
Speaking Practice
コントロールされた練習 — Controlled practice: Object identification
With a partner, take turns pointing at objects in the room (real or in a picture) and asking identification questions. Switch roles after five items each. Try to use all four demonstrative forms at least once.
- Ａ：これ／それ／あれはなんですか。
- Ｂ：それは〜です。（または：〜ではありません。〜です。）
コミュニケーションタスク — Find the owner
Put three or four objects on a shared table without labeling them. Each person secretly notes which object is theirs. Take turns asking and answering until everyone knows who owns what. Use だれのですか and 〜のです or 〜のではありません.
- このかばんはだれのですか。
- そのえんぴつはわたしのではありません。レイラさんのです。
ひとりでもできる練習 — Solo practice: Self-guided tour
Sitting at your own desk or in any room, record yourself giving a short spoken inventory of five objects. Point at each one and produce a sentence for it. Include at least one も sentence and one ではありません sentence. Play back the recording and check your mora timing.
Culture and Communication
In many Japanese educational settings, students are accustomed to listening attentively and may wait for the appropriate moment before speaking. At the same time, expressions like もういちどおねがいします and ゆっくりおねがいします are recognized, expected, and welcomed in language classrooms — particularly when the instructor knows that learners are at an early stage. Using these expressions is not seen as interrupting; it demonstrates engagement and a desire to understand correctly. If you feel uncertain about timing, a small raised hand alongside the verbal request is a safe and natural combination in a classroom context.
The classroom labels and vocabulary in this chapter already show you something true about ordinary Japanese writing: it routinely mixes hiragana, katakana, and kanji in a single short text. This is not unusual or advanced — it is completely normal. Words like けしゴム (eraser) combine hiragana and katakana within a single word because each part has a distinct writing-system history. One reason Japanese readers process mixed-script text easily is that the different scripts serve different roles: kanji for many content words, hiragana for grammatical elements and some vocabulary, katakana primarily for loanwords and foreign names. As your hiragana becomes fluent and your kanji set grows, this layered system will gradually become natural to you as well.
The expressions in this chapter — もういちどおねがいします, わかりました, よくできました — reflect the polite standard used in educational settings across Japan. Regional varieties exist, and different instructors across different schools, cities, and generations may phrase encouragement or correction somewhat differently. The expressions here are broadly understood and broadly appropriate; they will serve you well in any standard Japanese classroom context, including formal language programs in Japan or abroad.
Common Mistakes
Error: Writing *わたしはも学生です。, adding も after は rather than replacing it.
Correction: も replaces は entirely: わたしも学生です。 The particle combination はも does not exist.
Error: Using *これほんはわたしのです。 — placing the standalone demonstrative directly before a noun.
Correction: これ stands alone (replaces the noun); この is placed directly before the noun. Use このほんはわたしのです。 (This book is mine.) When you want to say "this one," use これはわたしのです。
Error: Writing えんひつ instead of えんぴつ, omitting the handakuten from ぴ.
Correction: Diacritical marks are part of the word. ひ and ぴ represent different sounds and different words. Always include the dakuten or handakuten whenever it belongs, writing it clearly in the upper-right area of the symbol.
Error: Assuming の always means "'s" and trying to translate 日本語の教科書 as "Japanese's textbook."
Correction: の expresses connection broadly: possession is one use, but classification and description are equally common. 日本語の教科書 means "a textbook of Japanese" — the の connects "Japanese language" to "textbook" as a type, not as an owner. Notice whether the first noun possesses the second or simply classifies it.
Error: Pronouncing これはえんぴつです as "kore-HA-enpitsu desu," giving は its standalone hiragana reading rather than its particle reading.
Correction: When は functions as the topic particle, it is always pronounced "wa." This rule — which you learned in Chapter 1 — applies just as consistently when the topic is a demonstrative, a name, or any other noun. これはえんぴつです is pronounced "kore-WA-enpitsu desu."
Chapter Review
Section A — ごい (Vocabulary)
1. Write the Japanese word (with furigana or hiragana) for each: pencil · notebook · eraser · bag · window · textbook · desk · chair.
2. Write the numbers 6 through 10 in hiragana.
3. What expression do you use to ask a classmate to say something again? What expression asks them to speak more slowly?
4. How would you ask "What does it mean?" in Japanese?
5. What is the difference between わかりました (Chapter 1) and わかりません (Chapter 2)? What does the difference in ending signal?
Section B — ひらがな・かんじ (Script)
1. Which fifteen new hiragana are introduced in this chapter? List them by row.
2. Write the hiragana for: na, ni, ha, fu, ho, ma, mo, ba, pa.
3. Write the three kanji introduced in this chapter. For each one, give one word that uses it.
4. Explain in one sentence why 人 has more than one reading.
5. What is a dakuten? What does it do to the sound of a hiragana symbol?
Section C — ぶんぽう (Grammar)
1. Fill in each blank with これ、それ、あれ, or どれ:
- The pen is on your own desk: ＿＿はペンです。
- The notebook is in your classmate's hands: ＿＿はノートですか。
- You see a bag on the far side of the room: ＿＿はだれのかばんですか。
- You want to ask which of three pencils belongs to the teacher: ＿＿がせんせいのですか。
2. Write sentences using この/その/あの/どの + noun for the same four situations above.
3. Rewrite each sentence so that it is negative:
- これはノートです。
- わたしはせんせいです。
4. Add も to make a sentence meaning "Keiko is also a student." Start from: トムさんは学生です。
5. Explain the difference between これはわたしのです and このほんはわたしのです.
Section D — どっかいりかい (Reading comprehension)
1. In the model dialogue, Yamada-sensei uses では as a transition. What does it signal, and how does it differ from the では in ではありません?
2. In the student note from the Reading section, the writer says the pen is not theirs. Write out that sentence from memory.
Section E — かくこと (Writing)
1. Write a five-sentence paragraph describing your real or imagined classroom desk. Include: one これ sentence, one これは〜ではありません。〜です。 correction, one 〜の〜 possession sentence, and one 〜も〜 addition.
Section F — はなすこと (Speaking)
1. Without looking at the book, ask a partner (or imagined listener) three questions using demonstratives, respond to all three using appropriate sentences, and ask for repetition at least once using a clarification expression.
るいせきふくしゅう — Cumulative review: Chapters 1–2
Complete this short exchange using vocabulary and grammar from both chapters.
Ａ：おはようございます。これはなんですか。
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Name the object, then say it is yours.)
Ａ：あれもあなたのですか。
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Say no, that one is Yamada-sensei's.)
Ａ：そうですか。では、これは日本語の教科書ですか。
Ｂ：______________________________________ (Correct the assumption: it is a notebook, not a textbook.)
Ａ：ありがとうございます。またあした。
Ｂ：______________________________________
Chapter Performance Task
パフォーマンスタスク
きょうしつのもの — Classroom inventory
You have been asked to help a new student identify everything on a shared table of classroom supplies. Complete the following tasks:
- Written: List six objects from this chapter's vocabulary. For each object, write one identifying sentence using an appropriate demonstrative. At least one sentence must use の for possession and at least one must be negative using ではありません.
- Written: Write two additional sentences using も to show that two objects belong to the same category or person.
- Spoken: Read your inventory aloud to a partner or record it. Your partner then asks you two questions about the objects using これ/それ/あれ or この/その/あの + noun. Answer their questions in complete sentences.
- Clarification: At one point in the spoken exchange, use もういちどおねがいします or ゆっくりおねがいします naturally, as if you genuinely needed it.
- Reflection: Write one sentence in English identifying one hiragana or kanji you found easy to remember and one you want to practice more.
Assessment focus: correct demonstrative choice, accurate use of の and も, correct negative formation, legible hiragana, recognition of 日・本・人 in context, and natural use of clarification expressions in spoken interaction.
Answer Key
Practice — これ、それ、あれ or どれ?
1. これ — the book is near the speaker. 2. それ — the dictionary is near the listener. 3. あれ — the object is away from both parties. 4. どれ — asking which of several items.
Practice — Filling in は, の, or も
1. これはわたしのえんぴつです。 2. あれもペンです。 3. この本はやまださんのです。 4. トムさんは学生です。レイラさんも学生です。
Dialogue — Comprehension
- Keiko asks about (1) an object on the table near Tom — she uses これ because it is near her; Tom responds with それ because from his perspective it is near Keiko. She then asks about (2) the whiteboard across the room, using あれ because it is away from both of them.
- Layla uses もういちどおねがいします. It was introduced in Chapter 1's classroom survival expressions and is recycled here.
- The sentence-final particle よ adds an assertive nuance — the speaker is conveying information they believe the listener does not yet know. Tom is gently informing Keiko, not simply confirming something she already knew.
- よくできました means "well done" or "nicely done." A teacher would use it to praise a student's correct or effective response.
Listening task — Model answers
- Yamada line 1: object = えんぴつ, demonstrative = これ, object is near Yamada.
- Keiko line 1: object = えんぴつ, demonstrative = それ, object is near Yamada (from Keiko's perspective).
- Yamada line 2: object = ホワイトボード, demonstrative = あれ, object is away from both.
- Yamada final: object = ノート, demonstrative = この, modifier combined with ノート.
Reading — Comprehension
- ノート and えんぴつ. The particle と is used to list them (meaning "and").
- The book belongs to Yamada-san.
- The writer says the following belong to them: このノート (this notebook), このえんぴつ (this pencil).
- The writer says そのペンはわたしのではありません — that pen is not mine — using the full negative form ではありません.
- ですが signals contrast or a "but" relationship, similar to English "but." (The conjunction が used clause-finally is recognition-only at this stage.)
Chapter Review — Section A
- えんぴつ・ノート・けしゴム・かばん・まど・教科書・机・椅子
- ろく・なな（しち）・はち・きゅう（く）・じゅう
- もういちどおねがいします (repeat) · ゆっくりおねがいします (slow down)
- 意味はなんですか。
- わかりました is the past tense: "I understood / I got it." わかりません is the present negative: "I don't understand." The ending 〜ました signals completion; 〜ません signals polite negative.
Chapter Review — Section B
- な row: な、に、ぬ、ね、の; は row: は、ひ、ふ、へ、ほ; ま row: ま、み、む、め、も
- な、に、は、ふ、ほ、ま、も、ば、ぱ
- 日 — e.g. 日本; 本 — e.g. 本 (book); 人 — e.g. 日本人
- A kanji's reading depends on the word it appears in, not on the character alone; different words use different historical readings of the same character.
- A dakuten is a pair of small strokes placed at the upper right of a hiragana symbol; it voices the consonant — for example, changing は (ha) into ば (ba).
Chapter Review — Section C
- Standalone: これ / それ / あれ / どれ
- Modifier: このペン / そのノート / あのかばん / どのえんぴつ (names may vary based on chosen object)
- これはノートではありません。 · わたしはせんせいではありません。
- トムさんは学生です。ケイコさんも学生です。
- これはわたしのです — "This (one) is mine"; の stands in for the noun already mentioned. このほんはわたしのです — "This book is mine"; この modifies ほん directly.
Chapter Review — Section D
- The transitional では means "well then" and signals a shift to a new activity or topic. The では in ではありません is part of a fixed negative predicate formula; the two are different grammatical uses of the same character sequence and should be understood from context.
- そのペンはわたしのではありません。
Cumulative Review — Model responses
Ｂ：これはわたしのノートです。
Ｂ：いいえ、あれはわたしのではありません。やまださんのです。
Ｂ：いいえ、これは教科書ではありません。ノートです。
Ｂ：またあした。
Exact wording will vary. Check that each response maintains accurate particle use, correct negative form, and consistent polite style.
Looking Ahead
いまできること — What you can do now
You can name common classroom objects, point to and identify things near and far using the こ・そ・あ・ど demonstrative system, ask and answer "What is this?" questions, link two nouns with の for possession and classification, add も to express "also," and say that something is not the case with ではありません. You have also added fifteen new hiragana and begun recognizing your first three kanji, 日・本・人. Your numbers now run from 0 to 10.