Families & Communities
What this unit covers
The topics below follow the published Japanese Lang course framework for Unit 1. Japanese Lang publishes no per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to chase here.
Lessons in this unit
- The Three Writing Systems13 min · 3 objectivesDistinguish hiragana, katakana, and kanji and state what each is used for · Explain how the three scripts combine within a single sentence · Recognize why kanji often carry two kinds of readings
- Particles は / が and Polite です14 min · 3 objectivesUse は (wa) to mark the topic and です to make a polite statement · Distinguish the topic particle は from the subject particle が · Introduce family members politely
What examiners penalize here
- AP Japanese presents authentic texts mixing all three scripts. You do not need to know every kanji, but you must read hiragana and katakana fluently and recognize high-frequency kanji. Drilling kana to instant recognition frees your attention for meaning during the timed reading section.
- The は/が distinction is tested constantly. A quick heuristic: if the information is **new or being singled out** (answers “who/what?”), lean が; if it is the **established theme** you are commenting on, lean は. Reading lots of authentic dialogue builds the intuition faster than memorizing rules.
Practice Japanese Lang
Our practice bank is drawn from across the whole course rather than filtered to one unit, which is closer to how the exam asks anyway — it will not tell you which unit a question is testing.
Questions about this unit
How much of the AP Japanese Language & Culture exam is Unit 1?
The Japanese Lang course framework does not publish a per-unit weighting, so there is no percentage to quote for Unit 1 and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Spread your time by where your own errors are instead.
What topics are covered in Japanese Lang Unit 1?
Families & Communities covers Family, Community, Traditions and Relationships.
How should I study Japanese Lang Unit 1?
Read the 2 lessons below first — about 25 minutes — then work practice questions on these topics. Finish with practice questions and read the explanation for every one you get right by elimination as well as the ones you miss.
All 6 units of AP Japanese Language & Culture
Unit names, topics and exam weights follow the published College Board course framework for AP Japanese Language & Culture. AP® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which does not endorse this site.