watasi ha siken no mae ni bunpou no rensyuumondai wo tokimasu.

I solve grammar practice exercises before the exam.

Breakdown of watasi ha siken no mae ni bunpou no rensyuumondai wo tokimasu.

• は: topic particle
• 私わたし: I
• を: direct object particle
• の: possessive case particle
• に: time particle
• 試験しけん: exam
• 前まえ: before
• 文法ぶんぽう: grammar
• 練習れんしゅう問題もんだい: practice exercise
• 解とく: to solve

Questions & Answers about watasi ha siken no mae ni bunpou no rensyuumondai wo tokimasu.

What is the role of は in 私は? Is it the subject marker?

は is the topic marker, not strictly the subject marker.

• 私は literally means as for me or speaking about me.
• It introduces what the sentence is about: me, and then the rest of the sentence gives information about that topic.
• The grammatical subject is often also the topic, so in practice 私は feels like I in English, but technically は marks the topic.
• Note that は is pronounced わ in this use.

So in this sentence, 私は sets up I as the topic: As for me, before the exam, I solve grammar practice problems.

Do I always need to say 私? Can I leave it out?

You can usually leave 私 out if it is clear from context.

• Japanese often omits the subject when it is obvious.

• If you are talking about your own study habits and there is no reason to think it is about someone else, you can simply say:

  試験の前に文法の練習問題を解きます。

• This will still be understood as I (or we, depending on context).

You only really need 私は when you want to emphasize me (for contrast or clarity), for example:

• 私は文法の練習問題を解きますが、友だちは単語だけ勉強します。
  As for me, I solve grammar practice problems, but my friend only studies vocabulary.

What does の do in 試験の前 and 文法の練習問題?

の is linking nouns, a bit like of or a possessive ’s in English.

1. 試験の前

   • 試験 = exam
   • 前 = before, in front
   • 試験の前 = the time before the exam or before the exam (as a noun phrase).

2. 文法の練習問題

   • 文法 = grammar
   • 練習問題 = practice problems
   • 文法の練習問題 = practice problems of grammar, i.e. grammar practice problems.

So の connects the first noun to modify the second noun: X の Y → Y related to X.

Why is に used after 前 in 試験の前に? Could I use で or leave it out?

Here に marks a point in time.

• 試験の前に = at the time before the exam / before the exam.
• に is commonly used with times: 三時に (at three o’clock), 試験の前に (before the exam), 夏に (in summer).

You cannot use で here if you mean time. で usually marks place, means, or context, not a bare time point.

• 図書館で勉強します。 = I study at the library.

Can you drop に?

• As a time phrase before a verb, 試験の前に normally keeps に.
• 試験の前 without に is more like a noun phrase the time before the exam, which then still needs another particle (for example, 試験の前は忙しいです = As for the time before the exam, I am busy).

Can the phrase 試験の前に move in the sentence, like 文法の練習問題を試験の前に解きます?

Yes, you can move 試験の前に as long as it still clearly modifies the verb.

These are all natural and mean essentially the same:

• 試験の前に文法の練習問題を解きます。
• 文法の練習問題を試験の前に解きます。

Japanese word order is flexible for adverbial phrases like time (試験の前に) and place, as long as:

• The verb comes at the end.
• Particles stay attached to the right noun.

The nuance change is small; the first emphasizes when, the second can feel a bit more focused on what you solve, but in everyday conversation they are practically interchangeable.

What does を do in 練習問題を解きます?

を marks the direct object of the verb.

• 練習問題 = practice problems
• 解きます = solve
• 練習問題を解きます = (I) solve practice problems.

So X を V means do V to X:

• 本を読みます。 = I read a book.
• 日本語を勉強します。 = I study Japanese.
• 文法の練習問題を解きます。 = I solve grammar practice problems.

Does 解きます mean I will solve or I solve? How do I say it in the past tense?

解きます is the polite non‑past form. In Japanese, the non‑past form covers both:

• habitual / general present:
  普段、試験の前に文法の練習問題を解きます。
  I usually solve grammar practice problems before exams.
• future (plans, intentions, scheduled actions):
  明日、試験の前に文法の練習問題を解きます。
  I will solve grammar practice problems before the exam tomorrow.

To make it past tense:

• Polite past: 解きました → 文法の練習問題を解きました。
  I solved grammar practice problems.
• Plain past: 解いた → 文法の練習問題を解いた。

Why is 解きます used here instead of something like 勉強します or します?

解く (polite 解きます) specifically means to solve or work out problems, questions, puzzles, etc.

Typical usages:

• 数学の問題を解きます。 = I solve math problems.
• パズルを解きます。 = I solve a puzzle.

In this sentence, you are solving individual questions in a practice workbook, so 解きます is the most natural choice.

• 文法を勉強します。 = I study grammar. (more general)
• 文法の練習をします。 = I do grammar practice.
• 文法の練習問題を解きます。 = I solve grammar practice problems. (more concrete, focused on questions)

What exactly does 練習問題 mean? Is it one word or two, and why is there no の between 練習 and 問題?

練習問題 is a compound noun formed from:

• 練習 = practice
• 問題 = problem, question

Together, 練習問題 means practice problem(s) or practice question(s).

Japanese often combines two nouns directly into a single compound without の when the combination is standard and familiar:

• 練習問題 = practice problems
• 英語学習 = English learning
• 日本語能力試験 = Japanese Language Proficiency Test

So 文法の練習問題 is:

• 文法 (grammar)
• の (linker)
• 練習問題 (practice problems)

→ grammar practice problems.

Is 練習問題 singular or plural?

Japanese usually does not mark singular vs plural explicitly.

練習問題 can mean:

• a practice problem
• practice problems
• practice questions

Context decides. In this sentence, since you typically solve more than one question before an exam, it is most naturally understood as practice problems in English, but grammatically it can be either.

What is the difference between 試験 and テスト?

Both can correspond to test / exam, but there are some tendencies:

• 試験

  • Slightly more formal.
  • Often used for official, important exams: entrance exams, license exams, school exams.
  • Example: 日本語能力試験 (JLPT).

• テスト

  • Loanword from English.
  • Common in everyday speech, often for school tests, quizzes, etc.
  • Sounds a bit more casual, especially in conversation.

In many school contexts, both are used and may overlap, but 試験 feels more formal or serious on average.

What is the politeness level of 解きます? How would I say this sentence casually?

解きます is the polite form (ます‑form), appropriate for:

• Talking to teachers
• Talking to people you do not know well
• Most formal or semi‑formal situations

The plain (casual) form is 解く.

A natural casual version of the whole sentence is:

• 試験の前に文法の練習問題を解く。

In casual speech you would normally drop 私 unless you need to emphasize it.

How do you read the kanji in this sentence?

Readings:

• 私 → わたし (watashi)
• 試験 → しけん (shiken)
• 前 → まえ (mae)
• 文法 → ぶんぽう (bunpou / bunpō)
• 練習問題 → れんしゅうもんだい (renshū mondai)
• 解きます → ときます (tokimasu)

So the full sentence is read:

わたしは しけんの まえに ぶんぽうの れんしゅうもんだいを ときます。