Why 「この場合」 Can Be Tricky in JLPT Reading: Why the Previous Sentence Is Not Always Enough

Have you ever felt this during JLPT reading practice?

You understand most of the words.
You understand the grammar.
But when you look at the answer choices, you still get confused.

One expression that often causes this kind of mistake is 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case).

At first, it looks simple. Many learners see 「この」 (kono / this) and think:

“This must refer to the sentence right before it.”

Sometimes that is true. But in JLPT reading, it is often not enough.

「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) often refers not only to the previous sentence, but to a whole situation, condition, or flow of explanation that appeared before it.

That is why reading only the sentence immediately before 「この場合」 can lead you to a wrong answer.

「この場合」 Is Not Just “This”

The first important point is that 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) does not usually point to just one word or one short sentence.

It often points to a situation.

Look at this example.

新しい言葉を覚えるとき、意味だけを暗記しても、実際の文の中で使えないことがあります。この場合、例文と一緒に覚えることが大切です。

Translation:
When learning new words, even if you memorize only the meaning, you may not be able to use them in real sentences. In this case, it is important to learn them together with example sentences.

Here, 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) does not only mean “the fact that you cannot use the word in a sentence.”

It refers to the whole situation:

• You are learning a new word.
• You memorize only the meaning.
• As a result, you cannot use it well in real sentences.

So the meaning is closer to:

“In a situation where you memorize only the meaning of a word but cannot use it properly in a sentence…”

That is why the conclusion, 「例文と一緒に覚えることが大切です」 (reibun to issho ni oboeru koto ga taisetsu desu / it is important to learn it with example sentences), makes sense.

Why Looking Only at the Previous Sentence Is Dangerous

Reading comprehension is not a collection of separate sentences. It is a flow.

Writers often build their explanation like this:

• They introduce a problem.
• They explain the cause or condition.
• They use 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) to refer to that situation.
• They give a judgment, solution, or conclusion.

Because of this, 「この場合」 often refers to the whole setup, not just the previous line.

Look at this example.

試験前に新しい文法をたくさん覚えようとすると、知識は増えます。しかし、使い分けが整理されていないため、本番で似た選択肢を見ると迷ってしまいます。この場合、文法を増やすより、違いを比べて整理するほうが効果的です。

Translation:
Before an exam, if you try to memorize many new grammar points, your knowledge may increase. However, because the differences between them are not organized, you may get confused when you see similar answer choices in the real test. In this case, rather than increasing the number of grammar points, it is more effective to compare the differences and organize them.

Here, 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) does not only refer to:

「本番で似た選択肢を見ると迷ってしまいます」
Translation:
You get confused when you see similar answer choices in the real test.

More accurately, it refers to this whole situation:

You studied many grammar points before the exam, but you did not organize the differences, so you get confused when similar choices appear.

If you look only at the previous sentence, you might choose an answer like:

“Do more practice questions.”

That may sound reasonable, but it is not the point of this passage.

The passage is saying that the learner needs to compare and organize similar grammar patterns.

When You See 「この場合」, Go Back a Little Further

A good reading habit is this:

When you see 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case), do not stop at the sentence immediately before it. Go back two or three sentences and check the flow.

You do not always need to go exactly three sentences back. The point is to avoid deciding too quickly.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What topic is being discussed?
• What condition or situation has been introduced?
• What problem has appeared?
• What judgment or solution comes after 「この場合」?

This helps you find the real range that 「この場合」 is referring to.

In JLPT N3 to N2 reading, 「この場合」 is often followed by the writer’s opinion, advice, or conclusion.

In other words, the information before 「この場合」 gives you the condition, and the sentence after it gives you the judgment.

Pay Attention to What Comes After 「この場合」

Many learners focus only on the part before 「この場合」. But the part after it is also very important.

Why?

Because the sentence after 「この場合」 often tells you how the writer understands that situation.

For example:

この場合、すぐに結論を出すのではなく、相手の意図を確認する必要があります。

Translation:
In this case, instead of immediately reaching a conclusion, it is necessary to confirm the other person’s intention.

From the second half, you can understand what kind of situation came before.

It was probably a situation where misunderstanding could happen, or where it would be risky to judge too quickly.

So when reading 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case), use both sides:

• Look before it to find the condition.
• Look after it to find the writer’s judgment.
• Connect both parts naturally.

If the answer choice does not connect smoothly with both sides, it is probably not the best answer.

Be Careful of “Generally Correct” Choices

One common trap in JLPT reading is the “generally correct” answer.

A choice may sound true in general, but still be wrong for this specific passage.

For example, imagine a passage about studying when you do not have much time.

If one answer says:

“You should learn everything carefully from the beginning.”

That may be a good study method in general. But if the passage is discussing a limited-time situation, it may not fit 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case).

In reading comprehension, the question is not:

“Is this idea generally true?”

The real question is:

“Does this idea fit this specific situation in the passage?”

This is especially important when reading 「この場合」.

Practice Example

Read the following short passage.

日本語の文章を読むとき、分からない単語が一つ出てくるだけで読むのを止めてしまう人がいます。しかし、読解問題では、すべての単語を完璧に理解しなくても、前後の流れから内容を推測できることがあります。この場合、分からない単語にこだわりすぎず、段落全体の流れをつかむことが大切です。

Translation:
When reading Japanese texts, some people stop reading as soon as they find just one word they do not understand. However, in reading questions, even if you do not understand every word perfectly, you can sometimes guess the meaning from the surrounding context. In this case, it is important not to focus too much on unknown words, but to grasp the flow of the whole paragraph.

What does 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) refer to?

If you look only at the previous sentence, you may think it refers only to:

「前後の流れから内容を推測できること」
Translation:
You can guess the meaning from the surrounding context.

But more accurately, it refers to this situation:

You find an unknown word while reading, but the overall meaning can still be guessed from the context.

That is why the conclusion is:

「分からない単語にこだわりすぎず、段落全体の流れをつかむことが大切です」
Translation:
It is important not to focus too much on unknown words, but to grasp the flow of the whole paragraph.

Now imagine an answer choice that says:

“You should look up every unknown word in a dictionary.”

This sounds serious and responsible. But it does not fit the passage.

The writer is not saying, “Stop and check every word.”
The writer is saying, “Do not stop too much. Follow the flow.”

「この場合」 Is a Signal for a Condition-Based Conclusion

In JLPT reading, 「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) is often a signal.

It tells you:

“Now the writer is going to talk about what should be done, thought, or understood under this condition.”

So when you see 「この場合」, read it as a bridge.

Before it, there is a situation.
After it, there is a judgment.

If you understand both sides, the answer choices become much easier to compare.

Summary

「この場合」 (kono baai / in this case) looks simple, but it is a very important expression in JLPT reading.

To read it correctly, remember these points:

• 「この場合」 often refers to the whole situation or condition, not just the previous sentence.
• Go back a little and check the flow of the explanation.
• Read the sentence after 「この場合」 to understand the writer’s judgment.
• Do not choose an answer just because it is generally true.
• Choose the answer that fits the specific situation in the passage.

Many JLPT learners do not fail reading questions because they know too few words. Often, they fail because they do not connect the sentences correctly.

If you can read expressions like 「この場合」 more carefully, your reading accuracy will improve.

RJT (Rapid Japanese Training) helps you practice JLPT vocabulary, grammar, and reading in one place. You can answer questions, check explanations, review Japanese examples, and build the habit of reading the whole context instead of reacting to just one sentence.

If you often feel, “I understand the sentence, but I still choose the wrong answer,” this kind of practice can make a real difference.

Start practicing JLPT reading with RJT