Grammar sticks when learned by function. Here’s a simple progression.
N5
- Sentence frames, particles (は/が/を/に/で/へ/と), ます/です, い/な adjectives.
- Practice: 2–3 points/day + 4 example sentences you write yourself.
N4
- て‑form uses, past/negative, giving reasons, suggestions, ability.
- Practice: short dialogues; track clause boundaries and particles.
N3
- Contrast, concession, assumption, obligations, softeners.
- Practice: minimal pairs to feel nuance; paragraph summaries.
N2
- Formal connectors, embedded clauses, cause/effect chains.
- Practice: identify rhetorical roles in readings (claim, support, contrast).
N1
- Discourse‑level linking and register sensitivity.
- Practice: editorials/essays; summarize each paragraph, then the piece.
Tie grammar to input: learn, then notice it in reading/listening the same day.