Tokutei Transport › How to answer ○× items

How to answer true/false (○×) items in the truck exam

The 30 theory items are 60% of the paper. ○× items are short to read but easy to lose points on, because the examiner keeps the sentence and changes one detail. This page teaches you to read word by word, spot the keywords and avoid the usual traps.

Last updated: 2026-10-07

At a glance

30○× items, 18 correct needed
5steps to read one ○× item
4obligation phrases to tell apart
1detail changed in each false item

What a ○× item looks like

Each item is a statement in Japanese, and you mark it correct (○) or wrong (×). The examiner takes a true rule and changes exactly ONE detail: who acts, when, what, how much, or which number. The sentence still sounds natural, so it is easy to skim past. Each signal below is only a tendency with a reason and an exception, not a way of guessing.

Four obligation phrases

Pattern	Meaning
〜なければならない	must
〜必要がある	need to
〜てはいけない	must not
〜てもよい	may

Items often change "must" into "may", or the reverse, so read the end of the sentence exactly.

Scope words: how broad is the claim

必ず・すべて・常に: absolute. The more absolute, the easier it is to be false, but some absolute statements are true, so check the rule.
〜だけ・〜しか〜ない: only. A statement like "tying down firmly is enough" names only one factor.
〜ことがある: it can happen. A mild claim, so it is more often true.
〜とは限らない: not necessarily.

Conditions and subjects

Split the sentence into condition and action. 〜場合・〜とき says when to do what, 〜なら・〜れば is "if", and 〜ため・〜ので leads from cause to result. A real exception exists only when the rule names the condition itself, for example a green signal at a railway crossing means you do not have to stop. Finally check the subject: driver (運転者), operation manager (運行管理者) or company (会社).

A 5-step routine for one item

Read the whole sentence once without guessing.
Underline the subject: who acts.
Underline the condition: when, in which case.
Underline the obligation and scope words.
Match every detail against the rule you remember. If one detail is off, the item is ×.

Three examples of a swapped word

"If it is not in the mirror, you may turn left." False, because a truck has a blind spot on the left and you must look directly.
"Tying down firmly is enough to stop cargo shifting." False, because three factors are needed: load, tie, drive.
"Under a low underpass you must never exceed the height limit." True. An absolute statement that is true, so do not reject an item only because it has an absolute word.

How to practise

Take mock exams with the timer, about 1 minute per ○× item (only a suggestion, not an exam rule). When you miss one, log the reason in the error log: missed a keyword, mixed up the subject or mixed up a condition, and revise exactly that part the next day, on day 3 and on day 7. Learn the trade vocabulary to read sentence endings faster, and see the practical part to balance the ○× part.

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FAQ

Is an item with an absolute word like 必ず always false?

No. Absolute words make an item easier to fault, but some absolute statements are true, so you must check the rule.

How much time should I give each ○× item?

The app suggests about 1 minute each, about 30 minutes in total. It is a pacing suggestion, not an exam rule.

How many ○× items do I need to pass?

At least 18 of 30 (60%). The practical part is counted separately and needs at least 12 of 20.

How do I find which detail was changed?

Split the item into subject, condition and action, then compare each detail, numbers included, with the rule.

Take a mock exam and see right away which items you missed and why.

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