Hiragana and katakana
The two kana scripts can represent the same sounds, but they serve different roles. Learn where each appears in words and sentences, not just how the characters look.
Connect symbols with sounds
あ and ア both normally represent a. Hiragana and katakana are not separate languages: they are two scripts used to write Japanese. Start by matching characters that represent the same sound.
Go beyond reciting the kana chart and read short words such as いぬ (dog) and ねこ (cat). When you know a word's meaning and sound, you can more easily identify which character you misread.
Recognize their roles
Hiragana is used for particles and inflectional endings, among other things. In 本を読みます, を and the みます after 読 are hiragana. A whole word may also be written in hiragana when its kanji has not yet been learned.
Katakana often appears in loanwords such as コーヒー (coffee), and also in foreign names, sound words, and emphasis. A katakana spelling does not guarantee that a word has the same meaning or pronunciation as its English source.
Move from reading to writing
Read a word, cover it, and try writing it. Compare any mistaken character with the one you confused it with, then read the whole word again to check the connection between sound and spelling.
A sentence can naturally mix kanji with both kana scripts. Changes of script can help you read it, but a change of script does not always mark the boundary between two words.
Check: Is コーヒー written in katakana because loanwords keep their original pronunciation?
Show the answer and why
No. Katakana is conventionally used for loanwords, but コーヒー follows Japanese sound patterns. Do not simply substitute the English pronunciation of coffee.