[steven]

Actually, google is a pretty good language tool if you use it correctly. You can check your grammar by putting your sentences in quotes into google and it will shoot back to you however many matches (if any) it has. It's a good way to see which grammatical forms are actually used (on the internet, at least... which I think is a hybrid between formal written language and everyday spoken language... mostly leaning towards spoken language).

It's also a good way to take single words and see which are used the most. Just put a word in and count the matches. Compare it to a word with the same meaning and you've got a good idea of which one carries more weight in everday language.

WWWJDIC is a good website that uses that concept, I think. It shows examples of usage, too, which is helpful.

That's where hiragana and a basic level knowledge of kanji will come into play... you can use it to check things on the internet. Otherwise, just check your grammar with whatever friends/language partners you make in Japan.