Understanding Text Grammar
Text grammar questions test your ability to understand how sentences connect within a larger context. At the N2 level, you need to master discourse markers, conjunctions, and coherence devices that create logical flow in paragraphs and longer texts.
๐ Discourse Connectors (ๆฅ็ถ่ฉ)
1. Adding Information (ๆ ๅ ฑ่ฟฝๅ )
ใใใซ (sarani) - furthermore, moreover
Example:
ใใฎ่ฃฝๅใฏๅฎใใใใใซใๅ่ณชใ่ฏใใ
This product is cheap. Furthermore, the quality is good.
ใใฎไธ (sonoue) - on top of that, moreover
Example:
ๅฝผใฏ้ ญใใใใใใฎไธใในใใผใใๅพๆใ ใ
He's smart. On top of that, he's good at sports.
ใใใซ (soreni) - besides, moreover
Example:
ไปๆฅใฏ็ฒใใใใใใซใๆๆฅใๆฉใใ
I'm tired today. Besides, I have to get up early tomorrow.
ๅ ใใฆ (kuwaete) - in addition, moreover (formal)
Example:
็ตๆธใๆ้ทใใฆใใใๅ ใใฆใๅคฑๆฅญ็ใไธใใฃใฆใใใ
The economy is growing. In addition, unemployment is decreasing.
2. Contrasting (ๅฏพๆฏ)
ใใใ (shikashi) - however, but
Example:
ๅๅผทใใใใใใใ่ฉฆ้จใซ่ฝใกใใ
I studied. However, I failed the exam.
ใจใใใ (tokoroga) - however, but (unexpected result)
Example:
้จใ้ใใจๆใฃใใใจใใใใๆดใใใ
I thought it would rain. However, it was sunny.
ใใใซๅฏพใใฆ (sore ni taishite) - in contrast to that
Example:
ๅปๅนดใฏๆใใฃใใใใใซๅฏพใใฆไปๅนดใฏๆถผใใใ
Last year was hot. In contrast, this year is cool.
ไธๆน (ippou) - on the other hand
Example:
้ฝไผใฏไพฟๅฉใ ใไธๆนใ็ฐ่ใฏ้ใใ ใ
Cities are convenient. On the other hand, the countryside is quiet.
3. Cause and Effect (ๅ ๆ้ขไฟ)
ใ ใใ (dakara) - therefore, so
Example:
้จใ้ใฃใใใ ใใใ่ฉฆๅใฏไธญๆญขใซใชใฃใใ
It rained. Therefore, the game was cancelled.
ใใฎใใ (sonotame) - for that reason, therefore
Example:
ไบค้ไบๆ
ใใใฃใใใใฎใใใ้ใๆททใใงใใใ
There was an accident. For that reason, the roads are congested.
ใใใใฃใฆ (shitagatte) - consequently, therefore (formal)
Example:
ๅฃฒไธใๆธๅฐใใใใใใใฃใฆใ็ต่ฒปใๅๆธใใใ
Sales decreased. Consequently, we'll cut expenses.
ใใฎ็ตๆ (sonokekka) - as a result
Example:
ๆฏๆฅ็ทด็ฟใใใใใฎ็ตๆใไธๆใซใชใฃใใ
I practiced every day. As a result, I became skilled.
4. Explanation and Restatement (่ชฌๆใป่จใๆใ)
ใคใพใ (tsumari) - in other words, that is
Example:
ๅฝผใฏๆฅใชใใใคใพใใไธไบบใง่กใใใใชใใ
He's not coming. In other words, I have to go alone.
ใใชใใก (sunawachi) - namely, that is to say (formal)
Example:
ๆๆฅใฏ็ฅๆฅใ ใใใชใใกใไผ็คพใฏไผใฟใ ใ
Tomorrow is a holiday. That is to say, the company is closed.
่ฆใใใซ (yousuruni) - in short, to sum up
Example:
้ทใ่ฉฑใใใใ่ฆใใใซๅๅฏพใ ใจใใใใจใ ใ
He talked for a long time, but in short, he's against it.
่จใๆใใใจ (ikaeruto) - to put it another way
Example:
ๅฝผใฏๅคฉๆใ ใ่จใๆใใใจใๆฎ้ใใใชใใ
He's a genius. To put it another way, he's not ordinary.
5. Example and Illustration (ไพ็คบ)
ไพใใฐ (tatoeba) - for example
Example:
ๆ็ฉใๅฅฝใใ ใไพใใฐใใใใใใใใใชใฉใ
I like fruit. For example, apples and bananas.
ๅ
ทไฝ็ใซใฏ (gutaitekiniwa) - specifically, concretely
Example:
ๅ้กใใใใๅ
ทไฝ็ใซใฏใไบ็ฎใ่ถณใใชใใ
There's a problem. Specifically, we don't have enough budget.
็นใซ (tokuni) - especially, particularly
Example:
ในใใผใใๅฅฝใใ ใ็นใซใตใใซใผใๅฅฝใใ ใ
I like sports. Especially soccer.
6. Conclusion (็ต่ซ)
็ตๅฑ (kekkyoku) - in the end, after all
Example:
่ฒใ
่ใใใ็ตๅฑใ่กใใชใใใจใซใใใ
I thought about various things. In the end, I decided not to go.
ๆ็ต็ใซ (saishuutekini) - finally, ultimately
Example:
่ญฐ่ซใใใๆ็ต็ใซใๅฝผใฎๆกใๆก็จใใใใ
We discussed. Finally, his proposal was adopted.
ใใฎใใใซ (konoyouni) - in this way, thus
Example:
ๅชๅใใใใใฎใใใซใๆๅใงใใใ
I worked hard. In this way, I was able to succeed.
๐ Coherence Devices
Reference Words (ๆ็คบ่ช)
ใใ/ใใ/ใใ - this/that/that (over there)
ใใฎ/ใใฎ/ใใฎ + noun - this/that/that + noun
ใใ/ใใ/ใใ - like this/like that/like that
ใใ/ใใ/ใใใ - here/there/over there
Example in context:
ๆจๆฅใๆฐใใใฌในใใฉใณใซ่กใฃใใใใใฏ้ฐๅฒๆฐใ่ฏใใฃใใ
ๆ็ใ็พๅณใใใฃใใใพใใใใใซ่กใใใใ
I went to a new restaurant yesterday. The atmosphere there was good.
The food was also delicious. I want to go there again.
ใใ refers back to the restaurant mentioned earlier.
Topic Markers
ใใซใคใใฆใฏ (ni tsuite wa) - regarding, about
Example:
็ฐๅขๅ้กใซใคใใฆใฏใๆงใ
ใชๆ่ฆใใใใ
Regarding environmental issues, there are various opinions.
ใใซ้ขใใฆใฏ (ni kanshite wa) - concerning
Example:
ใใฎไปถใซ้ขใใฆใฏใๅพใง่ฉฑใใพใใ
Concerning this matter, I'll talk about it later.
ใใจใใใฐ (to ieba) - speaking of, when it comes to
Example:
ๆฅๆฌใจใใใฐใๅฏๅฃซๅฑฑใๆๅใ ใ
Speaking of Japan, Mt. Fuji is famous.
Perspective Markers
ใใซใใใจ (ni yoruto) - according to
Example:
ๅคฉๆฐไบๅ ฑใซใใใจใๆๆฅใฏ้จใ ใใใ ใ
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
ใใใ่ฆใใจ (kara miru to) - from the perspective of
Example:
่ฆชใใ่ฆใใจใๅญไพใฏใใคใพใงใๅญไพใ ใ
From a parent's perspective, children are always children.
ใใซใจใฃใฆ (ni totte) - for, to
Example:
ๅญฆ็ใซใจใฃใฆใๅคไผใฟใฏๆฅฝใใฟใ ใ
For students, summer vacation is something to look forward to.
๐ก Text Completion Practice
Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Connector
ๅฝผใฏ็้ข็ฎใ ใ___ใ้
ๅปใใใใจใใใใ
A. ใ ใใ B. ใใใ C. ใใใซ D. ใคใพใ
A. ใ ใใ B. ใใใ C. ใใใซ D. ใคใพใ
Answer: B. ใใใ (however)
He's serious. However, he sometimes arrives late.
Contrasting two statements about the same person.
He's serious. However, he sometimes arrives late.
Contrasting two statements about the same person.
ไบค้ไบๆ
ใใใฃใใ___ใ้ใๆททใใงใใใ
A. ใใใ B. ใจใใใ C. ใใฎใใ D. ใใใซ
A. ใใใ B. ใจใใใ C. ใใฎใใ D. ใใใซ
Answer: C. ใใฎใใ (for that reason)
There was an accident. For that reason, the roads are congested.
Shows cause and effect relationship.
There was an accident. For that reason, the roads are congested.
Shows cause and effect relationship.
ใใฎ่ฃฝๅใฏๅฎใใ___ใไฝฟใใใใใ
A. ใใใ B. ใจใใใ C. ใใใซ D. ใคใพใ
A. ใใใ B. ใจใใใ C. ใใใซ D. ใคใพใ
Answer: C. ใใใซ (furthermore)
This product is cheap. Furthermore, it's easy to use.
Adding positive information.
This product is cheap. Furthermore, it's easy to use.
Adding positive information.
Exercise 2: Complete the Passage
ๆฅๆฌใฎไบบๅฃใฏๆธๅฐใใฆใใใ(1)___ใ้ซ้ฝขๅใ้ฒใใงใใใ
(2)___ใๅดๅๅไธ่ถณใๆทฑๅปใชๅ้กใซใชใฃใฆใใใ
(3)___ใๅคๅฝไบบๅดๅ่
ใๅใๅ
ฅใใๅฟ
่ฆใใใใ
Options for (1): A. ใใใซ B. ใใใ C. ใคใพใ
Options for (2): A. ใจใใใ B. ใใฎ็ตๆ C. ไธๆน
Options for (3): A. ใจใใใ B. ใใใใฃใฆ C. ไพใใฐ
Answers:
(1) A. ใใใซ - adding information
(2) B. ใใฎ็ตๆ - showing result
(3) B. ใใใใฃใฆ - showing conclusion/solution
Translation:
Japan's population is declining. Furthermore, aging is also progressing.
As a result, labor shortage has become a serious problem.
Therefore, it's necessary to accept foreign workers.
Exercise 3: Fix the Flow
โ ๅฝผใฏๅชใใใใ ใใใๆใ
ๅณใใใ
โ ๅฝผใฏๅชใใใใใใใๆใ ๅณใใใ
โ ๅฝผใฏๅชใใใใใใใๆใ ๅณใใใ
Incorrect: He's kind. Therefore, he's sometimes strict.
Correct: He's kind. However, he's sometimes strict.
Use contrast connector for opposite characteristics.
Correct: He's kind. However, he's sometimes strict.
Use contrast connector for opposite characteristics.
๐ Reading Passage Analysis
่ฟๅนดใๅฐ็ๆธฉๆๅใๆทฑๅปใชๅ้กใจใชใฃใฆใใใ(1)็นใซใ
ๅๆฅตใฎๆฐทใๆบถใใฆใใใใจใๆธๅฟตใใใฆใใใ(2)ใใฎ็ตๆใ
ๆตท้ขใไธๆใใไฝใๅๅฐใๆฐดๆฒกใใๅฑ้บๆงใใใใ(3)ใใใใฃใฆใ
ไบ้
ธๅ็ญ็ด ใฎๆๅบใๆธใใๅฟ
่ฆใใใใ(4)ใใใใ็ตๆธ็บๅฑ
ใๆญขใใใใจใฏใงใใชใใ(5)ใคใพใใ็ฐๅขไฟ่ญทใจ็ตๆธ็บๅฑใฎ
ไธก็ซใๆฑใใใใฆใใใฎใ ใ
Analysis:
(1) ็นใซ - specifying a particular aspect
(2) ใใฎ็ตๆ - showing the result/consequence
(3) ใใใใฃใฆ - concluding the solution needed
(4) ใใใ - introducing a contrasting challenge
(5) ใคใพใ - restating/summarizing the main issue
Translation:
In recent years, global warming has become a serious problem.
Especially, the melting of Arctic ice is a concern. As a result,
sea levels are rising and there's a danger of low-lying areas
being submerged. Therefore, it's necessary to reduce CO2 emissions.
However, we cannot stop economic development. In other words,
achieving both environmental protection and economic development
is required.
๐ฏ Key Takeaways
- Connector function: Understand the logical relationship each connector expresses
- Context reading: Pay attention to what comes before and after the blank
- Formality level: Choose connectors appropriate for written vs spoken text
- Reference tracking: Follow ใใ/ใใ/ใใ to understand text coherence
- Logical flow: Ensure sentences connect logically with proper transitions
- Paragraph structure: Recognize topic sentences, supporting details, conclusions
- Multiple meanings: Some connectors have similar but slightly different uses
- Practice analysis: Analyze complete passages to see connectors in context