Search pages and navigate
Describing resultant states, advance preparation, completion, and doing without
What each pattern means, when to use it, and the mistakes that cost marks in the exam.
Describes a state that continues without change, often implying that an expected action to change the state did not occur. It focuses on the result of a previous action or the lack thereof.
Common mistakes
Describes an action performed without doing another action, or choosing one action instead of another. It is very common in spoken Japanese.
Common mistakes
Used with transitive verbs to describe a state that exists because someone performed an action with a specific purpose. The focus is on the current result of that intentional action.
Common mistakes
Expresses the idea of attempting an action to see what the result or experience will be like. It's often used when doing something for the first time.
Common mistakes
Indicates performing an action beforehand in preparation for a future event or to leave something in a certain state for future convenience.
Common mistakes
Used to express the completion of an action, or to convey a sense of regret, mistake, or unfortunate outcome regarding an action that happened.
Common mistakes
Adaptive practice
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on these 6 grammar patterns and track which ones you need to review most.