N4Time & Sequence

V-る / V-ている / V-た + ところだ

Q: Is "Using the wrong tense for the intended stage of the action." correct?

No. The correct form is "Use the correct tense (V-る, V-ている, or V-た) to indicate the stage of the action.". For example, if you're about to eat, you should use the V-る form (食べるところだ), not the V-ている form (食べているところだ).

Q: Is "Confusing 'te-iru tokoro' with the simple 'te-iru' progressive." correct?

No. The correct form is "Use 'te-iru tokoro' to indicate the stage of the action, not the simple 'te-iru' progressive.". For example, '今、レポートを書いているところですから' indicates the stage of the action, while '今、レポートを書いている' is the simple progressive form.

Q: Is "Forgetting 'da' or 'desu' at the end of the sentence." correct?

No. The correct form is "Don't forget to use 'da' or 'desu' at the end of the sentence.". For example, '今、レポートを書いているところだ' is the correct sentence, while '今、レポートを書いているところ' is missing the polite ending.

just about to; in the middle of; just finished

Definition

Meaning

The grammar pattern "V-る / V-ている / V-た + ところだ" is used to specify the exact stage of an action. It indicates whether an action is about to happen, currently happening, or has just finished. This pattern is commonly used in conversations to convey a sense of timing or sequence. For example, if someone asks you if you've eaten dinner, you might respond with "ううん、今から食べる" to indicate that you're about to eat. On the other hand, if someone asks you to be quiet because they're about to finish writing a report, you might say "今、レポートを書いているところですから、静かにしてください". This pattern is a useful way to add nuance to your language and convey a sense of timing or sequence.

Structure

Formation Rules

Form	Pattern	Example
V-る	V-る + ところだ	食べるところだ
V-ている	V-ている + ところだ	書いているところだ
V-た	V-た + ところだ	食べたところだ

Examples

Example Sentences

ううん、今から食べる。

U~n, ima kara taberu.

No, I'm about to eat.

ううん (no) + 今から (just about to) + 食べる (eat)

今、レポートを書いているところですから、静かにしてください。

I~ma, repōto o kaku tokoro desu kara, shizuka ni shite kudasai.

I'm currently writing a report, so please be quiet.

今 (now) + レポートを書いている (currently writing a report) + ところですから (because) + 静かにしてください (please be quiet)

出かけるところだ。

Dekakeru tokoro da.

I'm about to leave.

出かける (about to leave)

友達が遊びに来たところだ。

Tomodachi ga asobi ni kita tokoro da.

My friend just came to play.

友達が (my friend) + 遊びに来た (just came to play) + ところだ (just finished)

Context

Usage Notes

This pattern is used to specify the exact stage of an action, and it's commonly used in conversations to convey a sense of timing or sequence. It's often used in polite language, especially when asking someone to do something or when making a request. For example, you might say "今、レポートを書いているところですから、静かにしてください" to ask someone to be quiet while you're writing a report.

Watch out

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong tense for the intended stage of the action.

Use the correct tense (V-る, V-ている, or V-た) to indicate the stage of the action.

For example, if you're about to eat, you should use the V-る form (食べるところだ), not the V-ている form (食べているところだ).

Confusing 'te-iru tokoro' with the simple 'te-iru' progressive.

Use 'te-iru tokoro' to indicate the stage of the action, not the simple 'te-iru' progressive.

For example, '今、レポートを書いているところですから' indicates the stage of the action, while '今、レポートを書いている' is the simple progressive form.

Forgetting 'da' or 'desu' at the end of the sentence.

Don't forget to use 'da' or 'desu' at the end of the sentence.

For example, '今、レポートを書いているところだ' is the correct sentence, while '今、レポートを書いているところ' is missing the polite ending.

Strategy

JLPT Exam Tips

When using this pattern in the JLPT exam, make sure to use the correct tense (V-る, V-ている, or V-た) to indicate the stage of the action. Also, don't forget to use 'da' or 'desu' at the end of the sentence.

In context