“〜mo naku・〜koto naku”: Without (doing) anything at all [JLPT N2]

By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026

“Mayoi mo naku kotaeta” “Yasumu koto naku hashiri tsuzuketa” — doing something with zero 〜

“〜mo naku・〜koto naku”: Without 〜 at all (written)

This pair expresses doing something with absolutely no 〜. 「noun ＋ もなく」 = “without even any 〜” (何の連絡もなく = without any contact at all); 「dictionary-form verb ＋ ことなく」 = “without 〜-ing” (休むことなく = without resting). Both lean written and formal, with a weighty tone.

🧠 Core nuance: a clean, total “not even once”

もなく・ことなく are more formal and emphatic about “utterly none” than the colloquial 〜ないで／〜ずに. They often depict persistence, purity, or absence: going non-stop, without a moment's hesitation, with no contact whatsoever. The effect is a tight, written feel, suited to narration, reporting, and formal writing.

📌 How to Connect

💬 Example Sentences

• 彼は迷いもなく「やります」と答えた。(He answered “I'll do it” without a moment's hesitation.)
• 何の連絡もなく、彼女は来なかった。(Without any contact at all, she didn't show up.)
• 彼は最後まで諦めることなく、走り抜いた。(He ran all the way without ever giving up.)
• 三日間、休むことなく働き続けた。(He worked for three days without rest.)
• 誰にも知られることなく、計画は進んだ。(The plan moved ahead without anyone knowing.)

🔄 Compare: ことなく vs ないで vs ずに vs もなく

⚠️ Common Mistakes

1. Verb ＋ もなく: ✗ 迷うもなく → ✓ 迷うことなく (verbs take ことなく).
2. Noun ＋ ことなく: ✗ 連絡することなく for “without contact” → use the noun directly: 連絡もなく.
3. Using た / ない form: ことなく follows the dictionary form (休む), not 休んだ／休まない.
4. Forcing it in casual speech: everyday talk uses 〜ないで／〜ずに; ことなく sounds stiff there.

💡 Nuance & When to Use

ことなく・もなく belong to written, narrative, and formal Japanese — common in news, novels, and essays, creating a weighty, compact tone. In casual chat, 〜ないで／〜ずに is more natural for “without 〜-ing.” Drop ことなく into an N2 essay and it instantly raises the formality.

🎯 JLPT Exam Tips

• High-frequency N2: dictionary-form verb ＋ ことなく, noun ＋ もなく — a common connection question.
• Distinction: against ないで／ずに, pick the written, formal ことなく.
• 諦める / 休む / 迷う ＋ ことなく usually depicts persistence or non-stop action.

🖊️ Practice Quiz

Q1. 「彼は最後まで諦める___、走り抜いた。」(ran without giving up)

(A) ことなく　(B) ものなく　(C) ばかりで　(D) どころか

Q2. 「何の連絡___、来なかった。」(without any contact)

(A) もなく　(B) ことなく　(C) しなく　(D) でなく

Q3. What does 「休むことなく働く」 mean?

(A) Work without resting

(B) Rest the whole time

(C) Work occasionally

(D) Don't work

Q4. What verb form comes before 「ことなく」?

(A) Dictionary form

(B) ない-form

(C) た-form

(D) て-form

Q5. Which connection is correct?

(A) 迷うことなく進む。　(B) 迷うもなく進む。

(C) 連絡することなく (as a noun)。　(D) 説明ことなく終わる。

Answer Key

1. (A) ことなく ── verb dict. form ＋ ことなく.

2. (A) もなく ── noun 連絡 ＋ もなく.

3. (A) ── work without resting.

4. (A) Dictionary form ── dict. form ＋ ことなく.

5. (A) ── verbs use ことなく (迷うことなく).