“〜soshite・sore kara・sara ni”: And Then / Moreover / Furthermore (adding information) [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
A precise comparison of conjunctions that add information.
「本を読んだ。そして、感想を書いた」 — carrying information forward one item at a time
Writing a diary, 「本を読んだ。そして、感想を書いた」 (I read a book. And then I wrote my thoughts) — 「そして・それから・さらに」 are all information-adding connectives, but with different flavors: そして = and, and then (smooth/parallel); それから = and then, and also (temporal sequence or addition); さらに = furthermore, moreover (building on what's there). This guide covers these three adding-connectives' fine division of labor and how to tell them from 「また・その上.」
Core: three flavors of ‘adding'
All three carry the following information forward, but with different emphases:
- そして = and, and then (smooth, parallel, most general): linking two things naturally: 宿題をした。そして、寝た (did homework, and then slept).
- それから = and then, next, and also (temporal sequence or an added item): stressing the next step in time, or adding “and also”: 顔を洗う。それから、朝ごはんを食べる (wash face, and then eat breakfast); 「それから、これも (and also, this too)」.
- さらに = furthermore, moreover (building on/deepening what's there): adding on top of the first: 値段が安い。さらに、品質もいい (the price is cheap; moreover, the quality is good too).
Feel: “and then (そして)／and then・and also (それから)／furthermore (さらに)” — そして is most neutral and general, それから leans temporal sequence or added items, さらに carries a “degree/quantity going further up” escalation.
Attachment & forms
| Connective | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| そして | and, and then (smooth, parallel) | …。そして、〜 |
| それから | and then, and also (sequence／addition) | …。それから、〜 |
| さらに | furthermore, moreover (escalating) | …。さらに、〜 |
| また | also, again (a parallel other item) | …。また、〜 |
| その上 | moreover, on top of that (same-direction addition) | …。その上、〜 |
Examples in context
- 買い物をした。そして、家に帰った。(Did some shopping, and then went home.) — smooth
- まず野菜を切る。それから、肉を炒める。(First cut the vegetables, and then fry the meat.) — temporal sequence
- 「牛乳とパン、それから卵もお願い」(Milk and bread, and also eggs, please.) — added item
- この店は安い。さらに、味も抜群だ。(This shop is cheap; moreover, the taste is superb.) — escalating
- 台風が来た。さらに、地震まで起きた。(A typhoon came; furthermore, an earthquake even struck.) — piling on
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① 「そして」 is smooth/parallel, 「それから」 leans temporal sequence/addition. Both are often rendered “and then,” but the emphasis differs. 「そして」 = and, and then (smooth, parallel): linking two things naturally, whether sequential or parallel, most neutral and general: 本を読んだ。そして、感想を書いた (read a book, and then wrote thoughts). 「そして」 = and then, next (stressing the next step in time), or “and also” (an added item): it stresses more the next step in time order (finished A, then do B), or adds by listing (and also ～): 朝起きる。それから、シャワーを浴びる (get up, then shower); 「牛乳、それから卵も (milk, and eggs too)」. Difference: 「そして」 is more general, can be parallel; 「それから」 stresses temporal sequence or “adding one more item.” Mostly interchangeable, but for the temporal order of steps or listed additions, 「それから」 fits better.
② 「さらに」 carries ‘escalation, going further,' not a plain ‘and then.' 「さらに」 differs from the other two: it isn't merely carrying information forward, but ‘adding on top, going further' on what's already there, with an escalating, degree-deepening flavor: 安い。さらに、品質もいい (cheap; moreover the quality is even better — adding “good quality” on top of “cheap”), 成績が上がった。さらに、自信もついた (grades rose; furthermore, gained confidence too). It stresses “not only that, but even more ～.” So 「さらに」 is mostly for contexts of degree/quantity escalation, icing on the cake (or piling on woes), not a plain “and then.” Test: for merely “do/say the next thing” use そして／それから; for “adding on top, going further” use さらに.
③ Everyday speech mostly uses 「それから／で」; 「そして」 leans written/orderly. There's also a register difference. 「そして」 has a somewhat written, orderly feel, common in writing or formal speech. For the offhand sequence of everyday speech, natives more often use 「それから」 or the very casual 「で (and then)」: colloquial 「起きて、それから歯磨いて、で、出かけた」 (got up, then brushed teeth, and then went out). Using 「そして」 throughout casual chat sounds a bit stiff, like reading aloud. So: written, formal narration → そして (orderly); everyday sequence in speech → それから／で. (That said, 「そして」 isn't unusable in speech — just that speech favors それから／で more.)
🔄 Nuance & comparison: そして／それから／さらに／また／その上
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| そして | and, and then (smooth/parallel, general, leans written) | …。そして〜 |
| それから | and then, and also (sequence／addition, leans colloquial) | …。それから〜 |
| さらに | furthermore, moreover (escalating) | …。さらに〜 |
| また | also, again (a parallel other item) | …。また〜 |
| その上 | moreover, on top of that (same-direction addition) | …。その上〜 |
💡 An exam judgment tip
「そして・それから・さらに」 are all information-adding connectives — three points: ① 「そして」 = and, and then (smooth/parallel, most general, leans written/orderly); ② 「それから」 = and then, and also (stressing the next step in time, or a listed addition “and also ～,” leans colloquial); ③ 「さらに」 = furthermore, moreover (not a plain “and then,” but escalating “adding on top, going further” on the first). Division to remember: merely the next thing → そして／それから; degree/quantity escalation → さらに; a parallel other item → また. Register-wise, orderly writing uses そして, everyday sequence in speech uses それから／で more naturally. Master these three's fine differences and your narration's layering and logic become much clearer.
❓ Common questions
Q: 「そして」 and 「それから」 both mean ‘and then' — when do I use which?
Both mean “and then, next,” mostly interchangeable, but with a slightly different emphasis. 「そして」 = and, and then (smooth, parallel, most general): links two things naturally, whether temporal sequence or a parallel relation, neutral in tone, leans written/orderly: 映画を見た。そして、食事をした (saw a movie, and then ate), 彼は優しい。そして、頭もいい (he's kind, and smart too — parallel here). 「それから」 = and then, next (stressing the next step in time), or “and also” (listed addition): stresses more the next action in time order (finished A, then do B), or supplements “and also ～”: 顔を洗う。それから、歯を磨く (wash face, then brush teeth — clear temporal sequence); 「パンと牛乳、それから卵も買って (buy bread and milk, and also eggs)」 — an added item. Test: for parallel, or more formal/written → そして; to stress ‘the next step in time' or ‘adding one more item' → それから. E.g. a recipe's steps 「材料を切る。それから、炒める」 uses それから (temporal sequence) naturally; describing 「彼女は美人だ。そして、優しい (she's beautiful, and kind)」 uses そして (parallel praise) better. Also, in speech 「それから」 is used more than 「そして」; for everyday sequence, 「それから」 or 「で」 is most natural, while 「そして」 is a bit more written.
Q: How does 「さらに」 differ from 「そして／それから」?
The difference is whether it carries an ‘escalating, going-further' feel. 「そして／それから」 merely ‘carry the next thing forward' (and then, next), just connecting information in sequence or parallel, without specially stressing degree or addition: 宿題をした。そして／それから、寝た (did homework, and then slept). 「さらに」 ‘adds on top, goes further' on what's already there, with an escalating, degree-deepening, icing-on-the-cake (or piling-on-woes) flavor — “not only that, but even more ～／plus ～”: この製品は軽い。さらに、丈夫だ (this product is light; moreover, durable — adding a merit on top of “light”), 値上げされた。さらに、品質も落ちた (prices rose; furthermore, quality dropped too — adding a woe on a bad thing). It stresses “accumulation, upgrade on top of the first.” Test: for merely “do/say the next thing” (parallel连接) → そして／それから; for “adding on top, degree going further” → さらに. E.g. 「A社を訪問した。そして、B社にも行った (visited A, and then also went to B)」 is plain connection (そして); 「売上が伸びた。さらに、利益も増えた (sales grew; furthermore, profit rose too)」 carries escalation (さらに). Similar to 「さらに」 is 「その上 (moreover, on top of that),」 also a same-direction added escalation. To express “not only that, but even more ～,” 「さらに」 is most apt.
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「宿題をした。___、ゲームをした。」(then — chronological order)
(A) それから (B) しかし (C) ところが (D) なぜなら
Q2. 「値段が安い。___、デザインもいい。」(on top of that)
(A) さらに (B) それから (C) ところが (D) または
Q3. What does 「さらに」 emphasize?
(A) An increase in degree/quantity (furthermore, going a step further)
(B) Contrast
(C) Pure chronological order
(D) Cause-effect
Q4. What does 「それから」 emphasize?
(A) Chronological order (and then)
(B) An increase in degree
(C) Contrast
(D) A reason
Q5. Which usage is natural?
(A) 顔を洗い、そして歯を磨いた。 (B) 安い、そして高い(矛盾)。
(C) それから(理由を述べる)。 (D) さらに(逆接として)。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) それから ── Then (chronological order).
2. (A) さらに ── On top of that (increase).
3. (A) ── さらに emphasizes increase.
4. (A) ── それから emphasizes chronological order.
5. (A) ── 「顔を洗い、そして歯を磨いた」 is natural.