N1 Grammar ⑦ ことなく
JLPT N1 Japanese self-study · ~15 min · ことなく / たところで / ようでは — three N1 concession patterns
'He worked without rest.' 'Apologizing now won't get you forgiven.' 'If you can't even understand this, you can't pass.' — ことなく is literary denial; the other two challenge the result.
What you'll learn
- ことなく: 'without doing ~' — formal literary equivalent of ずに or ないで
- たところで: 'even if you do/did ~, it won't help' — futility
- ようでは: 'if things are like this (disappointing) ~' → negative result (criticism)
- Key: ことなく=manner (without); たところで=futility; ようでは=critical condition
How to study “N1 Grammar ⑦ ことなく”
“N1 Grammar ⑦ ことなく” (ことなく / たところで / ようでは — three N1 concession patterns) is a JLPT N1 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 15 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.