Lesson 34
Essays & opinion writing
- 1 〜てしかるべきだ ~te shikarubeki da ought to ~ / it is only proper that ~ The editorial's firm but polite complaint: 'this is only right and proper — yet it isn't happening.'
- 2 〜ではなかろうか ~de wa nakarō ka might it not be that ~? (soft claim, written) How a writer puts their own view softly, as if asking — the key to finding the main point in N1 reading.
- 3 〜であろう ~de arō it is likely that ~ (written) The most formal written 「だろう」— how reports, news commentary and essays predict.
- 4 〜と言っても過言ではない ~to itte mo kagon de wa nai it is no exaggeration to say ~ Making a big claim while staying safe — 'this is no exaggeration' — in articles and speeches.
- 5 〜は否めない ~wa inamenai it cannot be denied that ~ (admitting a weak point) How reports and editorials honestly admit a weak point — usually followed by 'but…'.
- 6 ともすれば〜 tomosureba ~ be apt to ~ (if not careful) A word that warns at the very start of the sentence: 'if you're not careful, this easily slides the wrong way.'
- 7 いかに〜か ikani ~ ka how (very) ~ (it is) The written どんなに — how news and essays stress 'just how important it is'.
Lesson check
All 7 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
🔒
「事故から一年たつのに、会社からはまだ説明がない。本来なら、社長自ら謝罪＿＿。」(editorial) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The complaint 'it ought to happen, but it hasn't'.
本来なら + Vて しかるべきだ = it would only be proper (yet it hasn't happened). であろう is just a prediction, 過言ではない would claim he did apologise (he hasn't), and 否めない admits a weak point.
「このままでは、地方のバス路線はいずれ消えてしまう＿＿。」(a report's prediction) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The written 'probably' that attaches straight to the plain form.
Plain form + であろう = will probably ~ (written). てしかるべきだ needs the て-form, は否めない needs 「こと」in front, and ともすれば never ends a sentence.
「問題は制度そのものではなく、運用の仕方＿＿。」(the writer's soft claim) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'Might it not be ~?' — a soft, question-shaped claim.
N + ではなかろうか = might it not be ~? (the writer's main point). であろうと = 'even if' and leaves the sentence hanging; は否めない and てしかるべきだ make no sense here.
「新制度の導入を急ぎすぎた感＿＿が、方向性は間違っていない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Admit the weak point, then the real view after 「が」.
〜感は否めないが、… = the impression (of haste) can't be denied, but…. The other options don't connect with 「感」and 「が」.
「忙しい時期は、＿＿確認作業がおろそかになりがちだ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The warning word that pairs with 「がちだ」.
ともすれば〜がちだ = if not careful, easily slides the wrong way. いかに needs 「か」; 否めず and であろう don't fit here.
「この事故は、安全教育が＿＿重要かを示している。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:「か」follows — 'how very'.
いかに〜か = how ~ it is. ともすれば goes with bad tendencies, しかるべき before a noun, and であろう at the end of a sentence.
「スマートフォンは、今や生活になくてはならない道具だ＿＿。」(a strong but safe claim) — fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'It's no exaggeration'.
〜だと言っても過言ではない = it's no exaggeration to say ~. てしかるべきだ needs the て-form; ともすれば and いかにか can't end the sentence.
In a report or essay, which is the most formal written form of 「〜だろう」(probably)?
💡 Hint:「である」in place of 「だ」.
〜であろう = the written 'probably'. 〜ではなかろうか is the written 「〜ではないだろうか」(a soft claim), 過言ではない a strong claim, 否めない admitting a weak point.
Your score: /8