Lesson 15
Degree & Emphasis
- 1 〜くらい・ほど ~kurai / ~hodo to the extent that "Tired enough to cry" — showing how much by comparing.
- 2 〜ほど〜はない ~hodo ~wa nai nothing as ~ as "Nothing beats this" — the way to say the very top.
- 3 〜さえ ~sae even Not even the smallest, easiest thing — the extreme example.
- 4 〜まで ~made even (as far as) Not N5's "until" — the surprised まで of "even that far!"
- 5 〜なんか・なんて ~nanka / ~nante things like / such a thing as "Someone like me", "such a thing!" — belittling, or surprised.
- 6 〜に限る・くらいなら ~ni kagiru / ~kurai nara nothing beats / rather than "This is best" and "rather than that" — two comparative choices.
- 7 〜しかない ~shika nai have no choice but to Not N4's "only" — the resigned "there's no other way".
- 8 〜ことか ~koto ka how ~! "How I've missed them!" — feeling bursting out.
Lesson check
All 8 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
🔒
「足が痛くて、もう歩けない＿疲れた。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:How tired? — showing the degree.
V + くらい = "to the point that" (degree). しか needs a negative after it; さえ attaches to nouns.
「疲れた時、温かいお風呂＿気持ちいいものはない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Note 「ものはない」 — "nothing beats it".
N ほど … ものはない = "nothing is as … as N". さえ and まで mean "even"; なんか belittles.
「この問題は難しくて、先生で＿分からなかった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:There's a 「で」 in front — the extreme example.
N + でさえ = "even N" (the extreme case). まで doesn't follow で; なんか belittles.
「いつも厳しい店長に＿ほめられて、うれしかった。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:"Even that person!" — a happy surprise.
N + にまで = "even by N" (surprise). しか needs a negative; なんか would belittle in a happy sentence.
「彼が会社をやめる＿、信じられない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Shocked — "such a thing!"
V + なんて = "that … — unbelievable!" (shock). しか means "only", さえ "even" and ほど shows degree — none of them marks what shocks you.
「あの会社で働く＿、国に帰ったほうがいい。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:"Rather than do that, I'd sooner…"
V + くらいなら = "rather than …". に限る and しかない close a sentence; they can't link two clauses like this.
「終電がもうない。タクシーで帰る＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:There's no other way.
Dictionary form + しかない = "no choice but to". ことか is an exclamation ("how …!") and doesn't fit here; さえ and ほど can't end the sentence.
「合格したと聞いて、母はどんなに喜んだ＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Note 「どんなに」 — feeling bursting out.
どんなに … ことか = "how …!" — feeling bursting out (how happy Mum was!). なんて shows shock and doesn't pair with どんなに.
Your score: /8