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JLPT N3Modal Expressions

～ことだ— You Really Should

Used to give strong advice or a recommendation: 'the best thing (to do) is ~' or 'you should ~'. It presents the action as the clearly sensible course for achieving a goal. Because it can sound a bit direct or authoritative, it is often used by someone with more experience advising someone else.

Grammar path · 練習

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Pro lessonUNIT 23 · MODAL EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb dictionary form] / [Verb ない-form] + ことだ

Examples · 例文

  • 上手になりたいなら、毎日練習することだ。

    Jouzu ni naritai nara, mainichi renshuu suru koto da.

    If you want to get good, you should practice every day.

    練習する + ことだ = the sensible thing to do is practice

  • 風邪のときは、無理をしないことだ。

    Kaze no toki wa, muri wo shinai koto da.

    When you have a cold, you shouldn't overdo it.

    しない + ことだ = negative advice 'you'd best not ~'

  • 成功したければ、諦めないことだ。

    Seikou shitakereba, akiramenai koto da.

    If you want to succeed, you must not give up.

    諦めない + ことだ presents 'not giving up' as the key

Usage notes · 注意

  • Only attaches to verbs (dictionary or ない-form), not to nouns or the past tense.
  • Can sound blunt/preachy; soften with a reason clause or a gentler form (〜といいですよ, 〜ほうがいいですよ) in delicate situations.
  • Do not confuse with 〜ことだ used as exclamation (that requires a degree word — see ことか).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～ことだ is tested against.

vsほうがいい

ほうがいい gives softer, case-by-case advice; ことだ presents the action as the essential, obviously correct thing to do.

vsべきだ

べきだ states a moral/social obligation ('ought to'); ことだ gives practical advice for reaching a personal goal.

More modal expressions

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