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JLPT N3Formal Expressions

～ことになっている— It's The Rule

Expresses an established rule, arrangement, schedule, or social expectation that is currently in force: 'it is arranged/decided that ~' or 'the rule is that ~'. Unlike ことになった (which reports a one-time decision), the ている form stresses that the rule or plan is a standing state.

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Pro lessonUNIT 27 · FORMAL EXPRESSIONS

Structure · 形

[Verb dictionary / ない-form] + ことになっている

Examples · 例文

  • 会議は毎週月曜日に行うことになっている。

    Kaigi wa maishuu getsuyoubi ni okonau koto ni natte iru.

    The meeting is set to be held every Monday.

    行う + ことになっている = standing arrangement/schedule

  • 館内では写真を撮ってはいけないことになっている。

    Kannai de wa shashin wo totte wa ikenai koto ni natte iru.

    The rule is that you may not take photos inside the building.

    撮ってはいけない + ことになっている = an in-force rule

  • 明日は先生と会うことになっている。

    Ashita wa sensei to au koto ni natte iru.

    It's arranged that I'll meet the teacher tomorrow.

    会う + ことになっている = a settled personal plan

Usage notes · 注意

  • Stresses an ongoing rule/plan; ことになった reports the moment a decision was made.
  • Often used for regulations, customs, and schedules decided by others or by circumstance.
  • Compare 〜ことにしている, which is a personal habit one has chosen for oneself.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～ことになっている is tested against.

vsことにしている

ことにしている is a self-imposed personal habit/policy ('I make it a rule to ~'); ことになっている is an external rule or arrangement decided by others or circumstances.

vsことになった

ことになった reports the one-time event of a decision being reached; ことになっている describes the resulting rule as a continuing state.

More formal expressions

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