JLPT N1 grammar by function

JLPT N1 Time: as soon as, turning points, since

なり, や否や, が早いか, and そばから all mean "as soon as", with そばから stressing something that keeps getting undone. を境に, を皮切りに, and を限りに mark turning points, starts, and endings, and てからというもの describes a lasting change since an event. なり cannot describe your own actions, a restriction learners often forget.

23 N1 grammar points in this group

あらかじめ (arakajime): beforehand; in advance; previously

Use あらかじめ to place an action or state in the past relative to another event. It tells the listener that something happened, or should happen, at an earlier time.

必ずあらかじめ連絡してください。 — Please be sure to contact us in advance.

かつて (katsute): once; before; formerly; ever; former; ex-

Use かつて when you want to express that a previous state no longer holds, or to emphasise that an experience is unprecedented. It acts as an adverb that modifies the entire following statement, and it almost always implies a comparison with the present.

かつて彼はこの会社の社長だった。 — He was once the president of this company.

もはや (mohaya): already; now; no longer; not anymore

Use もはや when you want to emphasize that the present moment is beyond some earlier boundary. It can mean “already” (in the sense of “this far, and no earlier”) or “no longer” (the previous condition is over).

事態はもはや手の施しようがない。 — The situation is already beyond our control.

とっさに (tossa ni): at once; right away; promptly

Use とっさに when you want to express an immediate, unplanned reaction—the kind of action that happens before you have time to think.

咄嗟に手で顔をかばった。 — I instinctively covered my face with my hands.

なり (nari): as soon as; right after

Use なり when you want to show that as soon as one action takes place, another action happens right away, with virtually no gap. The second action is often an instinctive or immediate response, and the whole sentence carries a nuance of speed or lack of delay.

彼は家に着くなり鞄を置いて、すぐに出かけた。 — As soon as he got home, he put down his bag and immediately went out again.

や否や (ya ina ya): as soon as; the moment

Use や否や when you want to express that one action or event occurs the very moment another action is finished, emphasizing immediate, often surprising, succession.

駅に着くや否や、電話が鳴った。 — The moment I arrived at the station, the phone rang.

が早いか (ga hayai ka): no sooner than; as soon as

Use が早いか when you want to express that an action takes place the very moment the previous action happens. It underscores that the second action is immediate and often involuntary, surprising, or inevitable.

家に帰るが早いか、冷蔵庫を開けてビールを飲んだ。 — No sooner had he come home than he opened the fridge and drank a beer.

そばから (soba kara): as soon as; right after

Use そばから when you want to say that something occurs right after you finish an action, usually implying that the action's effect is immediately cancelled or contradicted. The pattern often carries a tone of irritation or resignation.

単語を覚えるそばから忘れてしまう。 — I forget words as soon as I memorise them.

と見るや (to miru ya): at the sight of; upon seeing; after confirming

Use と見るや when you want to express that an action is taken immediately upon seeing, sensing, or confirming a particular situation.

敵が隙を見せたと見るや、一気に攻め込んだ。 — The moment he saw the enemy show an opening, he attacked all at once.

とみると (to miru to): as soon as one realizes ..., then

Use とみると when you want to say that as soon as one noticed / realized A, then B happened. The “realization” can come from seeing, hearing, or inferring a situation. The pattern is highly subjective: it anchors the sentence in the perceiver’s instant interpretation.

彼女は相手が迷っているとみると、一気に畳みかけた。 — The moment she realized her opponent was hesitating, she pressed the attack all at once.

た弾みに / た拍子に (ta hazumi ni / ta hyoushi ni): the moment [A], unintentionally / inadvertently caused something to happen

Use た弾みに / た拍子に when a momentary action immediately causes an involuntary, often undesirable result. The trigger is brief—a stumble, a sudden movement, a cough—and the consequence is something the speaker didn’t intend.

立ち上がった拍子に、眩暈がした。 — The moment I stood up, I felt dizzy.

折に (ori ni): when; at the time; on the occasion

Use 折に when you want to indicate that something takes place “on the occasion of” something else — especially when the occasion carries a positive, polite, or gracious feel. Unlike plain time markers, 折に softens the sentence and shows consideration.

お近くにお越しの折には、ぜひお立ち寄りください。 — When you are in the neighbourhood, please feel free to drop by.

を控えて (o hikaete): to be soon; the time has come to; nearby; ahead of

Use を控えて when you want to say that a significant event, deadline, or stage is very near, and that this proximity affects the person involved. The pattern highlights the imminence of the event and the mental or physical state that goes with it.

大学入試を控えて、毎日遅くまで勉強している。 — With college entrance exams just ahead, I’m studying late every night.

に先駆けて (ni sakigakete): prior to; to be the first (pioneer); being ahead of

Use に先駆けて when you want to say that an action, announcement, or event takes place earlier than others—carrying an implication of being first, setting a precedent, or being at the forefront.

我が社は他社に先駆けて新製品を発表した。 — Our company announced the new product ahead of all competitors.

を機に (o ki ni): as an opportunity/chance to

Use を機に when you want to mark a landmark event as the opportunity to do something — not just a temporal “when,” but a deliberate choice to use the moment as a springboard.

卒業を機に、海外で働くことにした。 — I decided to work abroad upon graduation.

を境に (o sakai ni): since ~; marks a turning point where everything changes

Use を境に when you want to show that a specific event or time serves as a clear dividing line, and that nothing after it is the same as before.

あの日を境に、彼は変わってしまった。 — From that day on, he changed completely.

を皮切りに (o kawakiri ni): starting with ~; one after another; beginning with

Use を皮切りに when you want to say that an action, event, or phenomenon starts at a particular location, moment, or event, and then spreads or repeats in a sequential manner. It is not just a “start” but a first step that leads to a series of similar activities.

東京を皮切りに、全国ツアーが始まった。 — Starting with Tokyo, a nationwide tour began.

を限りに (o kagiri ni): starting from; the last time (ending a continued action)

Use を限りに when you want to mark the very last instance of a continued action, state, or habit. After that point, the action will not resume.

今日を限りに、タバコをやめます。 — As of today, I’m quitting smoking.

を経て (o hete): through; by way of; after; via

Use を経て when you want to express that a result occurs only after going through an intermediate point — physical, temporal, or metaphorical. The point itself is marked by the noun before を経て.

様々な手続きを経て、ようやくビザが下りた。 — After going through various procedures, the visa was finally issued.

てからというもの (te kara to iu mono): ever since ~; after that, things have never been the same

Use てからというもの when a single experience or action becomes the dividing line between “before” and “after.” The new state is normally still true at the time of speaking, and the speaker often carries an emotional charge — nostalgia, regret, exhaustion, relief.

子供が生まれてからというもの、毎日が慌ただしい。 — Ever since my child was born, every day is a mad rush.

というもの (to iu mono): during; for; since; over a period of time

Use というもの when you want to mark a time period as an unbroken whole—what happens inside that period is continuous or unchanging. It often carries a sense that the duration is notable, burdensome, or surprising.

一週間というもの、ずっと雨が降り続いている。 — It has been raining non-stop for a whole week.

に至るまで (ni itaru made): as far as; up until; everything from ... to

Use に至るまで when you want to express that something extends to a certain point, covers a broad range, or includes even the most minor thing.

子供からお年寄りに至るまで、このイベントに参加した。 — Everyone from children to the elderly took part in this event.

に至る / に至った (ni itaru / ni itatta): leads to; come to a conclusion

Use に至る (non‑past) or に至った (past) when you want to express that a sequence of events or conditions “led to” a certain conclusion, state, or decision. The pattern emphasizes the steps or causes that culminated in the final result.

長年の研究の末、ついに新薬の開発に至った。 — After many years of research, we finally reached the development of a new drug.

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