What Connector Expressions Are Easy to Misread on the JLPT? Move Beyond a Vague “But” and “And” Mindset

One area that quietly makes a big difference on the JLPT is 接続表現 (connector expressions), such as 「しかし」(however), 「一方で」(on the other hand), 「また」(also), and 「そのため」(therefore / for that reason).

Even when the vocabulary itself is not especially difficult, if you cannot correctly understand how sentences are connected, you may misunderstand the writer’s main point or the flow of the whole passage.

Many learners read Japanese connector expressions with only a vague feeling of 「でも」(but) or 「そして」(and then). That may be enough in everyday conversation, but on the JLPT, that vagueness can lead directly to lost points.

That is because the JLPT is not only testing whether you know individual words. It is also testing whether you can accurately understand 「文と文がどうつながっているか」(how one sentence connects to the next).

なぜ接続表現 (connector expressions) がJLPTで大事なのか

接続表現 (connector expressions) are not just decorative words.

They are like signs that show the relationship between the previous sentence and the next sentence.

If you miss those signs, the following kinds of misunderstandings become common.

逆の意味なのに、同じ流れで読んでしまう

For example, when 「しかし」(however) appears, the sentence after it usually changes direction.

If you read 「しかし」 as if it were just 「また」(also) or 「そして」(and then), you may miss the writer’s real point.

理由と結果を取り違える

Expressions such as 「そのため」(therefore / for that reason), 「そこで」(so / therefore), and 「したがって」(therefore) show that the following sentence comes from the previous one.

If you read them vaguely, it becomes unclear what the reason is, what the result is, and which part is the conclusion.

対比を見落としてしまう

「一方で」(on the other hand) is not just a casual version of 「でも」(but).

It often places two sides next to each other for comparison. If you read it only as “but,” the axis of comparison becomes hard to see.

まずは意味ごとに整理する

Before trying to memorize many 接続表現 (connector expressions), it is better to organize them by function.

For JLPT study, the following five categories are especially important.

1. 逆接 (contrast)

逆接 (contrast) is used when the next sentence says something opposite to the previous sentence, or something different from what is expected.

• 「しかし」(however)
• 「けれども」(but / although)
• 「ところが」(however / but unexpectedly)
• 「それにもかかわらず」(nevertheless / despite that)

読むときのポイント

When you see 逆接 (contrast), pay close attention to what comes after it.

In Japanese writing, the first half often gives the situation, and the second half gives the writer’s real point.

例

日本語は文法が複雑です。しかし、接続表現の役割が分かると、読解はかなり楽になります。

Japanese grammar is complex. However, once you understand the role of connector expressions, reading becomes much easier.

In this example, the more important part is not 「複雑です」(is complex), but 「楽になります」(becomes easier).

2. 追加 (addition)

追加 (addition) is used when new information is added in the same direction as the previous sentence.

• 「また」(also)
• 「さらに」(furthermore)
• 「そのうえ」(on top of that)
• 「加えて」(in addition)

読むときのポイント

When several 追加表現 (addition expressions) appear, think of the writer as stacking information in the same direction.

In other words, the writer may be strengthening a claim by adding more reasons, advantages, or examples.

例

この教材は文法の整理に役立ちます。また、読解の練習にも使えます。さらに、学習記録も確認できます。

This material is useful for organizing grammar. It can also be used for reading practice. Furthermore, you can check your study records.

Here, several functions or benefits are being added one by one.

3. 理由 (reason)

理由 (reason) expressions show why something can be said, or what supports a claim.

• 「なぜなら」(because)
• 「というのも」(this is because)
• 「その理由は」(the reason is)
• 「実は」(in fact / actually)

読むときのポイント

When you see a 理由 (reason), connect it back to the conclusion or evaluation before it.

Do not read the reason by itself. Ask, “What claim is this reason supporting?”

例

接続表現の整理は重要です。というのも、文と文の関係が分かると、文章全体の構造が見えやすくなるからです。

Organizing connector expressions is important. This is because once you understand the relationship between sentences, the structure of the whole text becomes easier to see.

Here, the second sentence gives the reason for the first sentence.

4. 結果・帰結 (result / consequence)

結果・帰結 (result / consequence) expressions show what happened because of the previous sentence, or what should be done in response to a situation.

• 「そのため」(therefore / for that reason)
• 「そこで」(so / therefore / in response)
• 「したがって」(therefore)
• 「その結果」(as a result)

読むときのポイント

Check whether the pattern is 「前に原因、後ろに結果」(cause first, result after), or 「前に状況、後ろに対応」(situation first, response after).

例

試験時間には限りがあります。そのため、分からない問題に長く止まらないことが大切です。

Test time is limited. Therefore, it is important not to spend too long on questions you do not understand.

In this example, 「時間に限りがある」(time is limited) is the reason, and 「止まらないことが大切」(it is important not to stop for too long) is the conclusion.

5. 言い換え・まとめ (restatement / summary)

言い換え・まとめ (restatement / summary) expressions restate the previous content in different words or summarize the main point.

• 「つまり」(in other words)
• 「要するに」(in short)
• 「すなわち」(that is to say)

読むときのポイント

When this type of expression appears, it often signals an important point.

If it appears after several explanatory sentences, read the following part especially carefully.

例

接続表現が分かると、文章の流れが見えます。つまり、内容を一文ずつ追うだけでなく、全体の構造で読めるようになるのです。

Once you understand connector expressions, you can see the flow of a passage. In other words, you stop reading sentence by sentence and begin reading through the structure of the whole text.

「でも」「そして」感覚で読むと危ない理由

A common problem for learners is reading different 接続表現 (connector expressions) as if they all mean roughly the same thing.

For example:

• 「しかし」(however) and 「一方で」(on the other hand) both feel vaguely like “but”
• 「また」(also) and 「そのため」(therefore) both seem to simply move the text forward
• 「つまり」(in other words) and 「なぜなら」(because) both feel like explanation

If you read only with this rough impression, you are more likely to miss the small differences that separate the correct answer from the wrong one.

On the JLPT, these small differences often matter.

That is why you should not stop at 「何となくつながっている」(the sentences are somehow connected). You need to identify 「どういう関係でつながっているか」(exactly how they are connected).

読解での実戦的な見方

When you find a 接続表現 (connector expression), quickly check the following three points.

1. これは逆か、追加か、理由か、結果か

First, classify the role broadly.

Is it 逆接 (contrast), 追加 (addition), 理由 (reason), or 結果 (result)?

Once this is clear, the direction of the passage becomes much easier to understand.

2. 大事なのは前か、後ろか

After 逆接 (contrast) or まとめ表現 (summary expressions), the following sentence is often very important.

After 理由表現 (reason expressions), the following sentence often supports the previous claim.

3. 選択肢は接続の向きと合っているか

A common trap in reading questions is an answer choice that is partly correct in content, but wrong in the direction of cause and effect or contrast.

When you pay attention to 接続表現 (connector expressions), these traps become easier to notice.

文法問題でも接続の感覚は役に立つ

接続表現 (connector expressions) are not useful only for reading.

They also help with grammar questions. If you can think, 「この流れなら逆接か」(this flow needs contrast) or 「ここは理由より結果だな」(this is more likely a result than a reason), you can eliminate answer choices more efficiently.

Sometimes two expressions look similar in meaning, but the way they connect ideas is different.

A good sense of 接続 (connection) helps you escape from the feeling that all choices look similar.

In that sense, organizing 接続表現 (connector expressions) is not only reading practice. It is also a foundation for grammar.

接続表現は暗記より、流れで覚える

It is not enough to memorize expressions like 「しかし＝but」 or 「そのため＝therefore」.

What matters is seeing how each expression works inside a real passage.

After solving a problem, go back to the passage and check:

• どこで逆転しているか (where the direction changes)
• どこで追加しているか (where information is added)
• どこで理由を述べているか (where a reason is given)
• どこでまとめているか (where the point is summarized)

If you continue this kind of review, 接続表現 (connector expressions) will stop looking like isolated vocabulary items and start looking like the blueprint of the passage.

接続表現が見えると、読解はかなり楽になる

Many people who struggle with JLPT reading are not suffering only from a lack of vocabulary.

In many cases, they cannot clearly see 文と文の関係 (the relationship between sentences), so they read each sentence as if they were starting from zero every time.

Once 接続表現 (connector expressions) become visible, a passage stops looking like a random collection of sentences and starts to look like an organized line of thought.

That changes both reading speed and comprehension.

At RJT, you can study grammar not only as isolated items, but also through the actual flow of sentences and passages.

With tools such as ポップアップ辞書 (pop-up dictionary), 自然な音声 (natural audio), and 多言語解説 (multilingual explanations), you can organize not only the meaning of expressions, but also how ideas connect.

Move from 「何となく読める」(I can sort of read it) to 「流れが見えて読める」(I can read while seeing the flow).

Learning to read 接続表現 (connector expressions) is a major step in that direction.