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

One area that can make a surprisingly big difference in JLPT reading comprehension and grammar is how accurately you read connector expressions.

Even when the words in each sentence are not very difficult, if you misunderstand how expressions such as 「しかし」, 「一方で」, 「また」, and 「そのため」 connect ideas, you may easily misread the writer’s argument or the overall flow of the passage.

Some learners of Japanese read connector expressions vaguely, as if they only meant “でも / but” or “そして / and then.” In everyday conversation, that may not cause major problems. However, on the JLPT, that vagueness can lead directly to lost points.

Why? Because the JLPT does not only test whether you know individual words. It also tests whether you can understand how one sentence connects to another.

Why connector expressions matter on the JLPT

Connector expressions are not just decorations added to a sentence.

They function like signposts that show the relationship between the previous sentence and the next sentence.

If you miss these signposts, the following kinds of misunderstandings can happen.

You read an opposite meaning as if it were part of the same flow

For example, when 「しかし」 appears, if you read the sentences before and after it as simple addition, you may miss what the writer really wants to say.

You confuse reason and result

Expressions such as 「そのため」, 「そこで」, and 「したがって」 take what came before and lead into what follows.

If you read them vaguely, it becomes unclear why something happened or what the conclusion is.

You miss contrast

「一方で」 is not simply the same as “but.” It often presents two different sides of an issue side by side.

If you read it only as a vague 「でも」, you may lose sight of the basis for comparison.

First, organize them by meaning

Before trying to memorize a long list of connector expressions, it is much more effective to organize them by role.

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

1. Contrast

These expressions are used when the next idea goes against the previous content or differs from what is expected.

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

Reading point

When you see a contrast expression, pay close attention to what comes after it.

In Japanese, it is common to state the situation first, then present the writer’s real point after the contrast.

Example

「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 comprehension becomes much easier.

In this example, the important point is not only the first half, 「複雑です」 / “it is complex,” but especially the second half, 「楽になります」 / “it becomes easier.”

2. Addition

These expressions add new information to the previous content.

• 「また」 / also, in addition
• 「さらに」 / furthermore
• 「そのうえ」 / moreover
• 「加えて」 / in addition

Reading point

When addition expressions continue, think of them as information moving in the same direction and building up.

In other words, the writer may be strengthening the main point.

Example

「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 helps you organize grammar. It can also be used for reading practice. Furthermore, you can check your learning records.

In this flow, functions and advantages are being added one after another.

3. Reason

These expressions show why something can be said. They provide a reason or basis.

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

Reading point

When a reason expression appears, read it together with the conclusion or evaluation that came before it.

Do not only follow the reason itself. It is important to check what that reason is supporting.

Example

「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. The reason is that when you understand the relationship between sentences, the structure of the whole passage becomes easier to see.

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

4. Result and consequence

These expressions show what happened as a result of the previous content, or what should be done based on it.

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

Reading point

Check whether the structure is “cause first, result after,” or “situation first, response after.”

Example

「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。」

Exam time is limited. Therefore, it is important not to spend too much time 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 too long” is the conclusion.

5. Rephrasing and summary

These expressions restate the previous content in another way or summarize it as a conclusion.

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

Reading point

When this type appears, there is a high chance that the important point is coming.

If it appears after a detailed explanation, read it especially carefully.

Example

「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。」

When you understand connector expressions, you can see the flow of the passage. In other words, you become able to read not only sentence by sentence, but also through the overall structure.

Why the vague “でも” and “そして” mindset is dangerous

Learners often stumble when they read different expressions as if they were all the same.

For example:

• They treat both 「しかし」 and 「一方で」 as a vague feeling of opposition.
• They treat both 「また」 and 「そのため」 as simple signals that another sentence is coming.
• They treat both 「つまり」 and 「なぜなら」 as explanation-like expressions.

If you read in such a rough way, you are likely to miss small but important differences in multiple-choice questions.

On the JLPT, these subtle differences can directly separate correct answers from incorrect ones.

That is why you need to understand not just that sentences are somehow connected, but exactly how they are connected.

A practical way to read connector expressions

When you find a connector expression in a reading passage, quickly check the following three points.

1. Is this contrast, addition, reason, or result?

First, roughly classify its role.

Once you know this, the direction of the passage becomes much easier to see.

2. Which part is more important, before or after?

After contrast expressions and summary expressions, the important point often comes later.

On the other hand, after reason expressions, what follows often supports the previous claim.

3. Does the answer choice match the direction of the connection?

In reading questions, a common trap 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 connector expressions, it becomes easier to notice these mismatches.

This sense of connection also helps with grammar questions

Connector expressions are not only useful for reading comprehension.

They also help in grammar questions. If you can think, “This flow needs contrast,” or “This part is a result, not a reason,” you can narrow down the answer choices much more easily.

Even when expressions seem similar in meaning, the way they connect sentences may be different.

When you have a good sense of connection, you can move beyond the state of being confused simply because the meanings look similar.

In other words, organizing connector expressions is not just a reading strategy. It is also a foundation that supports grammar study.

Learn connector expressions through flow, not memorization alone

Simply memorizing 「しかし」 as “but” and 「そのため」 as “therefore” is not enough for the exam.

What matters is seeing how each expression works inside an actual passage.

After solving a question, it is useful to reread the passage and check:

• Where does the flow reverse?
• Where is information added?
• Where is the reason given?
• Where is the point summarized?

If you continue this kind of review, connector expressions will no longer look like isolated words. They will start to look like the blueprint of the passage.

Once you can see connector expressions, reading becomes much easier

Many learners who struggle with JLPT reading are not struggling only because they lack vocabulary.

In many cases, they cannot grasp the relationship between sentences, so they have to follow the passage from zero every time.

Once you understand connector expressions, a passage no longer looks like a collection of separate sentences. It begins to look like a connected whole with a clear line of thought.

As a result, both your reading speed and your ability to grasp the content can change.

With RJT, you can study grammar not only as isolated items, but also by paying attention to how expressions work in the actual flow of sentences.

You can also use the pop-up dictionary, natural audio, and multilingual explanations to organize not only the meanings of expressions, but also how they connect ideas.

Move from “I can sort of read it” to “I can see the flow as I read.”

Learning to read connector expressions accurately is a major step toward that goal.

For more reading connectors, see the guide to Japanese connection expressions that improve JLPT reading. Connection Expressions That Improve JLPT Reading