Welcome to A-Level Japanese Grammar: Embedded Questions, Manner Demonstratives, and Essential Particles
Welcome to this comprehensive grammar guide for Pearson Edexcel A Level Japanese (9JA0)! In this chapter, we will master three foundational grammar areas tested across Paper 2 (Translation) and Paper 3 (Listening, Reading, and Writing):
1. Embedded Questions (間接疑問文): How to say "I don't know where he went" or "Ask them whether they will come."
2. Manner Demonstratives (こう・そう・ああ・どう): Describing the way or method of doing things.
3. Core Particles (など, も, ずつ, ばかり, までに): Nuanced particles that add precision and natural flair to your Japanese sentences.
Don't worry if Japanese sentence structures sometimes feel like a puzzle. We will break every structure down into step-by-step formulas with clear examples and examiner warnings so you can gain full marks on exam day!
---Part 1: Embedded Questions (間接疑問文)
An embedded question is a question tucked inside a larger statement. Instead of asking a question directly ("Where is the station?"), an embedded question turns it into a clause ("Please tell me where the station is").
1. WH-Questions (Information Questions with 「か」)
Use this when your embedded question includes a question word (such as 何, どこ, いつ, だれ, or どうして).
Formula:
[Question Word] + [Plain Form of Verb / Adjective / Noun] + か + [Main Clause]
Examples:
• Verb: どこに行くか知りません。(I don't know where they are going.)
• I-Adjective: どれがおもしろいか教えてください。(Please tell me which one is interesting.)
• Na-Adjective: だれが親切かわかりません。(I don't know who is kind.)
• Noun: 何が一番大切か考えましょう。(Let's think about what is the most important.)
2. Yes/No Questions (Whether or Not with 「かどうか」)
Use this pattern when you want to express "whether or not" an action or state occurs.
Formula:
[Plain Form of Verb / Adjective / Noun] + かどうか + [Main Clause]
Examples:
• Verb: 食べるかどうか聞いてください。(Please ask whether they will eat or not.)
• I-Adjective: 試験が難しいかどうかわかりません。(I don't know whether the exam is difficult or not.)
• Na-Adjective: 好きかどうか教えてください。(Please tell me whether you like it or not.)
⚠️ Crucial Examiner Warning: The "だ" Drop Rule
One of the most frequent errors identified in Edexcel examiner reports is leaving the copula 「だ」 in embedded questions. When using a Noun or Na-adjective in the present tense:
• INCORRECT: 好きだかどうか (Suki da ka dou ka) ❌
• CORRECT: 好きかどうか (Suki ka dou ka) ✔️
• INCORRECT: 明日は休みだか知りません (Ashita wa yasumi da ka...) ❌
• CORRECT: 明日は休みか知りません (Ashita wa yasumi ka...) ✔️
Politeness Rule: Inside an embedded question clause, always use the Plain Form, even if the end of your main sentence is polite (です/ます).
Key Takeaway for Part 1: Use 「か」 for question words (where, when, who) and 「かどうか」 for yes/no conditions. Always drop 「だ」 with nouns and na-adjectives in the present tense!
---Part 2: Manner Demonstratives (こう・そう・ああ・どう)
You already know kore / sore / are / dore (this / that / which thing). Manner demonstratives belong to the same ko-so-a-do family, but they describe the way, manner, or method of an action (meaning "like this", "like that", or "in what way").
The Four Forms Breakdown:
• こう (Kou): In this way / Like this (manner close to the speaker).
• そう (Sou): In that way / Like that (manner close to the listener or referring to something just mentioned in conversation).
• ああ (Aa): In that way / Like that over there (manner distant from both speaker and listener, or a shared abstract experience).
• どう (Dou): How? / In what way? (Question form).
Common Set Expressions:
1. Demonstrative + いう (Type / Kind of):
• そういう本 (That kind of book)
• こういう問題 (This kind of problem)
• ああいう人 (That kind of person)
• どういう意味ですか (What kind of meaning does it have? / What do you mean?)
2. Demonstrative + やって (By doing this/that way):
• こうやって作ります。(You make it like this / by doing it this way.)
• どうやって駅へ行きますか。(How / by what way do you go to the station?)
Key Takeaway for Part 2: こう・そう・ああ・どう function as adverbs of manner. Combine them with いう to modify nouns ("that kind of...") or やって to explain a method ("do it this way").
---Part 3: Essential Specification Particles
Particles are the building blocks of Japanese syntax. Let's look closely at five particles specified in Appendix 4 of the 9JA0 specification.
1. など (Nado) — "And so on" / "Et cetera"
Placed after a noun or a list of nouns (often paired with や) to show that an example list is incomplete (non-exhaustive).
• Example: 机の上に本やペンなどがあります。(There are books, pens, and so on on the desk.)
2. も (Mo) — Beyond just "Also"
While beginners learn も as "also/too" (replacing は, が, or を), at A-Level you must master its emphatic uses:
• Emphasis on Large Quantity ("As many/much as"):
昨日、１０時間も寝ました。(I slept for as many as 10 hours yesterday!)
• Emphasis in Negative Sentences ("Not even one"):
財布の中に一円もありません。(There is not even one yen in my wallet.)
3. ずつ (Zutsu) — "Each" / "At a time"
Attached directly to numbers, counters, or quantities to indicate an equal distribution or a gradual step-by-step action.
• Counter + ずつ: 一人ずつ話してください。(Please speak one person at a time.)
• Quantity + ずつ: 毎日漢字を五つずつ覚えます。(I memorize five kanji each day.)
4. ばかり (Bakari) — "Nothing but" vs. "Just finished"
ばかり has two vital functions on the A-Level syllabus:
A. Exclusivity ("Nothing but" / "Only"):
[Noun] + ばかり
• Example: テレビばかり見ていないで、勉強しなさい。(Don't watch nothing but TV; study!)
B. Recent Action ("Have just done"):
[Verb Plain Past (-ta form)] + ばかり
• Example: さっき昼ご飯を食べたばかりです。(I have only just eaten lunch a moment ago.)
Exam Note: In Edexcel assessment tasks, ensure you conjugate the verb strictly into the plain past (-ta form) before adding ばかり.
5. までに (Made ni) — "By" (A strict deadline)
This is one of the most heavily tested particles in Paper 2 translation questions!
• までに (Made ni) = "By / No later than": Indicates that an action happens at some point before or at a specific deadline.
• まで (Made) = "Until": Indicates that an action continues non-stop until a specified point.
Comparison Examples:
• 金曜日までに宿題を出してください。(Please submit the homework by Friday.) — Action happens once before the deadline.
• 金曜日まで図書館で勉強します。(I will study at the library until Friday.) — Continuous ongoing action.
Key Takeaway for Part 3: Always verify the exact nuance: use までに for deadlines ("by"), ずつ for quantities ("at a time"), ～たばかり for recent actions ("just finished"), など for open-ended lists, and も to emphasize surprising quantities or complete negatives.
---Quick Review & Common Pitfalls Checklist
Before submitting your written work or translation answers, run through this quick checklist:
1. Did I drop 「だ」 in my embedded questions?
Check that you wrote [Noun / Na-Adj] + かどうか and NOT [Noun / Na-Adj] + だ + かどうか.
2. Did I use Plain Form in the embedded clause?
Never write 行きますか知りません. Always use 行くか知りません.
3. Did I confuse まで and までに?
If the English sentence says "submit by...", you MUST use までに, not まで.
4. Did I conjugate the verb properly for recent actions?
Ensure you have used the past tense: 食べたばかり (Correct) vs. 食べるばかり (Incorrect for "just ate").