N3Chapter 56Unit 4 · Conditions and Nuance

Advice and Qualified Judgement

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish moral recommendation from practical advice.
  • Reassure someone that an action is unnecessary.
  • Reject only part of a claim instead of making a new absolute statement.
N3 context
N3 communication often rewards restraint. These patterns let you recommend strongly, remove unnecessary pressure, admit limited possibility, and correct an overgeneralisation without rejecting everything.
Vocabulary語彙
6 terms

  • 判断

    はんだん

    noun

    judgement

  • 責任

    せきにん

    noun

    responsibility

  • 必ずしも

    かならずしも

    adv

    not necessarily

  • 一般的

    いっぱんてき

    adj

    general; typical

  • 誤解

    ごかい

    noun

    misunderstanding

  • 無理

    むり

    adj

    unreasonable; impossible
Pattern contrast使い分け

Recommendation or reassurance?

V-るべきだ／べきではない

strong judgement

should; ought to / should not

A strong judgement based on duty, principle, or expected conduct. It can sound imposing when aimed directly at another person.

重要な変更は、利用者に説明すべきだ。

Important changes should be explained to users.

V-ることはない

reassurance

there is no need to

Reassures someone that an action or worry is unnecessary.

一度失敗しただけで、諦めることはない。

There is no need to give up after failing once.

plain + わけではない

partial negation

it is not that; not necessarily

Denies the full implication while leaving part of it possible or true.

高い物がすべて良いわけではない。

It is not the case that every expensive thing is good.

ないことはない

limited possibility

it is not impossible; can, but

Reluctantly admits limited possibility, usually followed by a reservation.

歩けないことはないが、一時間はかかる。

It is possible to walk, but it will take an hour.

plain + とは限らない

qualification

is not always necessarily

Rejects a general rule by allowing exceptions.

便利な方法が、だれにとっても簡単だとは限らない。

A convenient method is not necessarily easy for everyone.

Do not translate わけではない as a total no

嫌いなわけではない does not mean “I hate it.” It means “It is not that I dislike it,” often implying another reason for the speaker’s behaviour.

Guided practice練習

Make the judgement as strong—or as limited—as requested.

  1. 1.Strong principle: companies should protect customer information.

  2. 2.Reassure a learner that they do not need to memorise everything at once.

  3. 3.Qualify the claim that online lessons are always easier.
Reading practice読解

Is the shortest route always best?

opinion paragraph

Target: 3 minutes
目的地へ早く着きたいなら、最短の道を選ぶべきだと思うかもしれません。しかし、最短の道が最も歩きやすいとは限りません。階段が多かったり、夜は暗かったりする場合もあります。遠い道が必ずしも不便なわけではなく、安全で店も多いなら、むしろ安心して歩けます。地図の距離だけで判断することはありません。
Study this passage
最短（さいたん）
shortest
距離（きょり）
distance
  1. Which generalisation does the writer reject?
  2. What does 不便なわけではなく correct?
Listening rehearsal聴解

A reluctant possibility

Listen for what is possible and why it is undesirable.

Listen before opening the transcript.
  1. Can the work be finished today?
Key takeawaysまとめ
  • 1べき expresses a strong normative judgement; ことはない reassures.
  • 2わけではない denies a full implication rather than everything.
  • 3ないことはない admits limited possibility; とは限らない allows exceptions to a generalisation.

Knowledge Check

Practice Quiz
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個人情報は慎重に扱う＿＿だ。