N1 has three "evaluation" patterns: だけのことはある means "as expected of," ほどのことはない means "not to that degree," and ならでは means "unique to / only possible with."
だけのことはある: As Expected / Worthy Of
「だけのことはある」expresses a good result that lives up to a condition or reputation:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 口コミでも評判のいい宿だけのことはある。 | As expected of an inn with great reviews. |
| 10年も修行しただけあって、腕前は素晴らしい。 | Having trained for 10 years, their skills are impressive, as you'd expect. |
| さすが有名レストランだけのことはある。 | As expected of a famous restaurant. |
Connection: Sentence + だけのことはある / だけある / だけあって だけあって is the connective form for continuing the sentence.
Shortened Forms
- だけのことはある → だけある (drop のこと)
- だけある → だけあって (connective)
Key Points
- Expresses positive evaluation — lives up to the name
- The condition/cause comes before, the "as expected" result follows
- Often paired with さすが
ほどのことはない: Not to That Degree
「ほどのことはない」expresses something not being serious enough to warrant concern:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 専門家たちは放射線は心配するほどのことはないと言っている。 | Experts say the radiation isn't serious enough to worry about. |
| 怪我はしたが、病院に行くほどのことはない。 | I got hurt, but it's not bad enough to go to the hospital. |
| 驚くほどのことはないよ。 | It's nothing to be surprised about. |
Connection: Verb dictionary form + ほどのことはない Shortened: ほどでもない (more casual)
Compared to には当たらない
| Pattern | Nuance |
|---|---|
| ほどのことはない | Not to that degree (objective assessment) |
| には当たらない | Not worth doing (subjective judgment) |
Similar meaning, but ほど emphasizes degree while 当たる emphasizes worthiness.
ならでは: Unique to… / Only Possible With…
「ならでは」expresses something being one-of-a-kind, only possible because of that particular thing:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| これは京都ならではの景色だ。 | This is a view unique to Kyoto. |
| 手作りならではの温かみがある。 | It has that warmth only handmade items can offer. |
| ベテランならではの技術だ。 | This is a technique only a veteran could pull off. |
Connection: Noun + ならでは + の + Noun ならでは = "if it weren't this" (then it wouldn't exist) → one of a kind.
Key Points
- Strong positive evaluation
- Emphasizes uniqueness and irreplaceability
- Commonly used to praise a place, person, or thing's unique qualities
Comparison
| Pattern | Meaning | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| だけのことはある | As expected of | Lives up to reputation |
| ほどのことはない | Not to that degree | Calm (reassurance) |
| ならでは | Unique to / only | Praise (uniqueness) |
Summary
- 「だけのことはある」= Because of X condition, the result is as expected (worthy)
- 「ほどのことはない」= Not serious enough to need concern (downplaying)
- 「ならでは」= Something unique that only X can offer (praising uniqueness)
Self-Check
1. Translate: 「10年修行しただけあって、腕前は素晴らしい。」
Show Answer
"Having trained for 10 years, their skills are impressive, as you'd expect." だけあって = because of this condition, the expected good result followed.
2. What does 「心配するほどのことはない」 mean?
Show Answer
"It's not serious enough to worry about." ほどのことはない = not to that degree.
3. Complete with ならでは: これは手作り______温かみだ。
Show Answer
これは手作りならではの温かみだ。 "This is the warmth that only handmade items can offer."