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JLPT N2 Grammar — Standards, sources and correspondence

Ten patterns that all take a noun and all translate as "based on", "according to" or "along with". Four of them describe one thing changing with another, and separating those four is the single most-tested distinction at N2.

  1. 1

    〜をもとに（して）

    based on ~ (as material)

    接続
    名詞 ＋ をもとに（して）
    Use
    The source is raw material you build something new from, and the result is free to depart from it — a film based on a true story. If departing from the source would be wrong, you want 〜に基づいて.

    • このはのをもとにられた。

      This film was made based on a real incident.

    Not to be confused with

  2. 2

    〜に基づいて／〜に基づく

    based on ~ (as a foundation or rule)

    接続
    名詞 ＋ に基づいて（名詞 ＋ に基づく ＋ 名詞）
    Use
    The source is something you are bound by — a law, a regulation, data, an agreement. Formal and written. Departing from it would be a failure, which is exactly what separates it from 〜をもとに.

    • にづいて、をてる。

      We will devise countermeasures based on the survey findings.

    Not to be confused with

    • 〜をもとに（して） — 小説をもとに映画を作る (rework it freely) / 法律に基づいて処理する (do not depart from it).
    • 〜に沿って／〜に沿う — 〜に沿って follows the shape or direction of something; 〜に基づいて takes it as the authority underneath.
  3. 3

    〜に沿って／〜に沿う

    along ~; in line with ~

    接続
    名詞 ＋ に沿って
    Use
    Following the line of something — literally a road or a river, or figuratively a policy, a plan or someone's wishes. ご希望に沿って is set-phrase polite business Japanese.

    • にってくと、いがえてくる。

      Walking along the river, an old bridge comes into view.

    Not to be confused with

  4. 4

    〜に応じて／〜に応じた

    in accordance with ~; depending on ~

    接続
    名詞 ＋ に応じて
    Use
    The result varies with the input, case by case — 収入に応じて, 能力に応じて. If nothing varies, it is the wrong pattern.

    • にじて、がまる。

      Pay is determined according to experience.

    Not to be confused with

  5. 5

    〜にしたがって／〜にしたがい

    as ~ (proportional change); in accordance with (instructions)

    接続
    動詞辞書形／名詞 ＋ にしたがって
    Use
    Two distinct uses. Gradual proportional change — 山を登るにしたがって寒くなる — and obedience to instructions or rules — 指示にしたがって. Only this one in the group carries the second sense.

    • をるにしたがって、ががってきた。

      As we climbed the mountain, the temperature dropped.

    Not to be confused with

    • 〜につれて／〜につれ — 〜につれて has only the proportional-change sense. 指示につれて is impossible; 指示にしたがって is fine.
  6. 6

    〜につれて／〜につれ

    as ~ progresses

    接続
    動詞辞書形／名詞 ＋ につれて
    Use
    Proportional change only, and both sides must be gradual and unwilled. No instructions, no one-off events, no intentions — 卒業につれて is wrong because graduating is not gradual.

    • がたつにつれて、みはらいでいった。

      As time passed, the pain eased.

    Not to be confused with

  7. 7

    〜とともに

    together with ~; as ~; as well as

    接続
    名詞／動詞辞書形 ＋ とともに
    Use
    The widest of the group, with three uses: accompaniment (家族とともに), simultaneous change (経済の発展とともに), and "as well as" (責任者であるとともに、父親でもある). Where につれて only does the second, this does all three.

    • のとともに、のはかになった。

      As the economy developed, people's lives grew more comfortable.

    Not to be confused with

  8. 8

    〜に伴って／〜に伴い

    accompanying ~; as a consequence of ~

    接続
    名詞／動詞辞書形 ＋ に伴って
    Use
    One change brings another with it, often causally, and formal enough to belong in news and reports. Unlike 〜につれて the change does not have to be gradual — 台風の接近に伴い works.

    • のにって、がしてきた。

      With the growth in population, housing has become scarce.

    Not to be confused with

  9. 9

    〜からすると／〜からすれば

    judging from ~; from ~'s point of view

    接続
    名詞 ＋ からすると
    Use
    Grounds for a judgement or inference, so what follows is normally a guess — ようだ, だろう, にちがいない. あの顔つきからすると. Not a standpoint of evaluation, which is 〜にとって.

    • あのつきからすると、うまくいかなかったようだ。

      Judging from that expression, it seems it didn't go well.

    Not to be confused with

    • 〜にとって — 〜からすると reasons *from* something to a conclusion; 〜にとって evaluates *for* someone.
  10. 10

    〜にとって

    for ~; to ~ (from the standpoint of)

    接続
    名詞 ＋ にとって
    Use
    The standpoint from which something is judged valuable, difficult or necessary — 私にとって大切な人. It is not a beneficiary (that is 〜のために) and not grounds for inference (that is 〜からすると).

    • このはにとってきなだ。

      This experience is a great asset to me.

    Not to be confused with

Read through them?

Now find out whether you can actually tell them apart — every wrong option is one of the other patterns on this page.

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