JLPT N2 Shinkanzen Grammar Lesson 20: ～たところ・～あげく・～末に (After... / In the end...)

～たところ・～あげく・～末に (After... / In the end...)

JLPT N2
Shinkanzen N2 • 6 key grammar patterns
Point 1N2_L20_G1

1. ～たところ (When I tried... / After doing... it turned out...)

Sentence Pattern
Vた + ところ

Meaning: After trying or doing something, a certain result or state was discovered.
✓ Often used to recount a one-time event in the past.
✓ The following clause states the result obtained. Compared with ～たら…た, this pattern places more emphasis on what result actually occurred.

Example Sentences (4)
二日間休ふつかかんやすみたいと上司じょうしに相談そうだんしたところ、２週間休しゅうかんやすんでもいいと言いわれた。
When I asked my boss if I could take two days off, I was told I could even take two weeks off.
連絡れんらくが取とれないので山田やまださんのうちへ行いってみたところ、病気びょうきで寝ねていた。
Since I couldn’t get in touch with Yamada, I went to his house and found him in bed sick.
新あたらしいパソコンを使つかってみたところ、とても使つかいやすかった。
When I tried using the new computer, I found it very easy to use.
この新商品しんしょうひんを使つかってみたいかどうか聞きいてみたところ、80％の人ひとが「使つかいたい」と答こたえた。
When I asked whether people wanted to try this new product, 80% answered that they did.
Point 2N2_L20_G2

2. ～きり (Ever since... / Only once and then...)

Sentence Pattern
Vた + きり

Meaning: After an action occurs, the resulting state continues unchanged, and what was expected to happen afterward does not occur.
✓ The following clause expresses a continuing state; it is often negative.
✓ それきり, meaning 'ever since then', is also very common in everyday conversation.

Example Sentences (6)
東京とうきょうは子供こどもの時ときに一度行いちどいったきりで、そんなによく知しらないんです。
I only went to Tokyo once when I was a child, so I don’t know it very well.
彼かれには１年前ねんまえに手紙てがみを書かいたきり、連絡れんらくしていない。
I wrote him a letter a year ago and haven’t contacted him since.
その本ほんは、子供こどものころ読よんだきり、その後一度ごいちども読よんでいない。
I read that book when I was a child and have never read it again since.
父ちちは朝あさ、出でかけたきりなんです。まだ戻もどってきていません。
My father went out this morning and still hasn’t come back.
日本にほんは長寿国ちょうじゅこくだが、寝ねたきりの老人ろうじんの数かずも多おおい。
Japan is a country of longevity, but there are also many elderly people who are bedridden.
彼かれに最後さいごに会あったのは卒業式そつぎょうしきの時ときです。それきり、一度いちども会あっていません。
The last time I saw him was at the graduation ceremony. I haven’t seen him even once since then.
Point 3N2_L20_G3

3. ～あげく (After a long time... in the end...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N + の / Vた + あげく（に）

Meaning: After a long period and many complications, the final result is unfavorable.
✓ Often used with prolonged difficult or unstable situations such as quarrelling, agonizing, or debating.
✓ The following clause usually gives an undesirable result or carries a feeling of exhaustion or regret.

Example Sentences (6)
その男おとこはお金かねに困こまったあげく、銀行強盗ぎんこうごうとうを計画けいかくした。
After struggling with money for a long time, the man eventually planned a bank robbery.
長時間ちょうじかんの議論ぎろんのあげく、その開発計画かいはつけいかくは中止ちゅうしに決きまった。
After a long discussion, it was finally decided to cancel the development project.
彼かれらは夫婦ふうふげんかを繰くり返かえしたあげくに、とうとう離婚りこんした。
After repeatedly quarrelling, the couple finally divorced.
5時間じかんに及およぶ議論ぎろんのあげく、結局けっきょく、結論けつろんが出でなかった。
After a five-hour discussion, they still failed to reach a conclusion.
いろいろ文句もんくを言いったあげく、その客きゃくは何なにも買かわずに帰かえった。
After complaining at length, the customer left without buying anything.
さんざん悩なやんだあげく、国くにへ帰かえることにした。
After agonizing over it for a long time, I decided to return to my country.
Point 4N2_L20_G4

4. ～末(に) (After a long process... finally...)

Sentence Pattern
Noun N + の / Vた + 末すえ（に）

Meaning: After a long period and many events, one finally reaches a result or decision, often a meaningful or positive one.
✓ Unlike あげく, which is generally negative, 末(に) is often used when a difficult process ultimately leads to a meaningful decision or result.

Example Sentences (3)
数回すうかいに及およぶ議論ぎろんの末すえ、Aの案あんを採用さいようすることにした。
After several rounds of discussion, we finally decided to adopt proposal A.
悩なやんだ末すえに、手術しゅじゅつを受うけようと決きめた。
After much deliberation, I finally decided to have the surgery.
長ながい戦たたかいの末すえ、ついに勝利しょうりを勝かち取とった。
After a long struggle, we finally achieved victory.
Point 5N2_L20_G5

5. ～ところだった (Almost... / Nearly...)

Sentence Pattern
Vる / Vない + ところだった

Meaning: Something almost happened, but fortunately it did not actually occur.
✓ Often used with adverbs such as うっかり and 危うく, and frequently describes a bad or dangerous event that nearly happened.
✓ It is difficult to use for natural phenomena or unavoidable events.

Example Sentences (5)
あのとんでもない運転手うんてんしゅは、あの女おんなの子こを危あやうくひくところだった。
That reckless driver almost ran over that girl.
気きがつくのが遅おそかったら、あやうく火事かじになるところだったよ。
If I had noticed a little later, it would almost have turned into a fire.
あ、今日きょうは 15 日にちか。うっかり約束やくそくを忘わすれるところだった。
Oh, today is the 15th. I almost completely forgot the appointment.
朝寝坊あさねぼうして、危あやうく試験しけんが受うけられないところだった。
I overslept and nearly missed the exam.
ああ、残念ざんねんだ。もう少すこしで 100 点取てんとれるところだったのに、97 点てんだった。
Ah, what a shame. I almost got 100 points, but I ended up with 97.
Point 6N2_L20_G6

6. ～ずじまいだ (Ended up not... / Never got to...)

Sentence Pattern
V ない + ずじまいだ
* Note: The verb する changes to せずじまいだ

Meaning: One intended to do something but ultimately missed the chance and was unable to do it.
✓ The whole sentence conveys regret about having missed the time or opportunity.
✓ Often used in the past tense. It is not used when the speaker still has a clear opportunity to do the action again.

Example Sentences (5)
いろんな人ひとに聞きいてみたが、結局田中けっきょくたなかさんの連絡先れんらくさきはわからずじまいだった。
I asked various people, but in the end I never found out Tanaka’s contact information.
アイデアはよかったが、実現じつげんせずじまいだった。
The idea was good, but in the end it was never realized.
結局宝石けっきょくほうせきはどこにあるのか見みつからずじまいだった。
In the end, we never found where the jewels were.
彼女かのじょにラブレターを書かいたけれど、勇気ゆうきがなくて出だせずじまいだった。
I wrote her a love letter, but I lacked the courage and ended up never sending it.
留学中りゅうがくちゅうに旅行りょこうしたかったが、 忙いそがしくてどこへも行いかずじまいで帰国きこくした。
I wanted to travel while studying abroad, but I was so busy that I returned home without going anywhere.
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