A Common Mistake
Look at this sentence. Which meaning is correct?
“To read a book, it is necessary to be patient.”
① Reading books is necessary in order to become patient.
② In order to read a book, you need to be patient.
The correct answer is ②, but most young English learners choose ①.
Why This Mistake Happens
Students make this error because they misunderstand the sentence structure. They think “to read a book” is the subject, and they see “it” as repeating that subject. They also think “to be patient” is a modifier showing purpose.
The real problem is this: they are reading English as if it were Japanese. They try to match English words with Japanese equivalents one by one, in order, on a single flat surface.
The Key Difference: Two Planes vs. One Plane
Here is my important idea: English sentences work on two different planes (layers), while Japanese sentences work on just one plane.
Think of it this way:
・Main Plane (higher layer): This is where the core sentence lives—the main subject and main verb
・Sub-Plane (lower layer): This is where modifyers live—conditions, purposes, and additional information
Let me explain with our example:
“To read a book, it is necessary to be patient.”
・Sub-plane: “To read a book” (modifying element showing purpose)
・Main plane: “it is necessary to be patient” (the core sentence)
English speakers naturally “put down” the “to read a book” part on the sub-plane. They wait for the main subject and verb to appear on the main plane, which they do: “it is necessary.”
More Examples
Example 1: Conditional Sentences
“If the weather forecast is right, it will be fine tomorrow.”
・Sub-plane: “If the weather forecast is right” (conditional clause)
・Main plane: “it will be fine tomorrow” (main statement)
English speakers put the “if” clause down on the sub-plane. They expect the main subject and verb to come later on the main plane.
Example 2: When the Subject Comes First
“To read a book is often exciting.”
This sentence is different! When you start reading “to read a book,” you might begin to put it on the sub-plane. But when you see “is” (the verb), you realize “to read a book” is actually the subject. So you must lift it back up to the main plane, where it belongs with “is often exciting.”
Why Japanese Learners Struggle
Japanese language does not have this two-plane structure. In Japanese, all elements exist on one flat plane. Words line up in order, and modifiers come before what they modify, all on the same level.
Because of this, Japanese learners try to process English on a single plane too. They read from left to right, treating each part equally, just as they do in Japanese.
The Solution
To read English correctly, you must learn to:
- Identify which parts belong on the main plane (core sentence)
- Identify which parts belong on the sub-plane (modifiers)
- Hold modifying elements “down” on the sub-plane while you wait for the main sentence
This is not how Japanese works, so it requires new mental habits. But once you understand this two-plane structure, many English sentences will become much clearer.
I wish you success in learning English!
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