Page 223 - Basic Japanese

Watashi ga Katō buchō to senshū itta gorufujō wa kekkō

yokatta desu.
The golf course where I went last week with Mr.
Kato, the division manager, was quite good.

When you hear long modifier clauses in actual
conversation, you may be confused as to the breaking point

where the modifier stops and the part modified begins.
Listen for the “plain” imperfect and perfect forms, forms like
suru, shita; iku, itta; kuru, kita; taberu, tabeta: unless followed by

a particle like keredomo or kara, they probably modify the

word or phrase that follows. At the breaking point, stick in a
‘which,’ and then make mental switch of the two parts
around to the usual English order. This is just a first-aid

measure, of course. After you get used to modifier clauses,
you will be putting them in quite naturally like a Japanese

person, without worrying about the fact that in English you
would reverse the order. Remember: everything up to the

breaking point modifies the following noun expression.
Notice the breaking points (indicated by a forward slash) in

the following examples. But try to avoid pausing: the
BREAKING POINT is in your head, not on your tongue.

データ入力とプログラミングのできる/方を募集してい

ます。
Dēta nyūryoku to puroguramingu no dekiru/kata o boshū

shite imasu.
We are looking for someone who can do data
inputting and programming.

料理になれていない人が作った/食べ物はあまり食べた
くない。