Learn Hardcore Japanese: kyou no syukudai ha rensyuumondai no purinto wo sanmai yarukoto desu. - Today’s homework is to do three pages of practice exercise handouts.

今日の宿題
- Literally: “today’s homework” or “homework of today”.
- 今日 (today) modifies 宿題 (homework).
練習問題のプリント
- Literally: “prints/handouts of practice problems” or “practice-problem worksheets”.
- 練習問題 (practice problems) modifies プリント (printouts/worksheets).

So A の B here means “B related to A” or “B belonging to A”.

Why is は used after 宿題 (in 今日の宿題は) and not が?

は marks the topic of the sentence: what the sentence is “about.”

今日の宿題は … です。
- “As for today’s homework, it is …”

If you used が instead:

今日の宿題が … です。
This sounds like you are identifying which homework among several things is …, and is not natural here.

The teacher is simply stating: “Regarding today’s homework, it is doing three worksheets.”
So は (topic) is correct and natural.

What exactly does プリント mean here? Is it just “print”?

In school contexts, プリント usually means:

a printed handout
a worksheet that’s been photocopied or printed

So 練習問題のプリント is best understood as:

“worksheets of practice problems”
“practice problem handouts”

It’s not talking about a printer or printing in general, but about the printed sheets given to students.

Why is を after プリント (in プリントを三枚やる)? What does it mark?

を marks the direct object of the verb.

プリントをやる = “to do the worksheet(s)”

Then 三枚 is the counter phrase:

プリントを三枚やる = “to do three worksheets”

So the structure is:

[direct object] を [counter] [verb]
= プリント (what is done) + を (object marker) + 三枚 (three sheets) + やる (do).

Why is 三枚 placed between プリントを and やる? Can it go somewhere else?

The usual pattern is:

[noun] を [number + counter] [verb]
→ プリントを三枚やる
→ “do three worksheets”

Other possible placements:

三枚のプリントをやる
- More literally: “do three worksheets.”
- This is also correct, but プリントを三枚やる is more common and slightly more neutral/natural in everyday speech.

You normally don’t put 三枚 after the verb in standard Japanese (e.g., ×プリントをやる三枚 is wrong).

Why is the counter 枚 used with プリント?

枚 (まい) is the generic counter for flat, thin objects, such as:

paper, tickets, plates, T‑shirts, etc.

Since プリント in this context means sheets of paper, 三枚 means “three sheets / three pages” (i.e., three worksheets/handouts).

So:

プリントを三枚やる = “to do three (sheets of) worksheets.”

Why is the verb やる used instead of する?

Both やる and する can mean “to do.” The differences here:

やる is more casual/colloquial, often used for:
- doing homework
- doing tasks or practice
- playing or doing an activity
する is more neutral and general.

In a school context, teachers often say things like:

宿題をやる – to do homework
練習をやる – to do practice

You could say プリントを三枚する, and it’s understandable, but プリントを三枚やる sounds more natural in many classroom situations.

What does the やることです structure mean? Why add こと?

Verb (dictionary form) + こと + です is a common way to:

turn an action into a “thing” and
define or explain what something is.

Here:

やる = to do
やること = “the act of doing,” “doing (it)”
やることです = “is to do (it)”

So the sentence structure is:

今日の宿題は [プリントを三枚やること] です。
→ “Today’s homework is (the act of) doing three worksheets.”

こと nominalizes the verb phrase, making it something that can be described as or equated with “today’s homework.”

Why is the verb before こと in dictionary form (やる) and not polite form (やります)?

When you use Verb + こと as a noun phrase, the verb appears in its dictionary form (plain, non‑past form):

やること – the act of doing
すること – the act of doing
読むこと – the act of reading

Then the politeness is expressed by:

using です／だ after the whole noun phrase, or
the overall sentence context.

So:

プリントを三枚やることです。
is a polite sentence because of です, even though やる is in dictionary form.

You would not usually say やりますことです; that’s not the pattern.

Could we simply say 今日の宿題は練習問題のプリントを三枚やります? What’s the difference?

今日の宿題は練習問題のプリントを三枚やります。

Grammatically possible, but it sounds like:
- “As for today’s homework, I / we will do three practice-problem worksheets.”

It’s more like a statement of what the speaker is going to do.

今日の宿題は練習問題のプリントを三枚やることです。

This sounds like a definition or explanation:
- “Today’s homework is doing three practice-problem worksheets.”
This is the natural way for a teacher to announce what the homework assignment is.

So the ことです version is better when you’re defining the homework, not just describing your own future action.

Is the politeness level of 今日の宿題は練習問題のプリントを三枚やることです appropriate for a teacher?

Yes. It’s polite but not overly formal, which fits normal classroom speech.

です makes it polite.
やる is plain, but inside やることです it doesn’t sound rude; this structure is very common even in polite speech.

If a teacher wanted to be a bit more formal or explicit, they might say:

今日の宿題は、練習問題のプリントを三枚やることです。忘れないでください。
“Today’s homework is to do three practice-problem worksheets. Don’t forget.”

Or, as an instruction:

練習問題のプリントを三枚やってください。
“Please do three practice-problem worksheets.”

Are there other natural ways to phrase the same idea?

Yes, for example:

今日の宿題は、練習問題のプリントを三枚することです。
- Using する instead of やる. Slightly more neutral, still fine.
今日の宿題は、練習問題のプリント三枚です。
- More abbreviated: “Today’s homework is (these) three practice-problem worksheets.”
今日は、練習問題のプリントを三枚やってきてください。
- “For today (for tomorrow), please do three practice-problem worksheets (as homework).”

All convey basically the same assignment, with small differences in style and nuance.