56804
I was doing an N5 test, and this construction came up:

山田さんは大変いいひとですよ。(Context)

> 何も悪いことは聞いたことがありません。(Construction in question)

While I understand the meaning alright (Nothing bad about 田中さん was heard), I
do not understand the structure here. Particularly, how does は work here
connecting `悪いこと` and `聞いたこと`? Why not simply say

`何も悪く聞いたことがありません`

instead, or is the meaning somehow different?

Hours of search hasn't turned up anything related. Is there any online
resource I can refer to? Thank you.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-22T16:33:50.047
56803
2018-02-22T18:46:39.420
27674
question
grammar particle-は
Deconstructing this format: AことはBことがあります
### The こと

This is a case where thinking about it in English might actually help.

In English, one says _"I haven't heard any **thing** bad about someone"_. The
point here is that we need to have a noun as the object of the verb _hear_.

In Japanese, we're not just _"hearing badly"_ about someone (悪く聞く), we're
_"hearing **something** bad"_ about someone. That's where that first こと comes
in (悪い​ **[こ]{●}[と]{●}** ​を聞く).

The second こと is part of the standard construction, `[VERB in た form]` +
ことがある, referring to whether someone has had any experience of `[VERB]`, such
as _"have you ever`[VERB]`ed?"_

### The は

The は in your sample question replaces the を. This construction uses は for
emphasis, making the 悪いこと a kind of sub-topic within the overall topic of
山田さん. The implication is that you haven't heard _anything bad_ , though you
may have heard other things. This is often conveyed in English more through
tone of voice.

For instance, タバコ​ **[を]{●}** ​吸いません just means neutrally that you don't smoke
tobacco. Using は instead, タバコ​ **[は]{●}** ​吸いません states that you don't smoke
_tobacco_ , but it could imply that you smoke other things, just not tobacco
products. As with many things in language, context is important in discerning
the intended meaning.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-22T18:46:39.420
56804
2018-02-22T18:46:39.420
5229
56803
answer