GRAMMAR DETAIL

〜ようがない

there is no way to ...

Indicates that an action is impossible because there is no means of attempting it.

Examples

証拠がなければ、その話を確かめようがない。

Without evidence, there is no way to verify that story.

失われた記録は元に戻しようがない。

There is no way to restore the lost records.

住所が分からないので、手紙を送りようがない。

I do not know the address, so there is no way to send the letter.

Structure: Add method-denoting よう and がない to a verb's masu-stem to indicate that no means of carrying out the action is available.
Basic usage: 住所が分からないので、手紙を送りようがない。 describes lacking a way to send a letter because the address is unknown.

Different from volitional よう
- 送りようがない combines the stem 送り from 送ります with method-denoting よう. Its form and role differ from volitional 送ろう.
Lack of means versus lack of skill
- 暗くて読みようがない focuses on darkness leaving no means of reading. This differs from lacking reading ability, as in まだ漢字が読めない.