This sentence is for いがい.
昨日日本語の勉強いがい何もしていない。
When it came up in review I thought it might be ほか, so I don’t think I really understand when to use one versus the other. I guess you can’t use ほか here because 勉強 can’t directly modify ほか, but can someone explain how this sentence might be slightly tweaked to allow for ほか to be used? Or if someone can explain why it doesn’t make sense at all if that’s the case.
Good example, I’m curious about @mrnoone 's explanation. I think the only difference between いがい and ほか + negative is that you need the の particle before ほか. So のほかには should have the exact same meaning in your example.
@seanblue @Anthropos888
They are almost identical, but 以外, unlike 他 is not independent.
There must be always something before it, like demonstrative, adjective, noun, verb, clause.
For example,
While
この本だけですか。ほかにもほしいものはありますか。is OK
この本だけですか。いがいにもほしいものはありますか。Is not.
There has to be at least demonstrative before it.
この本だけですか。このいがいにもほしいものはありますか。
Is OK.
Also,
勇者が死んだから、一人で世界を救う他に方法がない。
勇者が死んだから、一人で世界を救う以外に方法がない。are both correct meaning:
Because the hero is dead, there is no other way but to save world alone.