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JLPT N4Grammar Patterns

ようにする— Make effort to / Try to (habitual effort)

Expresses intentional ongoing effort to do or not do something. "I try to / I make sure to / I make it a point to."

Grammar path · 練習

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Pro lessonUNIT 85 · GRAMMAR PATTERNS

Structure · 形

[Verb dictionary / negative] + ようにする / ようにしている

Examples · 例文

  • 毎日野菜を食べるようにしています。

    Mainichi yasai wo taberu you ni shite imasu.

    I make it a point to eat vegetables every day.

    食べる + ようにしています = making ongoing effort to eat

  • 夜更かしをしないようにする。

    Yofukashi wo shinai you ni suru.

    I'll try not to stay up late.

    しない + ようにする = make effort not to do

  • エレベーターを使わないで、階段を使うようにしています。

    Erebeetaa o tsukawanaide, kaidan o tsukau you ni shite imasu.

    I make it a point to use the stairs instead of the elevator.

    使う + ようにしています = ongoing deliberate effort (for health)

Usage notes · 注意

  • Key Concept: ようにする (ongoing effort) vs ようになる (achieved change).
  • Detail: ようにしている = habit/ongoing effort in present.
  • Detail: ようにした = made an effort at that time.
  • Summary: Often used for resolutions and lifestyle changes.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ようにする is tested against.

vsようになる

ようにする = deliberate effort by the subject toward a behavior; ようになる = a change that has come about (often as the result of such effort).

vs〜ことにする

ことにする is a one-time firm decision to do something (行くことにした = I've decided to go); ようにする is an ongoing effort/habit to keep doing or avoiding something (行くようにする = I try to go).

More grammar patterns

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