Expresses intentional ongoing effort to do or not do something. "I try to / I make sure to / I make it a point to."
[Verb dictionary / negative] + ようにする / ようにしている
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)
• 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.
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.
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).
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).
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