Hello everyone.
I have been having a pretty hard time distinguishing these two grammar points. Let me know if I’m understanding this correctly.
I think the similarity is that they’re used to express a decision made on the spot (as one speaks).
For the differences:
**妻「あなたの帰りは毎日遅いから、子供たちはさびしがっているわ。」**
**夫「そうか。これからはもっと早く帰るようにするよ。」**
In this situation, we can’t use “帰ることにする” because this is just the husband’s intention. He will try but is still not sure he will come home soon enough. ( to play with his kids )
**娘「お父さん、今度の休みにディズニーランドに連れて行ってよ。」**
**父「よし、わかった。じゃ友達とゴルフに行く約束は断ることにするよ。」**
In this situation, the father has control over the decision to either go with his friends or his daughter, that is why “断ることにする” is used. He certainly won’t “try” to decline as that would give the daughter the impression that her father is uncertain about taking her to Disneyland that weekend.
Thank you!
2 comments
Typically, こと comes with/accompanies rules.
For instance:
~すること。= ~ as a rule.
EDIT: (example) 削除前に画面ショットを取ること。= (As a rule) Take a screenshot before deleting.
Similarly, ～ことにする is used where the father is making a promise to his daughter. This certainty is implied through こと。
～ようにする doesn’t carry with it any implications of rules or certainty. It just means, “~will do so” but there are no guarantees. You may well not pay attention and do something else entirely. But it will be met with a sigh and little else, because you never committed to do otherwise.
It’s possible to use the two forms interchangeably in speech, but in writing the above holds true.
ようにする is roughly translated as “make an attempt to”, it is not certain and therefore offers an implication that it might not work out.
For example:
運動始めるようにする
I will make an effort to start exercise
運動始めることにする
I will start exercising