Difference between ように VS ために

Question

I have the next sentence in the book:

締め切りに間に合う『？』必死でレポートを書き上げた。

1)ために 2)ように

The answer is ように. But from my point of view, there is absolutely no grammatical difference between the 2 of them in the current sentence, and ために could be used as well. Because you're expressing your aim -> 締め切りに間に合う.

I also went through this article https://www.wasabi-jpn.com/japanese-grammar/how-to-express-aims/ to read about the difference between them and didn't find anything that will "stop me" from using ために. In this sentence.

Why it's wrong to use ために here?

Answer 1

According to web sources (1, 2), the basic rule is

• 無意志動詞 + ように
• 意志動詞 + ために

間に合う is not a volitional action, so ように should be used.

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Some examples partially taken from the links above.

• 大学へ行くためにたくさん勉強した In order to enter a college, I studied hard.
• 大学に行けるようにたくさん勉強した I studied hard so that I can enter a college.

Potential forms are 無意志動詞.

• 嫌なことを忘れるためにたくさん運動した In order to forget unpleasant thing, I exercised a lot.
• 忘れないように紙に書いた I wrote it down so that I won't forget.

Here it is a bit more subtle, but 忘れる is a volitional action and 忘れない is something you don't have control over (Admittedly, I'm not sure if I can forget what I want to forget)

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