What would be the difference between 書こう and 書きよう when used in this sentence?


EDIT: Apparently I read the answers wrong, and the correct answer is actually
the one I chose, i.e. 書こうにも.

Then my question would be focused on the difference between these two forms. I
guess in this fixed usage 書こう would be the grammatical one to use, while 書きよう
would be used when the speaker wants to make a proposal in general, even
though both are "volitional forms"? Or is my understanding incorrect.

* * *

Question from Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar:

手を怪我してしまった。これでは急ぎの書類を＿書けない。

I chose 書こうにも but the answer was 書きようにも

However, there was a real question from the 1995 N1 exam that was:

こう毎日レポートや試験に追われていては、国の両親に手紙を書こうにも書けない。

which used 書こうにも

Therefore this question was quite confusing to me.

I guess a more general question would also be, is there any difference between
these two forms for any word, or are they both volitional forms which are
interchangeable in most situations?




I believe the correct answer should be 「書こうにも」.

Grammatical sentences are:

> 「手を怪我してしまった。これでは急ぎの書類を **書こうにも書けない** 。」  
>  「こう毎日レポートや試験に追われていては、国の両親に手紙を **書こうにも書けない** 。」

「書き **よう** にもかけない」 is not correct.

The formula is: 「volitional form 書こう + にも + potential negative 書けない」.

書きよう is not the volitional form. It's 書き+[様]{よう}, "way of writing".

To use 「書きよう」 you could say:

「～の **書きようがない** 。」 "There's no way to write..."




I believe the correct answer should be 「書こうにも」.

Grammatical sentences are:

> 「手を怪我してしまった。これでは急ぎの書類を **書こうにも書けない** 。」  
>  「こう毎日レポートや試験に追われていては、国の両親に手紙を **書こうにも書けない** 。」

「書き **よう** にもかけない」 is not correct.

The formula is: 「volitional form 書こう + にも + potential negative 書けない」.

書きよう is not the volitional form. It's 書き+[様]{よう}, "way of writing".

To use 「書きよう」 you could say:

「～の **書きようがない** 。」 "There's no way to write..."

