Help: gerund or Infinitive?

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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Help: gerund or Infinitive?

Help: gerund or Infinitive?

mailis

Help: gerund or Infinitive?

Dear colleagues,

can you please tell me which ones are correct?

1. Jenny had a headache and she tried taking or to take an aspirin for her headache.

2. If you can�t sleep, you can try counting or to count sheep.

I think in both cases the gerund is the correct one but i would like to have a second opinion

thank you!!!

19 Apr 2010

coyote.chus

Hi!
You have to use the gerund inb oth of them.
With the to-infinitive it would mean "have an attempt"
I tried to start the engine of my car but it was useless.
With the gerund it means "make an experiment", "prove something to see it it works or not"
My car wouldn �t start so I tried heating it up a little bit and it finally started.

19 Apr 2010

Dear mailis,

you can use both an infinitive and a gerund after try, but with a difference in meaning.

try+doing = do something different, that I �ve never done before.

eg. Why don �t you try adding some cinnamon in your cupcakes, it �ll be delicious.

try+to do = make an effort to do sth

eg. I tried to solve the problem but it was too difficult and I gave up.

So I think that in your examples the gerund is correct, as you said! Take a look at learners dictionary for more examples, it �s online and for free!

Hope I helped!

Have a nice day!

Marileia

19 Apr 2010

Definitely gerund: The sentences are not about making an effort; they are about trying sth out to see if it works.
Hope that helps!
Cheerio!

19 Apr 2010

yeldanevin2

IN BOTH CASES GERUND IS CORRECT- DEFINITELY

19 Apr 2010