I am well aware that a similar question has been asked in the past, namely “Try to save” or “try saving”. However, I am not totally satisfied by the posted answers. My problem is that, every time I think I have understood when to use try + infinitive and try + verb + ing (gerund), I forget and mix them up.
I would like a mnemonic, or an infallible reminder which is which, whenever I need to write, speak or teach this construction to private students.
In my grammar books the "rule" stated is:
Try + infinitive = make an effort to do something
Try + gerund = experiment to see if something works
If I ask someone: "Can you try opening this jar?" or "Can you try to open this jar?" Am I not in effect saying the same thing? It appears to me the difference in meaning is negligible.
If I change the verb try in the past:
"I tried to open the jar."
and
"I tried opening the jar."
Don't they both mean I was unsuccessful in my attempts to open the jar?
In any case, the next time I meet up with this construction, I would like to not have to double check in my grammar books. So any tips?
Best Answer
If you try to do something, you make an attempt to do that something.
The use of the word 'try' followed by a to- infinitive suggests that you are not sure whether you will succeed in a future attempt: I am trying to open the window. I will try to open the window.
It suggests you did not succeed in a past attempt: I tried to open the window.
If you try doing something, you actually do it. The use of the word 'try' followed by a gerund suggests that you are want to see if the result of what you do will have some effect: The room is very stuffy; I will try opening the window (to see if that helps).
'Can you ...?' introducing a request to somebody to try to do / try doing something does not change the meanings of the try constructions.
Can you try to open the window? This is request to somebody to make the attempt to open the window. The speaker is not sure whether the person addressed will succeed. It is possible that somebody else has already tried, and failed.
Can you try opening the window? This is a request to somebody to open the window. The speaker hopes that the opening of the window will have some effect, such as letting some fresh air into a stuffy room.