Try + Infinitive vs Try + Gerund

1 Two Forms, Two Meanings

The verb try behaves differently depending on what follows it — and the difference matters. When you say ‘I tried to call you,’ you’re describing an effort to do something that was probably difficult or unsuccessful. The call never actually happened. Perhaps your battery died, or you had no signal. The focus is on the attempt, not the action itself.

Now compare: ‘I tried calling you.’ This time, you did make the call. You dialled the number, the phone rang — but maybe the other person didn’t hear it, or their phone was off. The action happened; it just didn’t solve your problem.

Notice the pattern: try + infinitive = effort toward a goal (often unfulfilled). Try + gerund = experiment or test to see if something works. This second meaning appears frequently in advice: ‘Want to sleep better? Try drinking less coffee.’ You’re suggesting an experiment, not describing difficulty. Get this distinction clear, and a whole family of confusing sentences suddenly makes sense.

2 Try + Infinitive: Making an Effort

When we use try + infinitive, we’re talking about making an effort to achieve something — usually something that involves difficulty or challenge. We don’t say ‘I tried to breathe’ or ‘I tried to blink’ because these actions are automatic and easy. The structure signals effort.

One key point: in the past tense, ‘I tried to…’ almost always signals failure. The action expressed by the infinitive did not happen. ‘I tried to open the window’ = the window stayed shut. ‘She tried to persuade him’ = he wasn’t persuaded. This failure implication is strong and consistent.

3 Try + Gerund: Experimenting and Advising

When we use try + gerund, we’re describing an experiment or test. We do something to see what happens — to check if it solves a problem, to find out if we like it, or to discover if we’re capable of it. This structure appears constantly in suggestions and advice.

Three common situations: A) Solving a problem — ‘The printer isn’t working. Try restarting the computer.’ You’re suggesting an action that might fix the issue. B) Testing preferences — ‘I tried swimming but didn’t enjoy it, so I took up running instead.’ You experimented to see if you liked it. C) Testing ability — ‘Have you ever tried juggling? It’s harder than it looks.’ You’re asking if someone has tested whether they can do it.

The advice use (actually case A) is everywhere in English: ‘Want to improve your pronunciation? Try recording yourself and listening back.’ The speaker is proposing an experiment, not describing effort.

4 Apply What You’ve Learned

Now put these patterns into practice. The task below asks you to use both forms correctly in continuous writing.

5 Key Takeaways

You now understand a distinction that confuses many learners: try + infinitive describes effort toward a goal (and in past tense, usually signals failure), while try + gerund describes experimentation — testing something to see if it works, if you like it, or if you can do it.

Remember the phone call test: ‘I tried to call you’ = I never placed the call (my battery died, I had no signal). ‘I tried calling you’ = I did call, but you didn’t answer. This difference is not about formality or style — it’s about meaning.

One bonus: native speakers often say ‘try and do’ instead of ‘try to do’ in casual speech. ‘Try and get some rest’ sounds more natural than ‘try to get some rest’ in conversation. Both are correct, but ‘try and’ belongs to spoken, informal English. When giving advice, reach for try + gerund: ‘Try taking a different route’ feels more natural than ‘Try to take a different route,’ which suggests the action itself is difficult. Master this, and your English will sound noticeably more natural.