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Akc Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Attempt to vs. attempt at

Can someone please exlain the usage of "attempt to" and "attempt at"

1. My attempt to drive an aeroplane has been successful so far.
2. My attempt at driving an aeroplane has been successful so far.

Whats the difference between two sentences. When do we use "attempt to" and "attempt at".

Thank You.
  

Top answer

Attempt can be followed by a verb. When this occurs, the infinitive is very common: It was my first attempt to learn some Spanish. If the next word isn't a verb , at is needed: It was my first attempt at it .

— Cool Breeze

  • Attempt can be followed by a verb.
  • When this occurs, the infinitive is very common: It was my first attempt to learn some Spanish.
  • If the next word isn't a verb , at is needed: It was my first attempt at it .
  • No rule says you can't have at + gerund instead of the infinitive, but I think it's less common.
  • There's no difference in meaning as far as I know.
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12 Answers
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Attempt can be followed by a verb. When this occurs, the infinitive is very common: It was my first attempt to learn some Spanish. If the next word isn't a verb, at is needed: It was my first attempt at it
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You should really use 'piloting' or 'flying' rather than driving. Although it's rather a redundant sentence if you think about it - if your attempt had been unsuccessful so far, you probably wouldn't be in a position to talk about it....
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<<<1. My attempt to drive an aeroplane has been successful so far.
2. My attempt at driving an aeroplane has been successful so far.>>>



I would not use present perfect in the above sentences. I would rephrase them as follows:



My first attempt to fly pilot an airplane was a successful one



Attempt- can be
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KateJSYou should really use 'piloting' or 'flying' rather than driving
Yes, of course!Emotion: embarrassed
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Thank you all for the inputs.

So then which of the following is correct here.

1.An attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, begun almost two decades ago, has been unsuccessful despite efforts by many important groups, including the National Organization for Women.

2.An attempt at ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, begun almost two decades ago, has been unsucc
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akcSo then which of the following is correct here.

1.An attempt to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, begun almost two decades ago, has been unsuccessful despite efforts by many important groups, including the National Organization for Women.

2.An attempt at ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment, begun almost two decades ago, has been unsuccessful despi
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take the advice from CB. Your sentence is fractured- so note that the clause 'begun ---ago' must begin with the subordinationg conjuction 'which'. so your sentence should read' an attempt ...... which began ------, has ...

Nomsa
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There is a subtle difference in usage.

For important or dramatic matters, you use attempt + infinitive. "The German attempt to conquer the Soviet Uniion failed". No English speaker would write "The German attempt at conquering the Soviet Union failed."

Here are cases when I might use (but this is not mandatory !) "attempt at"

"My attempt at learning to play golf was la
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CB's confusion is justified. This is a GMAT question that even I got stumped at. I picked attempt "at ratifying" while the correct answer is "attempt to ratify" and I was also wondering if there was any real difference between the 2. Any further clarification would help...
Naren
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Do not listen to most of the other responses; the people do not know what they are talking about.

The difference is the same as any other verb partern. In English, some verbs are followed by a base verb, an infinitive, or a gerund. If someone were to write "an attempt at doing" versus "an attempt to do," it would be his choice. There is definitely no rule somewhere that says, "one has to
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