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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Failed in/on/at every attempt

Hi!

I want to know which one of the following three words in combination with the word "attempt" is correct.

He tried to catch the fly, but he failed at every attempt.
He tried to catch the fly, but he failed in every attempt.
He tried to catch the fly, but he failed on every attempt.

Thanks!
  

Top answer

Oh, my three favorite prepositions! I believe it should be he failed in the attempt, but when it comes to in on at I can never be 100% sure.

— Agarista

  • Oh, my three favorite prepositions!
  • I believe it should be he failed in the attempt, but when it comes to in on at I can never be 100% sure.
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8 Answers
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Oh, my three favorite prepositions!Emotion: rofl I believe it should be he failed in the attempt, but when it comes to
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I would use at. On would be my last choice.
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So can both prepositions be used in the example He failed in/at the attempt...?
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AnonymousI want to...
Thanks!
At is more suitable since the word attempt denotes an activity; pretty much the same way as with the word school, I beleive.
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There are 290 citations for 'failed at' and 1004 for 'failed in' in the Corpus of Contemporary American English.
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Anonymoushe failed at every attempt.
His every attempt failed.
Anonymoushe failed in every attempt
Every attempt he made he failed at.
Anonymoushe failed on every attempt
Evey time he attempted it, he failed. Also "upon every attempt".
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