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Hans51 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

"I have tried / tried to give up smoking 17 times."

While I am still smoking, can I say, "I have tried to give up smoking 17 times"? Or it should be "I tried to give up smoking 17 times."? I think that because of 17 times, have tried seems correct but because I am still smoking, the trying is just something I did in the past, so tried seems correct. What do you think?

Thank you so much and I am really not a smoker anymore although I respect others' choice.
  

Top answer

Both are possible. The simple past carries more of s suggestion that the speaker will not make the attempt again.

— Fivejedjon

  • Both are possible.
  • The simple past carries more of s suggestion that the speaker will not make the attempt again.
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3 Answers
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Both are possible. The simple past carries more of s suggestion that the speaker will not make the attempt again.
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Thank you so much as usual and here is one more question about this.

"I have been trying to give up smoking 17 times."

How about this sentence? I think that this sentence does not make sense because of the phrase 17 times while I am smoking. What do you think?


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It is possible to concoct a silly context for that sentence but you are right. It doesn't work.
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