Using 2 gerunds

Say the second.

Most experts on style advise writers not to use two -ing words in a row if they can avoid it, even if that pattern is grammatically correct. As it turns out, "attempt" doesn't take an -ing word anyway.

CJ

Argo80 "Do you have any regrets about attempting to take your own life?"

I may be the only one with this opinion. This sounds unusual to me. If one attempts to kill another, he has a plot which has yet to be carried out. If we analyze this sentence " regrets about attempting to take your own life.." it is saying the person actually decided to kill himself for

grammarfreak This sounds unusual to me

I really don't see your problem. If somebody sticks their head in a gas oven, swallows a bottle full of aspirin, slits their wrists, etc, they are attempting to kill themselves. If a neighbour discovers them and calls the emergency services in time, then the attempt has failed.

I don't understand how you think t

fivejedjonI really don't see your problem.

I don't have a problem. The problem is the semantics. Life is nothing to be attempted on, unless it is with the intent to end someone's life. I am a bit surprised that you didn't seem to see it that way. That's fine. Like I said I may be the only one with this interpretation.

fivejedjon If som

grammarfreak fivejedjon If somebody sticks their head in a gas oven, swallows a bottle full of aspirin
This is called "committing suicide".
I am sure that's how the Brits call it too.

If they end up dead, they have committed suicide. If they survive, they have attempted suicide.

Even we perverse Brits don't say they have committed suicide

grammarfreak

fivejedjon If somebody sticks their head in a gas oven, swallows a bottle full of aspirin

This is called "committing suicide". I am sure that's how the Brits call it too.

I agree with 5jj. "Committed suicide" means they are dead. If they survive, it was a suicide attempt.

Same with "electrocuted." You are dead. If

This is the way I see it. If one jumps of the GGB, he has already made up his mind to end his own life. There is not an "attempt". Agree? If he got lucky and survived the 300 plus feet fall, and *** sent someone to scoop him out of the fridge cold water, he recovered later. Then a reporter can ask " Did you regret your suicide attempt", can he not? I think we all know the literal meaning of attem

My wife's name is Barbara. Thanks for you input. I wasn't arguing but expressing my interpretation. As I have disclaimed, I may be the only with this interpretation. I just can't visualize someone writing his last words to his family: " My life is such a misery that I am going attempt to take my own life". But I can see " My life is such a mess and misery, I have decided to end it on the GGB ..."

grammarfreakThis is the way I see it. If one jumps of the GGB, he has already made up his mind to end his own life. There is not an "attempt". Agree?

No. That was a successful attempt.

Anybody who begins the process of taking his/her own life is attempting to kill him/herself. Some are successful in their attempts - they kill themselves; they commit s