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Paultx Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Yet try as I might

I got this one from a PC World newsletter article:

"You know what's frustrating? When something that's supposed to be really simple turns out to be complicated to the point of impossibility. For example, remotely shutting down a Windows computer: This is not rocket science. In fact, it's something built into Windows, and Microsoft even provides an extra tool for free, to make it easier. Yet try as I might, I couldn't get either of these tools to work. I spent hours perusing forums and tweaking firewall settings, user accounts, group policies, and anything else I could think of–and I still couldn't shut down my computer remotely."

I found that sentence a bit strange... Can anyone explain it?

TIA.
  

Top answer

Hi, It's an idiomatic expression. It means roughly 'Although I tried as hard as I could, I had no success'. eg Try as I might, I couldn't open that can.

— Clive

  • Hi, It's an idiomatic expression.
  • It means roughly 'Although I tried as hard as I could, I had no success'.
  • eg Try as I might, I couldn't open that can.
  • eg Try as I might, I couldn't learn Chinese.
  • Clive
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1 Answers
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Hi,

It's an idiomatic expression. It means roughly 'Although I tried as hard as I could, I had no success'.

eg Try as I might, I couldn't open that can.
eg Try as I might, I couldn't learn Chinese.

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