try doing sg

[baraka]

Hi,

If I have the chance to do sg for the first time, can I say:

I tried riding a horse when I stayed in England last time.

Is this sentence OK?

And does it mean the same as:

I tried horse-riding when I stayed in England last time

thanks
baraka

[Teia]

Originally Posted by baraka

Hi,
If I have the chance to do sg for the first time, can I say:
I tried riding a horse when I stayed in England last time.
Is this sentence OK?
And does it mean the same as:
I tried horse-riding when I stayed in England last time
thanks
baraka

Both sentences are correct but they don`t have the same meaning.
"I tried riding a horse when I stayed in England last time " might mean :I tried but I couldn`t, I tried but I failed or I fell off the horse because I was not used to riding a horse then. What`s more is that we have " a horse" that means "a specific horse" , more or less.

The real meaning depends on the whole text and the speaker should introduce more or additional information about the message he wanted to convey to the readers.
"I tried horse-riding....." means I tried this type of sport :horse -riding, or I tried taking up a new type of sports which is "horse-riding"


Regards,

[baraka]

Originally Posted by teia_petrescu

"I tried riding a horse when I stayed in England last time " might mean :I tried but I couldn`t, I tried but I failed or I fell off the horse because I was not used to riding a horse then. What`s more is that we have " a horse" that means "a specific horse" , more or less.

But if we say: " I tried to ride a horse when I stayed in England last time."
Wouldn't it suggest that I tried but I failed?
I don't feel the difference...

[Avalon]

as far as I know TRY TO DO implies a bigger effort than TRY DOING.

[Teia]

Originally Posted by baraka

But if we say: " I tried to ride a horse when I stayed in England last time."
Wouldn't it suggest that I tried but I failed?
I don't feel the difference...

Hi


TRY TO DO - one -time action
TRY DOING - continuous activity or action

Here is the difference:

I tried to ride ... means : I tried only one time [ it is called one-time action]

I tried riding..... means : I tried more times[ a continuous action]

Try to put it this way :

I tried riding a horse while he was driving his car .
I tried riding a horse while I was in London

or
I stopped to smoke ; I quit another activity and started to smoke a cigarette.[ I was repairing the fence, then I stopped to smoke]

I stopped smoking [continuous action] -I quit smoking /I don`t smoke anymore
Regards,

[Humble]

Hi,
The difference between try +inf and try +gerund is meaningful.
1. I tried to shed some weight, but alas! (=effort)
I think tried shedding is impossible here.
2. I tried skipping suppers, but then Icouldn’t go to sleep. (=experiment)
I think tried to miss is impossible here.
Regards

[Teia]

Originally Posted by Humble

Hi,
The difference between try +inf and try +gerund is meaningful.
1. I tried to shed some weight, but alas! (=effort)
I think tried shedding is impossible here.
2. I tried skipping suppers, but then Icouldn’t go to sleep. (=experiment)
I think tried to miss is impossible here.
Regards

Hi Humble


Yes, you are right. Gerunds and infinitives don`t follow the same pattern; I only tried to give a simpler explanation . "Try" is one of the verbs which can be followed by either an infinitive or a gerund with a difference in meaning:

try + ing form : just testing [to see if smth. will work]
try + infinitive : making an effort [ to do smth.]

e.g. Perhaps they`ll understand you if you try speaking a bit more slowly.
I know these exercises are difficult but you should try to do them anyway.


Satisfied?

I hope so [it`s my pleasure!]


Best wishes

Teia

[tom slocombe]

Hi Humble , you`re right.

Tried to (effort or attempt )

Tried + ing ( experiment )

In these sentences Tried to ride ---- attempted

Tried horseriding ----- a first attempt at something new.



similarly --- I tried skiing but I didn`t like it ( I suppose it is a kind of experiment )

Tom