[Grammar] Present Perfect vs. Present Continuous (I've tried to follow vs I've tried following)

[D.C. Foster]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a difference in meaning between the following sentences:

1) Lately, I have tried to follow my doctor’s advice about eating and exercising but I keep failing.

2) Lately, I have been trying to follow my doctor’s advice about eating and exercising but I keep failing.

I know that the both the present perfect and the present perfect continuous can be used to talk about things where there is a connection between the past and the present. This seems to be the case above.

In the above two cases, is there one that is inherently better than the the other?

Thanks.

 

[jutfrank]

They both work but have subtly diffferent emphases. I prefer 2) because it places an extra emphasis on the continuous or repeated nature of the effort.

 

[TBJESE]

1) Suggests that you recently tried to follow the advice, but because you are failing to follow it, you may have stopped trying.

2) Suggests that you recently started to try to follow the advice and are still trying to follow it, even though you are failing to follow it.

The correct tense depends on whether you want to frame your trying as being in the past (and not the present) or whether you want to emphasis that the trying is continuous.

 

[Roman55]

whether you want to emphasis that the trying is continuous.

That should be 'emphasise'.

 

[Rover_KE]

TBJESE, please read this extract from the Forum Guidelines:

You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly in your post.