Try to keep a record of everything you eat this week.

[kadioguy]

Try to keep a record of everything you eat this week.
https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/record_1?q=record+
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Why is the present simple verb "eat" used? Isn't that an action that will happen in the future?

a. Try to keep a record of everything you eat this week.
b. Try to keep a record of everything you will eat this week. [my version]

What do you think of these two?

 

[teechar]

Remember that the present simple can also be used to talk about future actions.

Talking about the future

Learn about the different verb forms you can use to talk about the future, and do the exercises to practise using them.

learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

 

[kadioguy]

Remember that the present simple can also be used to talk about future actions.

Okay, so in this context, do (a) and (b) mean the same? For native speakers, is there any difference in meaning between them?

 

[Tarheel]

Yes, there's a difference. (I wouldn't use the second one.)

It's a suggestion that you keep track of everything you eat. (Not everything you will eat.)

(I definitely wouldn't use "Try" there.)

 

[jutfrank]

Okay, so in this context, do (a) and (b) mean the same? For native speakers, is there any difference in meaning between them?

Just forget about using will. It isn't right.

 

[emsr2d2]

Try to keep a record of everything you eat this week = For the next seven days, each time you eat, try to make a note of what it was.
Try to keep a record of everything you will eat this week = Try to write a note of everything you plan to eat in the next seven days.

The second doesn't really make any sense. I could write a note now of what I plan to eat in the next seven days but it's very unlikely to turn out to be accurate when the end of the week comes.

 

[jutfrank]

The phrase keep a record means that you do it after the fact. Obviously, you can't keep a record of something you haven't yet done.

 

[Tarheel]

Admittedly, that usage is becoming more and more common. However ..

Bob: Try to find a pallet jack.
Ron (several minutes later): I'm back!
Bob: Where's the pallet jack?
Ron: I couldn't find one.
Bob: What do you mean you couldn't find one?
Ron: Don't get mad at me. You told me to try to find a pallet jack. I did try.

Ron knows, of course, that Bob didn't really mean "try", so that conversation wouldn't happen in real life.

I wouldn't suggest that you "try" to do something unless I wasn't sure you could do it. In this case (keeping a record of your food intake) I would have considerable confidence in your ability to do it.

 

[kadioguy]

Bob: What do you mean by you couldn't find one?

I think that "by" is needed.

 

[tedmc]

I think that "by" is needed.

Not really. "By' is optional. I think the sentence is more natural without it.

 

[teechar]

Not really. "By' is optional. I think the sentence is more natural without it.

With "by" a direct quote of what the person is necessary.
Bob: What do you mean by "I couldn't find one"?

 

[kadioguy]

Not really. "By' is optional. I think the sentence is more natural without it.

Without "by" it looks grammatically weird to me.

Perhaps it is colloquially okay.

 

[Rover_KE]

Perhaps it is colloquially okay.

As you have been told—it is.

 

[kadioguy]

As you have been told—it is.

Uh, I don't see who told me something like "it looks grammatically weird but is colloquially okay".

 

[Tarheel]

Uh, I don't see who told me something like "it looks grammatically weird but is colloquially okay".

Nobody said that. The response was to "Perhaps it is colloquially okay".

It is ordinary English. (I was going to say about the same thing teechar said until I read his post.)

One of the purposes of the dialogues is to illustrate conversational English. (Not really, but it has worked out that way. Also, creating them is kind of fun.) Each one is created to help me make a point related to the thread it appears it.

 

[kadioguy]

Nobody said that. The response was to "Perhaps it is colloquially okay".

All right, I now suppose that Rover_KE is referring to tedmc, who told me that.

Each one is created to help me make a point related to the thread it appears in.

It might be "in", I think.

 

[Tarheel]

@kadioguy Doh!