If at first you don’t succeed…
PenPal asks, Which is correct?
A. “I will try and schedule a dentist appointment for Tuesday.”
B. “I will try to schedule a dentist appointment for Tuesday.”
My excellent high school and college English instructors taught this well, along with the reasoning behind it, and I’ve never forgotten this grammar point. In fact, it has become a pet peeve of my editorial life!
Here is a somewhat simplified but completely adequate explanation:
In Example A, we have a compound predicate, which means we have two or more distinct actions (verbs or verb phrases). The sense of this is the following: the subject will both try [something] and schedule [a dentist appointment]. If we read it correctly, we are left wondering what the subject is going to try—it could be anything! In my case, it would be to avoid the dentist.
In Example B, we have a simple predicate, which means there is one distinct action (verb or verb phrase). The sense of this is as follows: the subject will try to schedule [a dentist appointment]. Example B contains correct verb usage and syntax; Example A is not correct.
More and more often, I see this phrasing [try and . . .] misused in publications. If you take a moment to think it through logically, it’s an easy and important error to correct in the quest for excellent, rather than mediocre, substandard, writing. Try the brief quiz below to see if you understand the distinction. There is one “trick” question; try to spot it and choose correctly.
Select the correct wording in each sample set below:
A.
1. My mother will try to attend my baby shower even though she lives in Tucson.
2. My mother will try and attend my baby shower even though she lives in Tucson.
B.
1. Mark’s dragon would try and fit into seven pairs of boots that morning before he’d find the perfect pair.
2. Mark’s dragon would try to fit into seven pairs of boots that morning before he’d find the perfect pair.
C.
1. If you don’t mind, Zelda, try and schedule our meeting before 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.
2. If you don’t mind, Zelda, try to schedule our meeting before 2 p.m. Friday afternoon.
D.
1. Try and fail; it’s better than never trying at all.
2. Try to fail; it’s better than never trying at all.
E.
1. Try to pay attention the first time I explain this proof, will you, Zachary?
2. Try and pay attention the first time I explain this proof, will you Zachary?
Answers:
A:1; B:2; C:2; D:1; E:1
[Explanation for D: This is clearly a different usage for “try.” In this sentence, two abstractions are presented. Rather than a subject trying something or failing at something, the author is discussing the broader concepts of effort and failure. We presumably don’t try to fail at anything. Always consider the context when applying grammar rules.]
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Cathy Kodra a/k/a PenPal
About PenPal…
Cathy Kodra works as an independent editor in Knoxville, TN. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Roanoke Review, New Millennium Writings, Common Ground Review, Now & Then, Cavalier Literary Couture, Slow Trains, Still Crazy, The Medulla Review, Prime Mincer, Yemassee, and others. She is a contributing editor for New Millennium Writings and past guest poetry editor for The Medulla Review. She was first runner up in Prime Mincer’s 2011 Poetry Contest, judged by Rodney Jones, and took first place in the 2012 Old Gray Cemetery Poetry Contest. Cathy’s first poetry chapbook, Thin Ice, was published in 2011 by Medulla Publishing.
Cathy is a member of the Knoxville Writers’ Guild and of two local writing groups. An avid reader and writer, she is currently working on two poetry collections and a collection of short stories. Her hobbies include gardening and vegan cooking, and she lives happily with her husband Ron, two dogs, and a cat. She can be reached at www.cathykodra.com.
