Try
The meaning of the infinitive and the gerund are similar in meaning after "try."
| Infinitive form | Gerund form | |
| Try to rest more. | or | Try resting more. |
The meaning in both these sentences is the same.
When try is used in the past as "tried," however, the infinitive and the gerund forms mean opposite things. The gerund form with "tried" tells other people that an action happened, while the infinitive form tells other people that an action did not happen.
Infinitive (didn't occur)
I tried to drink some coffee to stay awake, but I couldn't find any in the house. (In other words, "I didn't drink any coffee.")
Gerund (did occur)
I tried drinking some coffee to stay awake, but it didn't help. (In other words, "I drank some coffee.")
As you can see, these two sentences appear similar, but when used in conversation and writing in English, they mean totally different things.
Remember, Stop, Forget, and Regret
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