TRY "TO DO" & TRY "DOING"

 TRY "TO DO" & TRY "DOING"

Try to do something can be explained as "to make an effort to do something" or "attempt to do something", while try doing something means "test" or "experimenting".

However, people still cannot see the differences or get mixed up with these two concepts. Therefore, compare the following explanations: 

• When you try TO DO something, it means you do it and want to see if you will succeed or fail. For example, when I try to run 100 meters in 15 seconds, I am making an effort, using all my energy to run that fast. However, I might fail.
• When you try DOING something, you know how to do it, you can do it without any trouble, but you do not know the result yet. For example, I couldn't turn the key clockwise, so I tried turning it counterclockwise. By doing it, you will be able to see if the door would open, not to see if the key will turn (you have no trouble turning the key).

More examples to support the explanations above:

• I tried to lift the bag, but I wasn't strong enough.
• The soup was to salty, so I tried pouring some water into the pot.
• I tried to write with my left hand (I'm right-handed).
• The computer wasn't working properly, so I tried restarting the system.

I hope that this will help. If you have any questions, just post a comment.