attempted to do

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attempted to do" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing an effort made to achieve a specific action or goal. Example: She attempted to do her homework before dinner. Alternative expressions include "tried to do" and "sought to do."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Many more attempted to do so.

The New York Times

"What you attempted to do was beyond despicable," she said.

The New York Times

In Bolivia, Mr Morales has attempted to do the same.

The Economist

According to court records, the Army attempted to do so.

The New Yorker

We may have attempted to do too much".

The New York Times

I attempted to do a handbrake turn and bang!

The Guardian - Sport

And that is what this legislation attempted to do.

The Guardian - Opinion

The IFS's work has attempted to do that, and has revealed a less favourable picture.

Independent

"These facts can't be ignored, but that's exactly what Panorama have attempted to do".

Independent

This is what most freedom of information laws in other countries have attempted to do.

The Economist

On July 20th Mr Prodi attempted to do so as well.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In highly formal or academic writing, consider using the phrase to maintain a neutral, objective tone when describing past actions.

Common error

Do not pair the phrase with other words that mean the same thing, such as saying "attempted to try to do". This creates unnecessary wordiness and dilutes the impact of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attempted to do" functions as a transitive verb phrase in the simple past tense. It consists of the past participle/past tense verb "attempted" followed by the to-infinitive "to do". According to Ludwig AI, it serves as a primary way to report historical efforts or trials.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "attempted to do" is a robust and essential phrase in the English language. Ludwig AI shows that it is used extensively across the most respected publications in the world, from The New York Times to scientific repositories like ScienceDirect. Its strength lies in its versatility and clarity, allowing writers to report on past actions with a balanced, neutral tone. Whether you are describing a political maneuver, a scientific experiment, or a personal effort, this phrase provides a professional and grammatically sound structure that is universally understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tried to do

More informal and direct than the original phrase

sought to do

More formal and often implies a purposeful quest or intention

endeavored to do

Highly formal, suggesting significant effort or a serious commitment

strove to do

Emphasizes vigorous or persistent effort toward a goal

aimed to do

Focuses on the intention or target rather than the action of trying

attempted to perform

More technical or formal, often used in scientific or medical contexts

made an attempt to

Uses a noun-based construction which can soften the tone in formal writing

set out to do

Emphasizes the starting point of an intention or project

undertook to do

Implies a formal commitment or taking responsibility for a task

struggled to do

Implicitly suggests that the attempt was met with great difficulty

FAQs

What can I say instead of "attempted to do"?

You can use common alternatives such as "<a href="/s/tried+to+do" target="_blank" rel="alternative">tried to do", "<a href="/s/sought+to+do" target="_blank" rel="alternative">sought to do", or "<a href="/s/endeavored+to+do" target="_blank" rel="alternative">endeavored to do" depending on the desired level of formality.

Is "attempted to do" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is a standard past tense verb phrase used to describe an effort that has already taken place.

How do I use "attempted to do" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe any past effort, for example: "The scientists "attempted to do" a follow-up study but lacked funding."

What is the difference between "attempted to do" and "tried to do"?

While both mean the same thing, "<a href="/s/tried+to+do" target="_blank" rel="alternative">tried to do" is more common in everyday speech, whereas "attempted to do" is slightly more formal and often found in news reporting and academic literature.