attempting to finish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attempting to finish" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing an effort or endeavor to complete a task or activity. Example: "I am attempting to finish my report before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

But it might have had an inadvertent consequence: some are attempting to finish what they started.

The New York Times - Sports

The semiautobiographical Creative Nonfiction (2009)—which she wrote, directed, and starred in documents the romantic travails of an aspiring college filmmaker attempting to finish a screenplay.

Encyclopedia Britannica

He had a couple of other chances, as well, attempting to finish two double plays, looking a little awkward but always throwing the ball straight.

The New York Times - Sports

England were in the hopeless position of needing 20 runs to win off the last delivery of the match and India were attempting to finish the game with a hat-trick.

Independent

Her speech is endearingly punctuated with caveats – "this is so difficult", "what do I want to say?", "I understood it for a moment then, but, no, it's gone now" – and I hear myself attempting to finish her sentences (always wrongly) gamely willing her on, just as I recall doing watching her on stage all those years ago.

The Guardian - Music

Colin Farrell is the blocked writer attempting to finish the eponymous "life-affirming" screenplay, surrounded by a menagerie of dog-napping, gun-toting crazies, played with relish by Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, Tom Waits et al. Having been lazily compared to Quentin Tarantino in the past, writer/director Martin McDonagh here lives up to the tag – more's the pity.

The Guardian - Film

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

I attempt to finish my final paper for my Desire class.

The New York Times

According to her office, Ms. Giffords will attempt to "finish her Congress on Your Corner" event in the supermarket parking lot in Tucson where she was shot.

The New York Times

The first conference, different to a congress only in the amount of pomp and ceremony, was when Kim attempted to finish his purge of any opposition voices.

The Guardian

Forlan was sent beyond the defence in the 54th minute but mysteriously attempted to finish with a fanciful and ineffective flick with the outside of the foot that caused puzzlement more than alarm to the Liverpool defence.

The Guardian - Sport

As Congress attempts to finish an extensive spending bill for road, highway and mass transportation projects around the nation, New York finds itself in a bleakly familiar spot: on the sidelines.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "attempting to finish" in your writing, ensure the context clearly defines what is being finished and why the attempt is being made. This adds clarity and purpose to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "attempting to finish" in overly passive constructions. Instead of saying, "The report is being attempted to be finished", opt for a more direct and active voice: "The team is attempting to finish the report."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attempting to finish" functions as a gerund phrase, often acting as part of a verb phrase to describe an ongoing action or effort. As Ludwig AI suggests, it indicates a process of trying to complete something.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

6%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "attempting to finish" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe the action of making an effort to complete something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, and it appears frequently in news, media and wiki sources. While it fits into both formal and informal registers, being mindful of overuse and avoiding passive constructions will enhance the clarity and impact of your writing. Remember to be specific about what is being finished to ensure the context is clear for the reader.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

trying to complete

Focuses on the act of trying, which is a synonym to attempting, and replace finish with complete, which has very similar meaning.

endeavoring to finalize

Replaces "attempting" with "endeavoring", implying a more earnest effort, and "finish" with "finalize", suggesting a more formal conclusion.

seeking to conclude

Substitutes "attempting" with "seeking" and "finish" with "conclude", providing a slightly more formal tone.

working towards completion

Expresses the action as "working towards", emphasizing progress, with completion replacing finish.

striving to achieve

Focuses on the effort to achieve a goal, with 'achieve' replacing finish to highlight the successful outcome.

aiming to wrap up

Uses "aiming" as a synonym for attempting, and uses the informal "wrap up" instead of finish.

moving to accomplish

Highlights the progression and the final accomplishment by using 'moving to' and 'accomplish'.

planning to settle

Emphasizes the planning stage, using 'settle' instead of finish to suggest resolving something.

intending to resolve

Indicates the intention to find a resolution or complete the task, offering a more decisive tone.

hoping to secure

Expresses the hope to secure or finalize something, with a focus on the positive outcome of finishing.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "attempting to finish"?

You can use alternatives like "trying to complete", "endeavoring to finalize", or "seeking to conclude" depending on the context.

How do I use "attempting to finish" in a sentence?

The phrase "attempting to finish" typically describes an ongoing effort. For example, "The engineers are attempting to finish the project by the end of the week."

Is it better to say "attempting to finish" or "trying to finish"?

Both "attempting to finish" and "trying to finish" are acceptable. "Attempting" may imply a slightly more formal or deliberate effort, while "trying" is more general.

What's the difference between "attempting to finish" and "managing to finish"?

"Attempting to finish" indicates an effort is being made, while "managing to finish" suggests successful completion despite challenges.