attempting to monitor

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "attempting to monitor" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing the action of trying to observe or keep track of something or someone. Example: "The team is attempting to monitor the progress of the project to ensure it stays on schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Hence many countries have moved one stage further, attempting to monitor and control public expenditure in purely cash terms.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Rebel groups who were attempting to monitor their movements have next to no influence in Raqaa and little means to stop them being moved further east into Iraq.

The Guardian

There is one silver lining to this dark cloud: AT&T says it is not attempting to monitor its customers' connections to encrypted websites (like Google, Yahoo!, Facebook and Twitter), which could endanger its customers' security.

The Guardian - Opinion

ON JULY 19th, IraqBodyCount, a group of academics who are attempting to monitor the casualties of the conflict in that country, published a report suggesting that almost 25,000 civilians have been killed in it so far.

The Economist

Central to the current set-up is the process of commissioning, currently involving the secretary of state and his officials issuing "funding agreements" for academies and free schools and then attempting to monitor them, mainly through Ofsted and the Education Funding Agency.

The Guardian

The report describes a constant struggle for resources by a compliance department vainly attempting to monitor a vast and expanding number of transactions and regulations in the face of efforts by executives to tamp down costs.One employee who pushed hard for more resources to address festering problems was sacked because of her efforts.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

But the UAE has attempted to monitor BlackBerry users in the past.

The Guardian - Business

"When I attempted to monitor what they were doing, the two younger ones got off Facebook," she said.

The New York Times

They concluded that any offers of assistance should be made carefully to avoid being interpreted by the Indians as politically motivated or attempts to monitor their actions.

The Guardian

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control attempts to monitor evasions of sanctions by suppliers to the U.S. According to blog posts by its director Adam Szubin, Foreign Assets Control reviews intelligence to create a blacklist of foreign companies and suppliers.

The New Yorker

In the novel – published in 1949 – citizens of Airstrip One (which used to be Great Britain) are subjected to a brutal regime that watches their every move, and attempts to monitor their every thought.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the connotations of "monitor". If a less formal or less intrusive action is intended, consider alternatives like "observe" or "track".

Common error

Avoid using overly broad or undefined subjects with the phrase "attempting to monitor". For example, instead of saying "They are attempting to monitor the situation", specify who "they" are and what specific aspects of the situation they are monitoring.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attempting to monitor" functions as a gerund phrase, often acting as part of a verb phrase, to describe an ongoing effort or process. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

5%

Unknown/unmatched sources

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "attempting to monitor" is a grammatically correct and commonly used gerund phrase that describes the action of trying to observe or keep track of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for a variety of contexts, ranging from news reports to scientific studies. While generally neutral in tone, it can be replaced with alternatives such as "trying to oversee" or "seeking to track" to adjust the level of formality or emphasis. When using this phrase, clarity is key; ensure that the subject and object of the monitoring are clearly defined for maximum impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

trying to oversee

Replaces "attempting to" with "trying to" and "monitor" with "oversee", indicating a less formal observation.

seeking to track

Substitutes "attempting" with "seeking" and "monitor" with "track", suggesting a deliberate effort to follow something.

endeavoring to observe

Replaces "attempting" with "endeavoring", providing a more formal tone, and "monitor" with "observe", focusing on the act of watching.

aiming to supervise

Replaces "attempting" with "aiming", which implies an intention, and "monitor" with "supervise", suggesting a higher level of oversight.

working to regulate

Shifts the focus from observation to control, replacing "monitor" with "regulate".

making an effort to watch

Emphasizes the effort being made to observe, using a more descriptive structure.

in the process of surveilling

Implies a more formal and perhaps secretive form of monitoring.

taking steps to scrutinize

Suggests a more detailed and critical form of monitoring.

performing ongoing assessment of

Indicates a continuous evaluation rather than simple observation.

undertaking the task of keeping tabs on

Uses a more informal and colloquial expression for monitoring.

FAQs

What does "attempting to monitor" mean?

The phrase "attempting to monitor" means trying to observe, check, or keep track of something or someone over a period of time.

What can I say instead of "attempting to monitor"?

You can use alternatives like "trying to oversee", "seeking to track", or "endeavoring to observe" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "attempting to monitor" in a sentence?

It is appropriate to use "attempting to monitor" when describing a deliberate effort to observe or track something, often with a specific goal or purpose in mind.

Is "attempting to monitor" formal or informal?

The phrase "attempting to monitor" falls in the neutral to slightly formal register. For more informal situations, consider alternatives like "keeping tabs on".