be tried to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be tried to" is not correct and usable in written English. It does not convey a clear meaning and is likely a grammatical error. An example could be: "He should be tried to understand the situation." Alternative expressions could be "be attempted to," "be made to," or "be encouraged to."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

"I am calling for the man to be tried to the fullest extent of the law.

The New York Times

The 54-year-old elected to be tried to magistrates at Westminster Magistrates Courtt rather than a jury.

Independent

Clinical practice guidelines recommend that several evidence-based treatments be tried to relieve low back pain before patients consult with a doctor about spinal surgery.

University of California, Berkeley

Federal subsidies would have to be a consideration, although more subtle changes in our tax code and import rules could be tried to give the companies proper incentive.

The New York Times

I was present when the Reich Foreign Minister reported to the Fuehrer about this matter, and I know he suggested that this contact be tried to see what results it might bring.

Yale University

Picard contends that Maine's work as a stockbroker and office executive in the 1970s and '80s, and his "brief stint trying to raise trout," were "outside the scope of the issues to be tried to the jury in this litigation".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

He's tried to undercut.

Los Angeles Times

We're trying to".

The New York Times - Sports

Ashima is trying to optimize.

The New Yorker

Or, they're trying to.

Independent

"Everybody is trying to survive.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "be tried to". Instead, rephrase your sentence to use more grammatically correct alternatives such as "should be tried", "could be tried", or "needs to be tested".

Common error

Don't force the phrase "be tried to" into your writing. If a sentence feels unnatural with this phrase, it's likely incorrect. Rework the sentence structure for clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be tried to" functions as a passive construction where an action is intended to be performed on a subject. Although attempts to use it appear in Ludwig, the construction is not generally considered grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

31%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While the phrase "be tried to" appears with some frequency, Ludwig analysis indicates that it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's often used to suggest an action that should or could be taken, but its awkward phrasing diminishes its effectiveness. As a result, opting for alternatives like "should be tried", "could be tried", or other similar constructions can greatly improve the clarity and correctness of your writing. Remember to avoid this construction in formal writing and speech for better grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be attempted

Focuses on the act of attempting something, removing the awkward 'to' after 'tried'.

should be tried

Emphasizes the advisability or necessity of trying something.

could be tried

Suggests a possibility or option for trying something.

can be tested

Replaces 'tried' with 'tested' suggesting an experimental approach.

might be explored

Replaces 'tried' with 'explored', emphasizing a more exploratory approach.

must be implemented

Replaces 'tried' with 'implemented', suggesting a more formal approach.

has to be tested

Replaces 'tried' with 'tested' and changes the structure to emphasize obligation.

needs to be examined

Replaces 'tried' with 'examined', giving a sense of closer analysis.

may be used

Replaces 'tried' with 'used', describing the act of application or employment.

can be applied

Replaces 'tried' with 'applied', describing how one thing is used on another.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "be tried to"?

Instead of "be tried to", use phrases like "should be tried", "could be tried", or "needs to be tested" depending on the intended meaning.

When is it appropriate to use "be tried to" in a sentence?

The phrase "be tried to" is generally not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's best to avoid it in formal writing and speech.

Is there a difference in meaning between "be tried to" and "be attempted"?

Yes, "be attempted" is a more standard and grammatically correct way to express that something was subject to an attempt. The phrase "be tried to" is often awkward and not recommended.

How can I rephrase a sentence that incorrectly uses "be tried to"?

Identify the intended meaning and replace "be tried to" with a more appropriate phrase. For example, instead of "This method should be be tried to solve the problem", you could say "This method should be attempted to solve the problem", or simply "This method should be tried to solve the problem".