he attempted

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he attempted" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written English.
It typically follows a subject (such as a person or a pronoun) and is followed by a verb. It can be used to describe an action that was attempted or tried, but may not have been successful. Example: He attempted to climb the mountain, but had to turn back due to bad weather.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Twice he attempted suicide.

The New Yorker

He attempted suicide.

The New York Times

He attempted to supply one.

The New York Times - Sports

He attempted to even out his drives.

The New York Times - Sports

Eventually he attempted an almost total realism.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But in 2009 he attempted a comeback.

The New Yorker

"I never worked for him," he attempted.

Independent

At 20, he attempted suicide-by-jaguar.

The New York Times

He attempted 700 passes in 2009.

The New York Times - Sports

'Horses for courses,' he attempted.

The Guardian - Sport

"He attempted suicide several times".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he attempted" to clearly indicate an action that was tried, regardless of its success. It's suitable when the effort itself is noteworthy.

Common error

Avoid using "he attempted" when the action was definitively successful. Use "he did", "he achieved", or similar phrases to indicate completion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he attempted" functions as a subject-verb construction indicating that a male individual undertook or tried to perform a particular action. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. The subsequent infinitive verb clarifies the specific action undertaken.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

49%

Encyclopedias

17%

Science

16%

Less common in

Wiki

13%

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he attempted" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe an effort made by an individual, regardless of the outcome. Ludwig AI confirms its broad applicability, as demonstrated by its frequent use in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Science. While "he tried" serves as a direct synonym, more formal alternatives like "he endeavored" can add nuance. When using "he attempted", ensure it accurately reflects an effort made, even if unsuccessful, and avoid its use when the action was definitively completed. It’s very important to choose appropriate synonym depending on formal or informal context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he tried

Direct synonym; indicates an effort made.

he endeavored

More formal synonym; suggests a serious or determined effort.

he sought

Indicates an effort to find or achieve something.

he aimed

Implies directing effort towards a specific goal.

he strived

Suggests a sustained and vigorous effort.

he undertook

Indicates starting or committing to a task or endeavor.

he aspired

Implies aiming for something ambitious or elevated.

he purposed

Suggests a determined intention or aim.

he set out

Indicates the beginning of an attempt or journey.

he made an effort

Explicitly states that effort was exerted.

FAQs

How can I use "he attempted" in a sentence?

Use "he attempted" followed by a verb in its infinitive form to describe an action someone tried to do. For example, "He attempted to fix the car /s/to+fix+the+car".

What are some alternatives to using "he attempted"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "he tried", "he endeavored", or "he sought".

Is it correct to say "he attempted to success"?

No, that's grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is "he attempted to succeed" /s/to+succeed/. The verb after "attempted" should be in its infinitive form.

What's the difference between "he attempted" and "he succeeded"?

"He attempted" indicates that someone tried to do something, but doesn't specify whether they were successful. "He succeeded" /s/he+succeeded/ means that they successfully completed the action.