The phrase "poor attempt at" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to describe a failed or inadequate effort at doing something. Example: Despite his best efforts, John's presentation was a poor attempt at explaining the new company policy.
"We told the students involved that the signs were a poor attempt at humor".
He said the message was a "poor attempt at humor" while making fun of his friend's apparel.
"Clearly I used a stupid analogy in a poor attempt at humour," Russell said in a statement.
The Rangers player actually made a poor attempt at exploiting the position, sending a feeble shot straight at Buffon.
Baxter has neither attributes – he is a fraud and this film is a poor attempt at making money off the Trump name".
A right-wing cross from midfielder Oscar drew the attention of Federico Fernandez and Pablo Zabaleta, the two defenders diverting the ball to an unmarked Tardelli who fired home with goalkeeper Sergio Romero making a poor attempt at a save.
Worst Actor: Jointly to Nick Nolte and Ed Harris, for very poor attempts at the traditional 'never mind' face when they lost out as Best Actor.
We'd stop for lunch, then move on again, reaching our night stop by late afternoon in time for yet more friendly encounters and shamefully poor attempts at beating small children at cricket.
Many of these new startups will be the usual poor clones or feature add-ons to Facebook and Twitter, or poor attempts at doing one feature or another better than Zynga, or applying LinkedIn to a small vertical.
Maybe they're just poor attempts at appearing tough or edgy.
Eastwood's speech, like the Republican Party, was filled with rancor and bitterness sprinkled with poor attempts at not entirely appropriate attempts at humor.
