several tries

USAGE SUMMARY

"several tries" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used to indicate that several attempts were made at something, often with varying degrees of success. For example, "I had several tries at getting the right answer, but I eventually gave up."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

After several tries, the man finally succeeded.

The New York Times

After several tries the British gave up.

The New York Times

Trying to create a recipe sometimes takes several tries.

The New York Times

It took several tries before we got the knack.

The New York Times - Travel

After several tries, Ms. Finch marched over to Dr. Versteeg.

The New York Times

It took several tries for us to get the words on the table.

The New York Times

After several tries I was still perplexed as to what I was doing wrong.

The New York Times

After several tries, I discovered it's tough to pair '70s prints with the right jewelry.

The New York Times

After several tries, I managed to talk to some of them.

The New Yorker

He says it will take several tries before a project succeeds.

The Economist

It took several tries, and each time he spat out a mouthful of gasoline.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "several tries" to clearly indicate that an action required multiple attempts before success. It implies more than a few, but not an overwhelming number, of attempts.

Common error

While "several tries" is acceptable in many contexts, consider more formal alternatives like "numerous attempts" or "multiple attempts" in academic papers or professional reports.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "several tries" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an adverbial modifier indicating the number of attempts made before achieving a particular outcome. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and is common in usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Wiki

20%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "several tries" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that indicates multiple attempts at something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is appropriate for general use, particularly in news and media, and wiki-style content. While highly versatile, more formal synonyms like "multiple attempts" or "numerous attempts" may be more suitable for professional or academic writing. The phrase's strength lies in its ability to succinctly convey that an action required more than one attempt, but not an excessive amount. It's a handy and effective way to describe a common experience across various contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

multiple attempts

Replaces "tries" with "attempts", maintaining a neutral tone.

repeated efforts

Emphasizes the effort involved in the attempts.

numerous attempts

Highlights the quantity of attempts made.

various attempts

Suggests a range or variety of attempts.

a few attempts

Indicates a smaller, less defined number of attempts.

a number of attempts

Offers a more formal way of saying "several tries".

many attempts

Emphasizes the abundance of attempts.

after repeated attempts

Adds emphasis on the persistence of the attempt.

more than one try

Highlights that it was not a single attempt.

after a series of attempts

Suggests a structured sequence of attempts.

FAQs

How can I use "several tries" in a sentence?

You can use "several tries" to indicate that something required multiple attempts before succeeding. For example, "After several tries, I finally managed to start the car."

What's a more formal way to say "several tries"?

In formal writing, consider using "multiple attempts" or "numerous attempts" instead of "several tries".

Is it correct to say "severals tries" instead of "several tries"?

No, "severals tries" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "several tries", where "several" is already plural.

What does "several tries" imply about the difficulty of the task?

"Several tries" suggests that the task was not immediately easy and required some persistence, but wasn't exceptionally difficult either. It implies a moderate level of challenge.