tried to determine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tried to determine" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing efforts made to find out or establish something, often in a context of investigation or analysis. Example: "The researchers tried to determine the cause of the unusual behavior observed in the experiment."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

THE researchers have not tried to determine the number of fund families that have played favorites.

The New York Times

The new study tried to determine if late angioplasty could help them.

The New York Times - Health

Investigators have not yet tried to determine the cause, Mr. Cruz said.

The New York Times

A meeting was called, and the producers and I tried to determine a course of action.

The New Yorker

Six other men were detained as investigators tried to determine what transpired.

The New York Times

In the ensuing days people have tried to determine Kaepernick's motives.

The Guardian - Sport

The Iraqi Health Ministry has tried to determine the number of Iraqis killed in the fighting.

The New York Times

The undertaker tried to determine if the woman was Anna Brown, whom he'd known.

The New Yorker

One experiment we set up tried to determine whether bees had a memory.

The New York Times

Worries were only compounded after Lehman's collapse as investors tried to determine GLG's exposure.

The New York Times

They also tried to determine how some rips and stains had happened.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "tried to determine", ensure the context clearly indicates the method or approach used in the attempt. This adds clarity and strengthens the statement.

Common error

Avoid switching tenses mid-sentence when describing the attempt. Maintain consistency by using past tense throughout the description of the effort to determine something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tried to determine" functions as a verb phrase, specifically indicating an action taken with the intent of finding something out or establishing a fact. Ludwig AI shows that this phrase commonly appears in contexts where investigations or analyses are being described.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "tried to determine" is a grammatically sound and frequently used verb phrase indicating an attempt to find something out. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears commonly in both scientific and news contexts. While alternatives such as "attempted to ascertain" or "sought to establish" exist for varied levels of formality, "tried to determine" remains a versatile and clear choice for expressing investigative efforts. Ensure tense consistency and contextual clarity to maximize impact in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempted to ascertain

This alternative uses a more formal word for finding something out.

sought to establish

This alternative focuses on the act of confirming or proving something.

endeavored to discover

This suggests a more diligent and prolonged effort to find something out.

aimed to identify

This alternative focuses on pinpointing or recognizing a specific element.

worked to figure out

This is a more informal way of expressing the effort to understand something.

undertook to investigate

This alternative implies a more formal and structured approach to finding something out.

strove to learn

This alternative emphasizes the effort to gain knowledge or understanding.

set out to prove

This alternative suggests a goal-oriented approach to demonstrating a specific point.

experimented to assess

This suggests a method of testing or trialing to evaluate something.

researched to understand

This focuses specifically on using research methods to achieve comprehension.

FAQs

What's a simple way to explain what "tried to determine" means?

It means someone made an effort to find out or establish something. You can also say they "attempted to ascertain" the information.

How can I use "tried to determine" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe an investigation, experiment, or any situation where someone is actively seeking to find an answer or understand a situation. For example: "The investigators "tried to determine" the cause of the fire."

Are there more formal alternatives to "tried to determine"?

Yes, more formal alternatives include "sought to establish", "endeavored to discover", or "undertook to investigate".

Is "tried to determine" suitable for academic writing?

Yes, it's perfectly suitable for academic writing. It clearly conveys the process of investigation and analysis common in research. For example: "The study "tried to determine" the correlation between the two variables."