try to contact

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "try to contact" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It means attempting or making an effort to reach someone. For example: "I will try to contact you as soon as I have more information about the project." She tried to contact the customer service department multiple times, but no one answered her call.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Be concerned if you try to contact them and they're not contactable.

WikiHow

I will try to contact Rangers.

The Guardian - Sport

I didn't even try to contact them.

The Guardian

Court officers try to contact the defendant's parents and teachers.

The New York Times

Somda had been trained to try to contact hostage takers.

The Guardian

You can even try to contact those on Earth.

The Guardian - Books

You can even try to contact the developer with questions.

The New York Times

> Try to contact some colleagues from the UK.

Columbia University

We try to contact the media, for them to contact the authorities".

The New York Times

My lawyer told me not to try to contact the families.

The Guardian

And so I did something rash: I decided to try to contact George Bush.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the formality of the context. In formal settings, "attempt to reach" or "seek to contact" might be more appropriate than "try to contact".

Common error

In formal documents or professional correspondence, avoid overuse of the phrase "try to contact". Opt for more sophisticated alternatives like "endeavor to contact", or "initiate communication with" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "try to contact" primarily functions as an infinitive phrase expressing an intention or effort. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage. It commonly appears in sentences where someone is initiating or planning to initiate communication with another party.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

23%

Science

21%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "try to contact" is a grammatically sound and widely used phrase to express the act of attempting communication. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and commonality across various contexts. While versatile, it's essential to consider the register; more formal alternatives may be preferable in academic or professional settings. The phrase appears most frequently in News & Media, Wiki, and Scientific publications. When aiming for clarity, specify the method of contact. Be mindful of overuse in formal writing and consider alternatives like "attempt to reach" or "initiate communication with" for a more polished tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

attempt to reach

Focuses on the effort made to establish communication.

get in touch with

Emphasizes making a connection with someone.

make an effort to contact

Highlights the exertion of energy to contact someone.

seek to communicate with

A more formal way of expressing the desire to contact.

reach out to

Suggests extending oneself to make contact.

endeavor to contact

A more formal and less common way to express the attempt to contact.

aim to contact

Expresses the goal or objective of contacting someone.

undertake to contact

Implies a formal commitment to making contact.

initiate contact with

Focuses on starting the communication process.

establish communication with

Highlights the establishment of a connection.

FAQs

How can I use "try to contact" in a sentence?

You can use "try to contact" to express an attempt to reach someone. For example, "I will try to contact the manager tomorrow", or "They try to contact their clients regularly".

What are some alternatives to "try to contact"?

Alternatives include "attempt to reach", "get in touch with", or "reach out to", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "tried to contact"?

Yes, "tried to contact" is the past tense form and is grammatically correct. It indicates that an attempt to contact someone was made in the past.

What's the difference between "try to contact" and "attempt to contact"?

"Try to contact" is more informal, while "attempt to contact" is slightly more formal. Both phrases convey the same general meaning of making an effort to reach someone.