when I was trying

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "when I was trying" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate a past action that you attempted to accomplish. For example: "I was really struggling to finish the project on time, so when I was trying to complete the last step, I realized I was missing some of the key materials."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I felt that when I was trying to remember Richard.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

When I was trying to be a musician, I felt the disadvantage.

The New Yorker

That was a period when I was trying to see as many films as possible.

Independent

Where were these people when I was trying to be a real pop star?

Independent

The guy got them through under the radar when I was trying to put mine up.

Independent

"I think it represents this time when I was trying to find myself," he said.

The New York Times

It must have been around 2006, when I was trying to learn.

The New York Times

He was laying on my bag, picture below, when I was trying to pack up.

The Washington Post

When I was trying new liquid nutritional drink supplements, I was concerned the bottle would freeze.

The New York Times

We've never met, but your profile came up when I was trying to find experts in clinical research.

Yale University

"Where were these people when I was trying to be a real popster?

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To provide the context of your sentence more clearly, you can combine the phrase "when I was trying" with additional detail about what you were trying to achieve. For example, "When I was trying to learn to play the guitar, I practiced every day."

Common error

Avoid using "when I was trying" to describe hypothetical or unrealized situations. This phrase is best suited for describing actual past attempts, not potential or imagined ones. For hypothetical situations, use conditional clauses with "if" or "were".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "when I was trying" functions as an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause by specifying the time period during which an action occurred. As supported by Ludwig's examples, this construction adds context to the narrative.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

4%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "when I was trying" functions as an adverbial clause of time, providing context to past events by indicating an action or state during which an effort was made. It's considered grammatically correct and sees very common usage, especially in news media and academic writing. It is important to use this phrase to describe past events, not hypothetical ones. The examples that Ludwig AI provides reflect the phrase's widespread and versatile application across various situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as I was attempting

Replaces "trying" with "attempting", emphasizing a more formal or deliberate effort.

while I was endeavoring

Substitutes "trying" with "endeavoring", suggesting a serious or determined effort.

during my attempt to

Restructures the phrase to focus on the attempt itself, rather than the continuous action.

in my efforts to

Highlights the efforts made, rather than the process of trying.

as I aimed to

Replaces "trying" with "aimed", indicating a specific goal or objective.

when I sought to

Uses "sought" instead of "trying", implying a more intentional and purposeful pursuit.

while in the process of

Emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action, replacing "trying" with a more descriptive phrase.

as I strived to

Replaces "trying" with "strived", conveying a sense of hard work and determination.

during the time I tried to

Adds a temporal element, specifying the period when the effort was made.

while giving it a shot

Informal way to say I was trying.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "when I was trying" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "as I was attempting", "during my endeavor to", or "in my efforts to" to replace "when I was trying".

What is a simpler way to say "when I was trying"?

You can simplify "when I was trying" to phrases such as "as I tried", "while trying", or "during my attempt" for brevity.

Is "when I tried to" grammatically different from "when I was trying to"?

While both are grammatically correct, "when I tried to" suggests a completed attempt, whereas "when I was trying to" implies an ongoing or incomplete effort at the time of the event being described. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the attempt's completion or its continuous nature.

Can I use "when I was trying" to describe a future event?

No, "when I was trying" refers to a past action or state. To describe a future event, use phrases like "when I try to" or "when I am trying to".