When do I use 'to' and 'ing'? For example, the verb is read

Question

Which is the correct form?

So try reading or try to read?

Next question same verb:

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score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 15 '15 at 23:01

5

Both are grammatical, but with different meanings.

The basic meaning of try, "attempt", usually takes the to infinitive:

Try to read the book, and if you can't get through it, tell me.

In the different sense of try out, or see if you like, it usually takes the -ing form:

Try reading this book, and tell me if you like it.

Colloquially, the first form is often replaced by try and.

answered Apr 15 '15 at 23:01

Colin Fine

Nice separation. – Marius Hancu Apr 16 '15 at 00:52
An established user like yourself should known better than to answer clearly off-topic questions like this. – curiousdannii Apr 16 '15 at 03:54

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 16 '15 at 00:10

1

Either is correct with the following difference

is a suggested action like in 'Try to read the user manual first'

is a suggested method like in 'Try reading books to improve your vocabulary'

answered Apr 16 '15 at 00:10

Oleksii

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 16 '15 at 03:51

From my understanding, typically, 'to + v' suggests uncertainty,working kind like auxiliary verbs, for example

To explain that using 'to know you' instead of 'know you ', we could expand the sentence to this

For 'v-ing' , it suggests something that already happened. For example, - It must be raining now

How does it suggest uncertainty? – Robusto Apr 16 '15 at 12:39 — Robusto, Apr 16 '15 at 12:39

3 Answers3