Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
drink; refreshment
beverage
solace
final
breadth
Free TOEIC test: Free word games online: Noun Verb Game Answer
Dictionaries   TOEIC   TOEFL   GMAT   SAT   GRE   MCAT   PCAT   ASVAB   Interviews
Tests   Grammar   Articles   Stories   Shop   Services   English for winners   Speaking
Home   Top 100   Start your FREE email English course now!   Audio Lessons   Jobs
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

After a few attempts to completing the letter...



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Expression "From within" | Be it ever so humble, there is...
Listening exercises
Message
 Author
After a few attempts to completing the letter... #1 (permalink) Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:25 am   After a few attempts to completing the letter...		  
Hello

Please see below. Which one is correct?

1-After a few attempts to completing the letter, he finally gave up.

2-After a few attempts to complete the letter, he finally gave up.

Tom
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2061
Attempt #2 (permalink) Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:42 am   Attempt		  
Hi Tom,

I don't really like the first of these two constructions, in fact it's wrong:

-
Quote:
1 After a few attempts to completing the letter, he finally gave up.

2-After a few attempts to complete the letter, he finally gave up.


The usual preposition after attempt as a noun would be at:

After a few attempts at completing ...

The second one is acceptable since the preposition after the verb attempt would be to: attempt to do something but I'm not really happy with that and I would say:

After making a few attempts to complete ... or
Having attempted to complete the letter a few times he ...

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Subjunctive
Alan
Co-founder
Alan Townend

Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 9191
Location: UK
English grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsLearn some cool expressions in the following cool storyAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!Read these English anecdotes and maybe smile today? Subscribe to free email English course
Display posts from previous:   
Expression "From within" | Be it ever so humble, there is...
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms After a few attempts to completing the letter... All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums

Start FREE email English course now!
Join more than 100,000 learners!
Pressure versus Tension • 'Near perfect' or 'Nearly perfect' • 'Few', 'A few', 'Many' etc! • Can we stand on the same site? • Quoted speech • A good many students... • Synonyms for quit • Bacon's quotation: Certainly virtue is like precious odors • What does the prefix 'inter-' mean? • 'I was about to suggest that you should…' :) • What does "net result" mean? And what is "nett"? • Verb "to organize" • Difference between secretary and secretariat • Difference between may, would, might, could • She was about five-and-twenty • Quote: Why is it that we rejoice... • Supplemental proceedings? • With versus What with • After a few attempts to completing the letter...

Discover English-test.net
Carol from Prague • Simple past vs. present perfect • How to mention a day with the date? • Is it possible to reach a good command of English without studying hard? • A million textbooks with the same name. • TOEIC practice test: Vocabulary Websites: Examples of Adjectives Nouns • TOEIC practice test: Online word games: Free Adjectives Nouns Game • Meaning of secure, visible, infant, stable, distinctive, loyal, might • Free Pimsleur download: Pimsleur English for Russian Speakers • Preposition lesson plan: Picking you up • English grammar quiz: Words in context: strong collocations • Creative writing audio books, CDs, tapes, used cassettes, audio download

 
 You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Provided by phpBB ©2001-2009 phpBB Group
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail