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France flagMélodie
Need some help for an English grammar aspect Hello everyone! I've studied English for about 2 years and I'm wondering how to use ING correctly according to the followings situations : For exemple, should I say : I tried doing my best to solve the problem. Or rather : I tried to do my best to solve the problem. If I can use both ways, could you tell me exactly, what is the difference? I would be so grateful if anyone respond to me :)

Corrections · 8

1
You will likely hear native speakers say both sentences. However, usually you would add '-ing' when speaking in the present tense. Personally, I would just say:

Past tense: "I tried my best to solve the problem"

Present tense: "I am trying my best to solve the problem"

0
To me, the two sentences mean the same thing, and both are taking place in the past.
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Thanks so much both of you :) So if I understood, it's exactly same meaning but there's a little difference. In the first sentence, it means that he tried to solve the problem but it hasn't solved yet (doing) and in the second sentence means that the event happened in the past. Right? It's just to make sure myself that I understood :)
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another example with "stop" I stopped to do my homework" Here in this sentence you were doing something (whatever) and you stopped it to start doing your homework I stopped doing my homework" in this sentence the action you stopped doing was your homework. I hope I have explained myself correctly. In any case, the sentences have a different meaning
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well it has a different meaning actually: i tried doing my best to solve the problem" means that you did your best and you could not solve the problem I tried to do my best to solve the problem" means that you tried something but it was not the best you could do

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