"Try to..." or "Try and..."?

Mansize_tissue · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:46

"Try to find a spade."

"Try and find a spade."

Surely the former is correct, yet I almost always hear/read the second instance.

So should we try to use "try to...", or try and use "try and..."?

vincent1989 · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:48

Mansize_tissue said:
"Try to find a spade."

"Try and find a spade."

Surely the former is correct, yet I almost always hear/read the second instance.

So should we try to use "try to...", or try and use "try and..."?

'try to' implies it's a suggestion, 'try and' sounds more like a threat

998cc · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:48

I've always said "Try and find"

Sankari · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:49

I've always said "Get your own damn spade, or you'll feel this one around the back of your head".

AtlanticP · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:49

Try TO find a spade I would have thought.

Yamahahahahaha · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:50

"Try to find..." is correct.

"Try and find" implies you will find the spade. In which case trying is an irrelevance.

"Get the spade" would be correct in that situation.

blix · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:51

Yamahahahahaha said:
"Try and find" implies you will find the spade. In which case trying is an irrelevance.

Er no.

vincent1989 · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:53

blix said:
Er no.

err, yes

Mansize_tissue · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:55

blix said:
Er no.

Try and agree with this guy.

vincent1989 said:
err, yes

CaptainComedy · 17 Apr 2009 at 14:58

Try to = unknown result
Try and = known result

e.g

try to find the spade

try and you will get a punch in the face

just people mince words

danza · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:00

"Try to" is correct for the example in the OP.

mjt · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:02

as above, "try and" is grammatically incorrect

one tries to do something

there's a essay on the subject here, if you are that interested.
http://icame.uib.no/ij31/ij31-page45-64.pdf

Mat · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:09

Can't you just use a shovel instead, if you don't have a spade?

AtlanticP · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:10

Mat said:
Can't you just use a shovel instead, if you don't have a spade?

lol

eXor · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:11

Try to find an earth relocation implement.

G-MAN2004 · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:42

mjt said:
as above, "try and" is grammatically incorrect

one tries to do something

there's a essay on the subject here, if you are that interested.
http://icame.uib.no/ij31/ij31-page45-64.pdf

An essay?! How sad.

Ewanb75 · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:46

There you go, i found one for you. Can I have it back when your finished...

Vixen · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:54

Mansize_tissue said:
"Try to find a spade."

"Try and find a spade."

Surely the former is correct, yet I almost always hear/read the second instance.

It's also more common to read "should have", that doesn't make it correct.

CaptainComedy · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:55

Vixen said:
It's also more common to read "should have", that doesn't make it correct.

depends if your from the north

Vixen · 17 Apr 2009 at 15:56

codec said:
depends if your from the north

Your?