View Full Version : On the first try/At the first try
matf9999
27-09-2012, 10:31 PM
He did it successully on the first try. He did it successully at the first try.
Chúng khác nhau không ạ?
He did it successully on the first try. He did it successully at the first try. Chúng khác nhau không ạ? From my Internet research, there seems no appreciable difference in meanings between “at the first try” or “on the first try”. In terms of usage, the "on the first try" expression is slightly more popular On the first try => 31,200,000 Google results At the first try => 24,500,000 Google results It’s worth noting that the OALD has an entry for “at the first attempt”, and yet, “on the first attempt” is also frequently encountered. əˈtempt əˈtempt 1 [countable, uncountable] an act of trying to do something, especially something difficult, often with no success I passed my driving test at the first attempt. At the first attempt => 50,100,000 Google results On the first attempt => 54,100,000 Google results
The expressions "at the first attempt" and "on the first attempt" are generally more popular than the ones with the word "try" in them.
Hoc De
28-09-2012, 08:09 AM
He did it successully on the first try. He did it successully at the first try. Chúng khác nhau không ạ? on the first try. => your try looked as a period of time [during time you tried]
at the first try. =>your try looked as a point of time .
matf9999
28-09-2012, 11:32 AM
still not got it :65:
still not got it Both expressions have been used interchangeably. Some people may make a distinction and use the expression "on the first try" for something that takes more efforts [since the preposition "on" implies a longer time line" than "at the first try"] and "at the first try" for something that takes less efforts [with the preposition "at" implying a shorter time period]. However, searching through the Internet, you will see plenty of examples where the two expressions are used interchangeably. I think whether you use “on the first try” or “at the first try” depends not on the duration of the try, but more on the collocations of the words that precede these prepositions “on” or “at”. For example, when you have the word “succeed”, the usual expression is “succeed at the first try” because “succeed” is more often collocated with “at”. On the other hand, when you have the word “right”, the usual expression is “right on the first try” since “right” is often collocated with “on” => get something right on the first try
The bottom line is you don't have to worry about any difference in meanings. You can use either of them in any given situation, and the choice of each will more likely depend on the words preceding the prepositions than on the types of tries you have.
Hoc De
28-09-2012, 04:30 PM
on the first try. => your try looked as a period of time [during time you tried] at the first try. =>your try looked as a point of time . still not got it :65: normally : durative verb + on /in ......
non-durative verb + at.....
matf9999
28-09-2012, 05:11 PM
thề là em ko hiểu mọi người viết cái gì :surrender:
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Choose A, B, C, or D that best completes each sentence.
Peter tried his best and passed the driving test at the first _______.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Peter tried his best and passed the driving test at the first .
Peter tried his best and passed the driving test at the first _______.
A. try
B. attempt
C. doing
D. aim
Example: " I passed my driving test at the first attempt " " I passed my driving test at the frist try " My question is: Which sentence is more common? The sentence uses the word "attempt" or "try" I think it's: " I passed my driving test at the first try "
What about you?
I could happily say "I passed my driving test at the first attempt". I don't think I could say "I passed my driving test at the first try", but google results suggest that many people could say that. It's very difficult to say which is the more common.
Well, it's seems they're interchangeable, maybe I should use "attempt" then.
If using 'attempt', I'd say "at first attempt" [without 'the'], but more common, I think, would be "I passed my driving test first time" [without "at the"].
I think that in AmE, we'd be more likely to say, "I passed my driving test on the first attempt [or try]." Or, "I passed my driving test the first time" [using Edinburgher's example].
What about this example.
Truth doesn't usually reveal itself at the first attempt.
The problem is that the attempt is made not by truth but by a person. That's why I wonder if the sentence works well.
The sentence works perfectly well, and is an example of what is sometimes called transferred epithet, which gives the effect of personifying something inanimate or abstract [in this case, truth].
Truth, as you imply, is not initially "deliberately" hiding and subsequently "chooses" to reveal itself. Rather, we try to discover it. The saying is not about attempts by truth to reveal itself but about our attempts to discover it, and says that these attempts are not usually successful at first.