# Grammer Nuts Needed... TRY TO or TRY AND **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 18, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749 "2000-11-18T17:21:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/1 "2000-11-18T17:21:30Z")
What is actually the proper way to say this… Most people seem to say: **"I will try AND get that thing done tomorrow"** But should it actually be: **"I will try TO get that thing done tomorrow"** Which is right/best/more formal? Are they both OK? ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/2 "2000-11-18T17:27:40Z")
“Try _to_” is logically correct, but “try _and_” is an entrenched idiom. Probably one of those things Fowler would’ve called a “sturdy indefensible”: something that defies logic or grammar but, hey, what are you going to do? We’re stuck with it… ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/3 "2000-11-18T17:28:05Z")
I’ve wondered about this for a long time. Some people whom one would have thought were both intelligent and educated in English say “tried and” when they clearly mean “tried to.” ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/4 "2000-11-18T17:29:44Z")
**Try to** is more logical (and seems more grammatical to me) _ **HOWEVER** _, **Try and** has been recorded in the language for over 200 years and is now quite safely ensconced as a legitimate _idiom_ of the language. (You the phrase with which you are comfortable and try not to wince at the other when you hear/see it.) ---
**Author:** ![ignatzmouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b2d939/32.png) [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/5 "2000-11-18T17:32:47Z")
“Try to” is correct. If you say that you will "Try and get this done, " you are in effect saying that you will both “try” and you will “get this done.” Of course, if you get it done, the trying will have become immaterial. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/6 "2000-11-18T17:33:22Z")
Consider it also to be a sentence with two verbs. I will try and get it. “I will try” and “I will get it”. Of course, to be gramatcally correct it should be “I shall try and get ti” ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2000, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammer-nuts-needed-try-to-or-try-and/41749/7 "2000-11-18T18:32:52Z")
So, when one uses “shall,” the object is spelled backwards? 😉