Attempting is the act of trying to perform or accomplish something, often implying the initiation of an effort that may or may not succeed. It emphasizes the intention and process rather than the outcome, and is frequently used to describe ongoing or incomplete actions. In everyday speech, it can signal tentative effort or challenge ahead, framing the speaker as engaged in a task.
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- You might misplace stress, saying a-TEMPT-ing instead of ə-ˈtɛmptɪŋ. Slow down to mark stress before moving to natural speed. - Expect a heavy /t/ or a too-soft t; ensure crisp aspirated t before the 'm' onset. - The final -ing can be pronounced as a short /ɪn/ when spoken fast; ensure it’s /ɪŋ/ with a nasal resonance. - In rapid speech, you may drop the middle /m/ slightly; keep it as a full /m/ to avoid a clumsy transition.
- US: non-rhotic tendencies are less in the word; emphasize the central schwa and a clear /t/; ensure a robust final -ing with /ɪŋ/. - UK: may have a lighter /ə/ at the start; keep non-rhotic vowel patterns, stress on second syllable; IPA: əˈtɛmptɪŋ. - AU: similar to UK/US, but faster syllable transitions and slight vowel reduction; keep a crisp /t/ followed by /m/ and /t/ release before /ɪŋ/. Use IPA in practice: US: əˈtɛmptɪŋ; UK/AU: əˈtɛmptɪŋ; practice with listening to native speakers.
"She is attempting to repair the bicycle before sunset."
"The team is attempting a new strategy for the next game."
"He is attempting to learn the violin, despite the initial difficulties."
"They are attempting to balance work and study while managing a heavy schedule."
The word attempting derives from the verb attempt, which comes from Old French atemptier, itself from Late Latin attemptare, from the prefix ad- (toward) + tentare (to feel, test, attempt). The Latin tentare is from the Proto-Italic tentare, related to the root ten- meaning to hold or stretch. In Middle English, the form attepten and the noun atteptment appeared before settling on attempted/attempting in later centuries. The semantic shift over time kept the core sense of testing an action, but gradually the participial -ing form began to denote ongoing or current effort rather than a completed act. The use of -ing to form gerunds and participles became productive in the 14th–15th centuries, enabling phrases like attempting to repair or attempting a task to express ongoing activity or tentative action. First known uses appear in legal and literary contexts where a provisional action was described prior to a final outcome, later common in everyday speech as the present participle meaning “in the act of trying.”
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "attempting" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "attempting" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "attempting" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "attempting"
-ing sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as ə-ˈtem(p)-tiŋ in US/UK/AU. Primary stress on the second syllable: a-TEMPT-ing. IPA: US/UK/AU: əˈtɛmptɪŋ. Start with a neutral schwa, then a clear “tem” where the t is released, followed by a soft 'ing' with a velar nasal. Ensure the t is aspirated but not overly released in rapid speech. Audio references: listen to Pronounce or Forvo entries for attempting to confirm the stress pattern.
Common errors: (1) Dropping the middle syllable or misplacing stress, saying a-TEMPT-ing with weak second syllable; (2) Slurring the /t/ into a d- sound, producing a-DEM-ting; (3) Not releasing the final -ing properly, ending with an unreadable nasal. Correction: articulate a clear second syllable with a crisp /t/, avoid flapping into a /d/ sound, and finish with a light /ɪŋ/ that blends smoothly into the nasal. Practice with slow repetitions and minimal pairs to solidify the /t/ and /ŋ/ endings.
US/UK/AU share the /əˈtɛmptɪŋ/ skeleton, but differences appear in vowel quality and rhoticity. US tends to have a rhotic approximation, with a fuller /ɹ/ in related words surrounding; UK is non-rhotic in many accents, so post-vocalic r is minimized. AU similarly leans toward non-rhotic patterns with slight vowel merging in fast speech. The /ə/ can be more centralized in US than UK/AU. Listen for subtle vowel shifts in the second syllable and the ending 'ing' becoming either /ɪŋ/ or a lighter /ŋ/ depending on speed.
Key challenges: (1) two consecutive syllables with a stressed central vowel, making the /t/ plosive prominent yet quickly released; (2) final -ing requires precise nasal onset with a clean velar nasal /ŋ/ rather than a light /n/ or a swallowed nasal; (3) when speaking quickly, the middle /m/ can bleed into /p/ if the lips aren’t ready. Focus on separating the /t/ from the following /m/ by maintaining a crisp stop and transitioning to /pt/ cluster rounding, then glide into /ɪŋ/ smoothly.
The word contains a pair of consonant clusters (pt + ng) that can be tricky. The sequence /pt/ after the second syllable requires a clean release, not an assimilated /p/ or /t/; the final /ŋ/ must be a velar nasal rather than an alveolar nasal. Practice by isolating the cluster in two steps: first /pt/ with a quick release, then attach the -ing with the velar nasal. This helps prevent mispronunciations like /æˈtɛmptɪn/ or /æˈtæmptɪŋ/ with a nasal error.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "attempting"!
- Shadowing: listen to a 20–30 second passage with attempting; repeat after the speaker with the same rhythm, gradually reducing the time gap. - Minimal pairs: attempt/attempting is more about the final -ing; compare with attempting vs attempt to highlight the stress pattern. - Rhythm: count syllables as 2-1-1; practice with a metronome at slow (60 BPM), normal (90 BPM), fast (120 BPM). - Stress: ensure primary stress on the second syllable; practice by clapping on /ˈtɛm/ to anchor stress. - Recording: record yourself saying sentences like 'She is attempting to fix it' and compare with a native model. - Context sentences: try variants like 'The team is attempting to win the championship' and 'He is attempting to understand the complex theory' for diverse contexts.
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