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For me the following sentences seems identical. But I am not sure. Would you please explain the differences, if any?

She tried singing.

She tried to sing.

J.R.
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vho
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    Related- 1) http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/61552/try-to-save-or-try-saving 2)http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/117345/how-to-remember-the-difference-between-can-you-try-to-open-and-can-you-try-o –  Sep 26 '16 at 20:14
  • And here on ELL, http://ell.stackexchange.com/q/44160/32. – StoneyB on hiatus Sep 26 '16 at 21:30

2 Answers2

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She tried singing...

She sang for a while to see how she liked it, perhaps as a career or avocation, or to see if it would open the magic door, or put the baby to sleep.

She tried to sing...

She attempted to sing.

TimR
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The difference between the two sentences is in nuance and likely context.

The first sentence might read: "She tried singing but her voice wasn't good enough to get her into the choir".

The second sentence might read: "She tried to sing a hymn at the funeral but broke down in tears".

That's to say: "She tried singing" implies that she attempted to see whether she liked the activity of singing or was good enough to do it well.

"She tried to sing" is more likely to be used of a particular occasion when she attempted to sign a song.

"Singing" is a gerund; "to sing" the infinitive. They can often be used interchangeably although gerunds are more often employed as the complement of a sentence.

(http://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/)

Ronald Sole
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