Collocations with attempt and effort
- valiant – Very brave
- half-hearted – With no enthusiasm
- futile – Achieving nothing
- misguided – Based on wrong information
- last-ditch – After a series of failures
- frantic – Almost out of control
- strenuous – Using a lot of energy
- sustained – Determined and continuing for a long time
WATCH OUT!
- An attempt is when you try to achieve a specific goal, e.g., I made a few half-hearted attempts.
- An effort can replace an attempt in many cases, especially when you are more positive about the outcome, e.g., a determined effort/attempt.
- More negative adjectives are used with attempt, but effort can collocate with both positive and negative adjectives.
ACTIVE VOCABULARY | Verbs + dependent prepositions
- Some verbs are usually followed by a specific preposition before the object of the verb, e.g., He apologised for being late.
- Some verbs pair with different prepositions with a change in meaning, e.g., You should start cramming for your exam.
- Trying to cram too many different tasks in/into the same couple of hours is quite challenging.
Randa
- My top tip is to stop trying to multitask.
- I do think it’s important to work at a desk.
- Get your desk tidy first – as the saying goes, ‘a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind’.
- Take more breaks.
- Try using the Pomodoro Technique: you work for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break.