Effort: energy and attempts

The idea

Use uncountable effort for energy: time and effort. Use make an effort to do something for an attempt, and efforts for multiple attempts or actions.

Examples

• Learning a language takes time and effort.
• She made an effort to speak clearly.
• Their efforts improved the garden.
• We appreciate the effort you put into the project.
• He made an effort to arrive on time.
• The first effort did not solve the problem.

Watch out

Effort does not guarantee success; someone can make an effort even if the result fails.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the word for invested energy. Learning a language takes time and ___. (effort / permission)

   Show answer or example answer

   effort

   Effort names energy invested alongside time.

2. Choose the form naming the intended action. She made an effort ___ clearly. (to speak / speaking)

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   to speak

   To speak names the intended action after make an effort.

3. Choose what effort alone proves about the result. Someone made an effort. Success is ___. (not guaranteed / guaranteed)

   Show answer or example answer

   not guaranteed

   An effort alone does not establish success.

Use it today

Describe an effort you made and what happened as a result.