There Is No "Try And"

Okay now I'm going to attempt to fix the grammar of the world. At least, the English speaking part. Mainly America. I'm not so prideful as to think I could fix the grammar of other languages. And the Brits and the Aussies are on their own.

Cease the "try and" people. Desist. It is grammatically incorrect and annoying.

Let me explain. I often hear and/or read a sentence similar to the following: "I'll try and go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Or, "He should try and do it like I told him to in the first place."

Ugh. I feel gross just writing that. I actually had some difficulty forming those sentences. Do you see the error here?

Try to go.

Try to do.

There is no either here. No conjunction. (Conjunction junction! What's your function?)

I'll prove my point with a little bit of logic and a whole lot of thesaurus-ing.

"I'll try and go tonight but I'm not sure I can."

"I'll try in addition to go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Nope.

"I'll try plus go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Wrong.

"I'll try as well as go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Definitely not.

Now if I change out the word "try"...

"I'll endeavor and go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Uh huh.

"I'll strive and go tonight but I'm not sure I can."  No.

"I'll attempt and go tonight but I'm not sure I can." I don't think so, Tim.

See what I'm getting at? Let's see what a little "to" will do...

"I'll endeavor to go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Yes!

 "I'll strive to go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Woohoo!

"I'll attempt to go tonight but I'm not sure I can." Right again, kemosabe!

Therefore:

"I'll try to go tonight but I'm not sure I can." 

See how much better this is? See my point? Just admit it, I'm right.