Trying Time vs. Trying Times – Which is Correct?
Both “trying time” and “trying times” are correct, but they differ in number and meaning. “A trying time” describes one difficult period or occasion, while “trying times” refers to prolonged or repeated hardship. In everyday English, “trying times” is the more common phrase for general adversity or difficulty today.
Trying Time or Trying Times – Which is Correct?
Both expressions are grammatically correct. The difference is whether you mean one specific difficult experience or a broader period of hardship.
Trying time is singular and usually appears with an article or determiner, as in a trying time, that trying time, or one trying time. It commonly describes a particular episode that tested someone’s patience, strength, or emotions.
Trying times is plural and refers to difficult circumstances generally, especially when hardship lasts for a while or includes several problems. It is often used in formal, public, supportive, and reflective language.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the one-versus-many test. If you can replace the phrase with “one difficult period,” choose trying time. If you mean “difficult circumstances” or “a series of hardships,” choose trying times.
For example, “Moving away was a trying time” refers to one event. “We supported one another through trying times” refers to a broader period of adversity. In general statements about hardship, trying times is usually the natural choice.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| trying time | Adjective and singular noun phrase | One difficult or stressful period | The recovery was a trying time for the family. |
| trying times | Adjective and plural noun phrase | Difficult circumstances or an extended period of hardship | The community remained united during trying times. |
How to Use Trying Time
Use trying time when referring to one identifiable period, event, or stage that was especially difficult. Because time is singular, the phrase normally needs a determiner such as a, that, this, or one. The expression is neutral to formal and works well in personal writing, speeches, and serious conversation.
The most common construction is “a trying time”. You can also use the phrase after prepositions, as in during a trying time or through that trying time.
Example 1: Losing her job was a trying time, but it eventually led to a new career.
Example 2: He learned to remain calm during that trying time.
Example 3: The final weeks of the project were a particularly trying time for the entire team.
Etymology of the phrase trying time
Trying comes from the verb try, which developed from Old French and ultimately traces back to a Latin word associated with testing or examining. In English, trying gradually acquired the figurative meaning “testing one’s patience, endurance, or character.” Time comes from Old English tīma, meaning a period or measured span. Together, trying time means a period that tests someone.
Because try also appears in competing verb constructions, compare To Try To with alternatives when choosing the right form.
How to Use Trying Times
Use trying times for general hardship, repeated difficulties, or an extended period in which people face serious challenges. It is especially common in expressions such as “during these trying times” and “in trying times.” This plural form often has a formal, compassionate, or public tone and appears in announcements, condolences, speeches, editorials, and motivational writing.
Although the phrase can describe several separate problems, it does not require hardship to be completely continuous. The plural simply presents difficult circumstances as a broader set or period rather than as one isolated event.
Example 1: Friends and neighbors came together during the trying times that followed the storm.
Example 2: Her advice helped us make sensible decisions in trying times.
Example 3: The organization continued providing assistance to families facing trying times.
Etymology of the phrase trying times
Trying times combines the same adjective and noun found in trying time, but the plural form of time broadens the meaning. English speakers have long used plural expressions such as hard times and troubled times to describe widespread or sustained adversity. Trying times follows this established pattern.
Related Concepts
Understanding number, articles, and adjective-noun phrases makes the distinction between these expressions easier to recognize.
- Singular and plural nouns: Time is singular, while times is plural. A singular countable use generally needs a determiner, as in a trying time.
- Adjective-noun phrases: In both expressions, trying acts as an adjective describing the noun time or times.
- Articles: The singular phrase commonly requires a or another determiner. Say a trying time, not usually just trying time in ordinary prose.
- Fixed expressions: During these trying times is a familiar formula, particularly in formal messages addressing a group or community.
Examples from Media and Literature
Writers and speakers use both forms to match the scope of the difficulty being described:
- Memoirs: An author may describe a period of illness or personal loss as “a trying time” when focusing on one stage of life.
- News reports: Public statements often refer to “trying times” after a natural disaster, economic crisis, or major community event.
- Historical writing: A historian might call one winter, battle, or political transition “a trying time” for a particular group.
- Film dialogue: A character offering reassurance may say, “We will get through these trying times,” emphasizing shared and continuing hardship.
- Literary prose: A novel may use “during that trying time” to point back to one specific period in a character’s story.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct phrase to complete each sentence.
- Recovering from the accident was ______ for the entire family. (trying time / trying times)
- The town supported its residents through ______ after the flood. (trying time / trying times)
- That first year at university was ______ for me. (a trying time / trying times)
- Many people turn to their communities during ______. (a trying time / trying times)
- The final stage of negotiations proved to be ______. (a trying time / trying times)
Answer Key
- a trying time — The sentence refers to one recovery period.
- trying times — The sentence describes broader hardship after the flood.
- a trying time — “That first year” identifies one specific period.
- trying times — The sentence makes a general statement about difficult circumstances.
- a trying time — “The final stage” refers to one particular period.
Trying Time Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Difficult period | A specific span of time marked by problems or stress. |
| Challenging period | A time that demands effort, resilience, or problem-solving. |
| Ordeal | A very difficult or painful experience. |
| Hard stretch | An informal expression for a demanding period. |
Trying Times Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Difficult times | A broad, neutral term for periods of hardship. |
| Hard times | A common expression for financial, social, or personal difficulty. |
| Troubled times | A period affected by conflict, uncertainty, or serious problems. |
| Adversity | Difficult or unfavorable circumstances, often used in formal writing. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “trying time” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Trying time” is correct when it refers to one specific difficult period. It usually appears with a determiner, as in “a trying time” or “that trying time.”
Question 2: Is “trying times” more common than “trying time”?
Yes. “Trying times” is more common when discussing hardship generally or addressing people facing ongoing or widespread difficulties. The phrase “during these trying times” is especially established.
Question 3: Should I write “in a trying time” or “in trying times”?
Use “in a trying time” for one particular difficult period. Use “in trying times” for hardship in general, repeated challenges, or an extended period of adversity.
Conclusion
“Trying time” and “trying times” are both correct. Choose a trying time for one specific difficult period, and choose trying times for broader, prolonged, or repeated hardship. Pro Tip: Using the correct singular or plural form makes professional writing sound more precise, polished, and credible.
