I really need your help to understand the difference between these two sentences:
Try to ring the bell
Try ringing the bell
To me, it’s not that complicated.
Try to ring the bell - suggests a single action at the moment of speaking
Try ringing the bell - suggest the use of a regular/common activity in a certain context (below, the action of “ringing the bell”).
Which of these sound odd?
Try to ring the bell, that often works.
Try ringing the bell, that often works.
To ring the bell often works.
Ringing the bell often works.
Both sentences are acceptable, but the latter is much better. It means experiment, it may help you (or not - you’ll see in the end). Try to ring means efforts or attempts to see if you can do this (I think, physically in this sentence). And I don’t think that ringing the bell is a regular activity, just an activity . This question (try to do or doing smth, forget/remember to do/doing and especially stop to do/doing, etc) often makes my students confused (I tried to explain it to them, but during their exam they forgot all about it. )