student asking question

Are "give it a shot" and "try it again" same? Is "give it a shot" used a lot in conversation?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Give it a shot" means to try something. It does not have the same meaning as "try it again" because this means that you attempt something that you've already done before, while "give it a shot" usually means to attempt something for the very first time. The expression "give it a shot" is pretty common and used a lot in everyday conversation. However, it is a very casual expression. Ex: I like sports but I've never played baseball. I think I'll give it a shot. Ex: Why don't you give the job a shot and see what you think?

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