“Try to help you” or “Try and help you”?

“Try to help you” or “Try and help you”?

Only say/write, try and help when you are talking with your friends or family members.  It will instantly mark you as someone who is undereducated (even though you are not undereducated) if you use that expression in public discourse.  That might sound severe—but I am being honest and trying to help you.

Try to help them, start to write, begin to understand, etc., all contain infinitives and should be used in formal, edited writing.

This might be a good place to write a few words on the distinction between different from and different than.  Stated briefly: Avoid different than for the same reasons that you should avoid try and help.

Joseph Suglia