Give it a shot means to try something and see whether it works. You use it when you take on something new or difficult and don't know if you'll succeed. The expression is conversational: it sounds natural in a chat and in IELTS Speaking, but in an essay try is used instead.
When would you say give it a shot?
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give it a shot; give + noun/-ing + a shot; give it your best shot
- I've never cooked Thai food before, but I'll give it a shot this weekend.
- The manager suggested a four-day week, and the team agreed to give it a shot for a month.
- Surfing looked really hard, but on holiday in Portugal I finally gave it a shot.
What changed
First versionThe course looks difficult, but I'll give it a shoot.
RevisionThe course looks difficult, but I'll give it a shot.
Shoot is a verb, “fire a gun”, but the idiom needs the noun shot, “the firing of a gun” and, figuratively, “an attempt”. The words look alike, so they're often confused. The phrase already has a verb, give, so after a only a noun can follow: a shot.
Give it a shot, give it a try and British give it a go all mean the same. But give it your best shot means “do everything you can”. People say it to encourage someone before something difficult: The exam is hard, but just give it your best shot.
Your turn
I'm not sure I can fix the bike myself, but I'll ___ before I take it to a repair shop.
Show the answer
give it a shot — The speaker isn't sure of success but wants to try fixing the bike themselves, so give it a shot fits. Give it up means “stop, abandon it”, and but shows that the speaker is not giving up.
Write about an activity you've wanted to try for a long time. Name it and say what is holding you back.
Rock climbing looks amazing, and even though I'm scared of heights, I want to give it a shot this summer.
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