Difference between aim at and aim to
When proofreading, I often see the prepositional verb 'to aim at' instead of 'to aim to'. However, they are used in different ways and are also grammatically different. There is certainly a big confusion about these two verbs in Brussels and within the European institutions, and of course we all copy each other - so the circle goes round and round :) So let's see if we can sort them out.
In a nutshell, here's the difference between the two:
To aim at
This means ‘to target someone or something' (literally or metaphorically).
It is followed by either a noun or a gerund/activity.
For example:
The campaign is aimed at people (noun) who are trying to stop smoking.
The campaign is aimed at trying (gerund) to stop people smoking.
To aim to
‘It aims to’ means 'It intends to.../Its purpose is to...'
It is followed by an infinitive verb.
For example:
It aims to help people to give up smoking.
It aims to make smoking a thing of the past.
Here is an example of a sentence using both:
This report is aimed at young people and adults who use social media for more than 5 hours a day. It aims to put forward a range of solutions...
Can you think of any other examples? Any questions? If so, let me know in the comments box below.
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