a certain tricky

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a certain tricky" is not correct in written English.
It seems to be an incomplete or incorrect construction, as "tricky" typically requires an article or a noun to follow it. Example: "This puzzle is a certain tricky challenge that requires careful thought."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

As the details of her creation myth unfold -- the basketball pedigree, the triumphs over adversity -- you can almost hear the prayers in the offices over on Fifth Avenue beseeching an entity even more powerful than David Stern to watch over a certain tricky A.C.L. Perhaps the closest the league has yet come to bottling some lightning was the 2002 All-Star game in Washington.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Presumably, at certain tricky points, this advice-to-self has proved invaluable.

The Guardian

Partly, it smoothed out certain tricky passages in their relationship, made Graham her defender.

The New Yorker

This part will address certain tricky issues.

TechCrunch

Another parallel: I've only seen one episode of each show, so I can't say whether either one will be able to sustain certain tricky elements central to my enjoyment of these pilots.

Huffington Post

"The script is read through and discussed a number of times, and certain, trickier scenes will be rehearsed in detail so that a playwright can accurately hear what she set down on paper," Mr. Greenfield and Ms. Striar wrote in an e-mail.

The New York Times

He asked for retakes on certain trickier cues, but the musicians mainly got it right on the first take.

The New Yorker

"And to make it even trickier, a certain amount of that paranoia was justified.

The Guardian

Employing security is always going to be a tricky issue – a certain kind of person is likely to be attracted to these jobs – which makes it all the more important that staff are thoroughly vetted and the company subsequently held to account.

The Guardian - Opinion

Yet he admits that the department store "is a big machine" and that integrating new designers "at a certain stage of development" can be tricky.

The New York Times

Periodic orbits, those in which the stars return to their original configuration after a certain amount of time, are most tricky.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "a certain" directly before "tricky" as it sounds unusual in formal writing. Use alternatives such as "a somewhat tricky" or "a particularly tricky" for better flow.

Common error

While "tricky" is acceptable in informal settings, overusing the phrase "a certain tricky" can make your writing sound less professional. Rely on stronger vocabulary to convey the nature of the difficulty more accurately.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a certain tricky" functions as an adjective phrase aiming to describe a noun, but its usage is grammatically unusual. Ludwig AI notes it's not correct in written English. More common constructions include "a tricky situation" or modifying "tricky" with an adverb.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a certain tricky" might be understood, it is not considered grammatically correct in standard written English. Ludwig AI confirms that this is an incomplete or incorrect construction. It appears infrequently, mainly in news and media contexts. For clearer and more professional writing, consider using alternatives such as "somewhat difficult", "particularly challenging", or simply rephrasing the sentence to use "tricky" in a more conventional manner. Avoid using this phrase in formal contexts to maintain credibility and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a somewhat difficult

Replaces "tricky" with "difficult" and adds "somewhat" to soften the statement.

a particularly challenging

Substitutes "tricky" with "challenging" and enhances the intensity using "particularly".

a notably complex

Replaces "tricky" with "complex" highlighting intricacy, intensified by "notably".

a rather problematic

Changes "tricky" to "problematic", indicating a specific issue is present, modified by "rather".

a decidedly delicate

Replaces "tricky" with "delicate" to suggest the need for careful handling, emphasized by "decidedly".

a uniquely intricate

Substitutes "tricky" with "intricate", pinpointing the complexity as unique.

a fairly sensitive

Changes "tricky" to "sensitive", suggesting that the situation needs to be approached with care.

a slightly awkward

Replaces "tricky" with "awkward", softening the complexity to a social unease.

a uniquely perplexing

Substitutes "tricky" with "perplexing", emphasizing confusion or puzzlement.

a somewhat convoluted

Changes "tricky" to "convoluted", emphasizing that the situation is unnecessarily complex and difficult to follow.

FAQs

How can I use the word "tricky" correctly in a sentence?

Use "tricky" with an article like "a" or "the", such as in "That's "a tricky situation"" or "It was "the trickiest part"". You can also use it with adverbs such as "somewhat tricky" or "particularly tricky".

What are some alternatives to "a certain tricky"?

Consider using phrases like "somewhat difficult", "particularly challenging", or "notably complex depending on the context".

Is it grammatically correct to say "a certain tricky"?

While understandable, "a certain tricky" is not grammatically standard. Using a more descriptive adjective or rephrasing the sentence is recommended.

What's the difference between "a certain tricky" and "a somewhat tricky"?

"A somewhat tricky" is more grammatically sound and widely accepted. It implies a degree of difficulty, whereas "a certain tricky" is less common and can sound awkward.