a difficulty surfaces

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a difficulty surfaces" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing challenges or problems that become apparent in a situation or process. Example: "As we delved deeper into the project, a difficulty surfaces that we hadn't anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

How is the difficulty surfacing?

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

This may stem from a difficulty in identifying the surface boundaries where relative disparity is available.

Plosone

When the number of surface parameters exceeds the number of collected surface observations, a difficulty with the dimensionality emerges in classification.

Journal of Manufacturing Systems

Market contagion and rating downgrades, starting when the magnitude of Greece's difficulties surfaced in early 2010, have become a self-fulfilling prophecy: by raising Portugal's borrowing costs to unsustainable levels, the rating agencies forced it to seek a bailout.

The New York Times

"I have not asked Charlie Rangel to come up here since his ethical difficulties surfaced," he said before denouncing his rival, Ms. Hayworth, for accusing him of donating $1,000 to Mr. Rangel, the dean of the New York Congressional delegation.

The New York Times

Benthic diatoms represent an important element of global nutritional productivity; to raise attention on their role, which is often neglected due to analytical difficulties, surface (1 cm top layer) coastal sediments from Gerlache inlet to Penguin Bay at Terra Nova Bay were collected and stored at −20 °C.

Marine Environmental Research

However, considering the cost and construction difficulties, surface wells are expensive and complicated, whereas the roof roadway is simple and flexible with well-known drainage effectiveness.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

Later, with economic hardship, difficulties surfaced.

Critical Care

A major difficulty in understanding surface degradation is the measurement of the surface roughness evolution at the relevant scales.

Wear

The main difficulty in surface reconstruction is not only to create smooth surface, but also to protect fine details, for example splashes, sheets, and droplets [25].

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

The purposes of the proposed approach are to overcome difficulties of surface conjugation caused by formate generation, develop a low noise and stabilized bearing contact, and perform stress analysis.

Mechanism and Machine Theory

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a difficulty surfaces" when you want to highlight the initial appearance of a problem, especially in a narrative or descriptive context.

Common error

While grammatically correct, avoid using "a difficulty surfaces" excessively in highly formal or technical writing. More direct alternatives like "a problem arises" or "an issue emerges" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a difficulty surfaces" primarily functions as a clause element, where "a difficulty" acts as the subject and "surfaces" as the verb. It describes the emergence or manifestation of a problem, as confirmed by Ludwig's analysis.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Encyclopedias

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a difficulty surfaces" is grammatically correct and used to describe the initial appearance of a problem or challenge. According to Ludwig, the phrase is valid in English. While not highly frequent, it's suitable for various contexts, though potentially replaceable with more direct alternatives in formal writing. The analysis suggests it functions to narrate emerging problems and carries a neutral tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a problem arises

This alternative is more direct and general, simply stating that a problem comes into being.

an issue emerges

Similar to 'a problem arises', this emphasizes the visibility and initial appearance of a concern.

a challenge presents itself

This option highlights the demanding nature of the difficulty that is surfacing.

a snag develops

More informal, this suggests a minor and unexpected problem.

a hurdle appears

This implies that the difficulty is an obstacle that needs to be overcome.

complications arise

This emphasizes the intricate and potentially worsening nature of the difficulty.

difficulties emerge

This is a plural form, indicating multiple problems are surfacing.

an obstacle surfaces

This alternative highlights that the difficulty is an impediment that needs to be overcome.

a setback occurs

This implies a temporary halt or reversal in progress due to the difficulty.

an impediment arises

This suggests something is preventing progress or action.

FAQs

What does "a difficulty surfaces" mean?

It means a problem or challenge becomes apparent or noticeable. It indicates the initial appearance of something that causes trouble or requires effort to overcome.

What can I say instead of "a difficulty surfaces"?

You can use alternatives like "a problem arises", "an issue emerges", or "a challenge presents itself depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "a difficulty surfaces" formal or informal?

The phrase "a difficulty surfaces" is relatively neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although more direct alternatives may be preferred in highly formal writing.

How do I use "a difficulty surfaces" in a sentence?

Use it to describe the moment a problem becomes apparent. For example: "As the project progressed, "a difficulty surfaces" regarding resource allocation."