be more difficult to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be more difficult to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when you need to explain that something is more challenging or complex than expected. For example: "Learning this new language is proving to be more difficult to master than I anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

These results suggest that NO2 concentration may be more difficult to control than PM10 or SO2.

Chinese Journal of Cancer

Loans may be more difficult to procure.

The Guardian - Arts

This can be more difficult to quantify.

The Guardian

It would be more difficult to stray from it.

The New Yorker

They may also be more difficult to maintain.

The Guardian

It might be more difficult to do so now.

The Guardian

The noise problem may be more difficult to resolve.

The New York Times

This time, it will be more difficult to stop him.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

However, these cells may be more difficult to obtain compared to the other cell types.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

For both flames, the radial velocity component is shown to be more difficult to predict accurately.

Combustion and Flame

Thus, survival due to prostate cancer may be more difficult to estimate.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be more difficult to" when comparing the relative difficulty of two or more tasks or situations. For example: "Solving this equation will be more difficult to than the previous one."

Common error

Avoid overuse of passive voice when using "be more difficult to". Instead of saying "The task will be more difficult to be completed", opt for the active voice: "It will be more difficult to complete the task."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be more difficult to" primarily functions as a comparative descriptor, indicating that a certain action or task presents a higher degree of challenge than another. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is grammatically correct. It is used to express relative difficulty.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

51%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be more difficult to" serves as a comparative indicator of relative difficulty, useful for expressing that one task is harder than another. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It's used across various contexts, from scientific writing to news articles, with a neutral formality level. While alternatives such as "be more challenging to" or "be harder to" exist, the core meaning remains consistent: to highlight a greater degree of challenge. Remember to use active voice to avoid passive constructions when using the phrase and to use "be more difficult to" only when you wish to compare.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be more challenging to

Focuses on the increased challenge aspect.

be harder to

A simpler and more direct way of expressing increased difficulty.

be more complex to

Highlights the increased complexity involved.

be trickier to

Emphasizes the need for careful handling or strategy.

be more troublesome to

Focuses on the increased problems or inconvenience.

be more awkward to

Highlights the clumsiness or lack of ease associated with the task.

pose a greater challenge to

Emphasizes the active role of posing a difficulty.

present a greater obstacle to

Highlights the obstructive nature of the difficulty.

be more intricate to

Focuses on the detailed and complicated nature.

demand more effort to

Emphasizes the increased exertion required.

FAQs

How can I use "be more difficult to" in a sentence?

You can use "be more difficult to" to compare the relative difficulty of two or more tasks. For example, "It will be more difficult to learn Japanese than Spanish".

What are some alternatives to "be more difficult to"?

Alternatives include "be more challenging to", "be harder to", or "be more complex to", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "be difficult to" instead of "be more difficult to"?

Yes, "be difficult to" is correct, but "be more difficult to" implies a comparison. Use "be difficult to" when describing a single challenging task, and "be more difficult to" when comparing it to another.

What's the difference between "be more difficult to" and "be difficult to"?

"Be difficult to" describes something that is generally challenging. "Be more difficult to" indicates that something is comparatively harder than something else. For instance, "Climbing Mount Everest is difficult to begin with, but doing it without oxygen will be more difficult to".