cause a burden

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'cause a burden' is not correct in written English.
Instead, you should use the phrase 'cause a burden on'. For example, 'The growing costs of supporting elderly family members can cause a burden on younger generations.'.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

In some cases they attributed the interference to the fact that their recommendations would cause a burden to industry.

The New York Times - Science

The reason that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are of concern is not higher mortality rates; rather, it is that they have been directly linked to a substantial number of chronic diseases that cause a burden on our health care system and negatively affect the quality of life of millions.

The New York Times

The current protocols of continuous clinical follow-up of relatives of such patients are costly and cause a burden on the usually over-stretched medical resources.

BMC Genomics

If we imagine a version of the Harmless Case such that the care of the child will not cause a burden on parents and will not divert needed health and educational resources away from others, there would no longer be a positive reason to allow the child to die.

American Journal of Bioethics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Many of the 1,000 respondents cited preparations for Ofsted visits as well as form-filling and other paperwork as causing a burden outside the classroom.

The Guardian

This causes a burden to us and to service providers.

BMC Health Services Research

Consequently, urolithiasis causes a burden on society and significantly influences patients' quality of life.

BioMed Research International

VCI causes a burden of illness similar to that caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD), but has been far less well-studied.

Environmental Health Perspectives

However, requesting participants to visit a research center causes a burden to some persons, resulting in a lower response when compared to mailed or telephone administered questionnaires.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

The frequency of these tests is deemed necessary for early detection of recurrence; however this causes a burden to both the patient and the healthcare system.

EBioMedicine

This causes a burden on the ER that may activate autophagy and the UPR response, which may lead to pancreatic cell death.

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct form "cause a burden on" to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity. For example, say "The new regulations will cause a burden on small businesses."

Common error

A frequent mistake is omitting the preposition "on" after "burden", which makes the phrase grammatically incorrect. To avoid this, remember that the burden is typically placed "on" something or someone. For instance, it is correct to say "The project caused a burden on the team's resources" not "The project caused a burden the team's resources".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause a burden" functions as a verb phrase aiming to describe the action of creating a hardship or difficulty. According to Ludwig, the construction lacks grammatical correctness and should be corrected to "cause a burden on".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "cause a burden" aims to convey the creation of hardship or difficulty, it is grammatically incomplete. Ludwig AI indicates that the correct form is "cause a burden on". The phrase is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. For clear and accurate communication, always include the preposition "on" to specify what is being burdened. Consider using alternative phrases like "impose a strain on" or "create an encumbrance" for stylistic variation. Remember to avoid omitting 'on' after "burden", which is a frequent mistake.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impose a strain

Replaces "cause" with "impose" and "burden" with "strain", slightly altering the connotation to emphasize difficulty.

create an encumbrance

Uses more formal vocabulary; "encumbrance" suggests a legal or administrative burden.

place a demand

Shifts the focus to the act of requiring something, which can be burdensome.

present a challenge

Softens the negative connotation, framing the burden as something to overcome.

inflict a hardship

Emphasizes the severity of the burden, suggesting a difficult or painful experience.

exact a toll

Implies a cost or consequence that is extracted as a result of something.

cause difficulty

Broadens the scope to include any kind of problem or obstacle.

be a drain

Uses a metaphorical expression to describe something that depletes resources.

add pressure

Focuses on increasing stress or strain, which can be a burden.

spark an issue

Suggests initiating a problem that may become a burden to resolve.

FAQs

How should I correctly use "cause a burden" in a sentence?

The correct usage is "cause a burden on". For example, "The pandemic "caused a burden on" healthcare systems".

What's a more formal way to say "cause a burden on"?

You could use phrases like "impose a strain on" or "create an encumbrance on". For example, "The regulations "impose a strain on" small businesses".

What are some common synonyms for "cause a burden on"?

Synonyms include "place a demand on", "present a challenge to", and "be a drain on". Each of these carries a slightly different connotation, so choose the one that best fits your context.

Is it always necessary to include "on" after "cause a burden"?

Yes, it is grammatically necessary to include "on" to indicate what is being burdened. Omitting "on" makes the phrase incorrect. For example, use "cause a burden on the environment" instead of "cause a burden the environment".