cause significant difficulties

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cause significant difficulties" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing issues or challenges that create substantial problems in a particular context. Example: "The new policy changes may cause significant difficulties for employees trying to adapt to the new procedures."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Interactions between process units (e.g., material recycle and energy integration) often cause significant difficulties in plantwide control.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Bureaucratic resistance from below could cause significant difficulties for the Trump administration, which relies on the approximately 2.5 million civil servants in the federal government to implement policy.

The Washington Post

The poor quality of communication between professionals, perhaps reflecting a limited understanding of the various roles in patient care, we found to cause significant difficulties.

British Journal of Cancer

In cheese factories, delays to fermentation can cause significant difficulties in a process that is based on a perishable starting material (milk) that cannot be stored in the event of delay.

Genome Biology and Evolution

In the Affymetrix systems the signal from one badly designed probe, which may be based on inaccurate data from a sequence database, can be easily eliminated from further analysis [ 41] without significant decrease in the precision of gene expression estimate, while in the Agilent systems the same design glitch might cause significant difficulties in the evaluation of gene expression levels.

Biology Direct

However, Stausberg et al. demonstrated that the agreement in coding decreased when more detailed (for example five digit versus three digit ICD-10) codes were used and concluded that very detailed classification and complex coding rules for ICD-10 diagnoses cause significant difficulties even for coding experts [ 30].

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

The high prevalence of overlapping diseases (such as pneumonia, malaria and malnutrition), and the difficulty in creating reliable diagnostic algorithms to identify eligible populations cause significant difficulty in the application of disease-specific models.

BMJ Open

This causes significant difficulties with the convergence of finite element solutions.

International Journal of Solids and Structures

This project has in recent years inadvertently caused significant difficulties in forming a stable, collaborative, national government, a stasis that grieved his generation.

The Guardian

Certainly, they caused significant difficulties for research institutes when coherent programme units were broken up, and individual PIs found themselves loosing elements of work which made their posts less viable (Read, 1989); Institute Directors lost a significant degree of control as a result.

Nature

Later the same year, Scotland's Chief Inspector of Constabulary warned the sheer scale of Ore was causing "significant" difficulties for forces.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cause significant difficulties", ensure the context clearly explains what is causing the difficulties and what specific problems are arising as a result. Clarity enhances the impact of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "cause significant difficulties" when the issues are minor or easily resolved. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause significant difficulties" functions as a verb phrase. It describes an action (cause) that results in a state of affairs (significant difficulties). As Ludwig AI explains, the phrase is grammatically correct and used to describe issues that create substantial problems.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

41%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "cause significant difficulties" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression for describing situations that lead to substantial problems or challenges. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability across various contexts. It is most frequently found in scientific and news media sources, indicating a neutral to formal register. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity about the cause and specific problems arising. Avoid overuse in situations where the issues are minor, and consider semantically related alternatives like "pose considerable challenges" or "lead to substantial problems" for nuanced communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pose considerable challenges

Emphasizes the act of presenting challenges that require effort to overcome. It is more formal and focuses on the challenges themselves.

create major obstacles

Highlights the act of forming barriers that hinder progress. It is more direct and emphasizes the obstacles.

lead to substantial problems

Focuses on the result of a process causing significant problems. It is less formal and emphasizes the problems.

generate considerable issues

Stresses the act of producing problems that need attention. It is slightly less formal and emphasizes the issues.

result in serious complications

Highlights the outcome being complex and potentially harmful. It is more formal and emphasizes the complications.

give rise to notable difficulties

Emphasizes the emergence of difficulties. It is more formal and highlights the origin of the difficulties.

present significant hurdles

Focuses on the act of offering obstacles that must be overcome. It's slightly more metaphorical emphasizing the hurdles.

cause notable impediments

Highlights the act of creating hindrances. It is more formal and emphasizes the impediments.

engender substantial setbacks

Emphasizes the causation of delays or reversals. It is more formal and emphasizes the setbacks.

precipitate major disruptions

Highlights the triggering of disturbances or interruptions. It is more formal and emphasizes the disruptions.

FAQs

How can I use "cause significant difficulties" in a sentence?

Use "cause significant difficulties" to describe situations or actions that create substantial problems or challenges. For example, "The new regulations may "cause significant difficulties" for small businesses."

What are some alternatives to "cause significant difficulties"?

Alternatives include phrases like "pose considerable challenges", "lead to substantial problems", or "create major obstacles", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "cause significant difficulties" or "cause minor difficulties"?

The choice depends on the severity of the problems. Use "cause significant difficulties" when the issues are substantial and impactful. If the issues are less severe, "cause minor inconveniences" or "cause slight problems" may be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "cause significant difficulties" and "present a challenge"?

"Cause significant difficulties" implies a more severe impact than "present a challenge". A challenge can be stimulating and potentially beneficial, while "cause significant difficulties" always suggests negative consequences.