cause us difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "cause us difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to refer to something that has caused trouble, difficulties, or complications. Example sentence: These economic changes have caused us difficulty in navigating the job market.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"Apophis was the least sophisticated threat actor, and from the attack traffic analysis, not related to any of the past or current threat actors we are contending with," he continues, adding: "ProtonMail unfortunately is a popular target because we are well known as a highly hardened target, and there is a sizeable amount of "bragging rights" that comes with being able to cause us difficulty.

TechCrunch

Rightly - and I congratulate him on his telepathic powers - he has anticipated two particular amendments which cause us difficulty.

EU Parlament

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Abbott: The last thing I want to do is to compromise the effectiveness of our operations by giving out information that will just be used by those who would cause us difficulties.

The Guardian

"Putin can't stand our president and it's causing us difficulty and frankly, I said it a long time ago, if Russia wants to bomb the hell out of Isis and join us in that effort, then I'm absolutely fine with it.

The Guardian

"If they had put the pressure on and got a potential try it could have caused us difficulty.

BBC

It sometimes causes us difficulties at home and abroad.

Huffington Post

"So the dilemma we are wrestling with is between trying to deal fairly with someone who has devoted many years of service to the BBC... as against numbers which – even at the contractual minimum – might cause us seriously difficulty when they become public".

The Guardian

I don't think an Israeli land invasion is likely as it would cause us a lot of difficulties.

BBC

Failure can also cause us to overestimate the difficulties of our goals, underestimate our own abilities and can quell our motivation, according to psychologist Guy Winch.

Huffington Post

And Waterstones added: "As a bookshop it is difficult to see how Google Glass eyewear could cause us or our customers any difficulty beyond, of course, some mild ridicule".

BBC

"In the short term, yes, you can say it has caused us some difficulties because of the martyrdoms and realignment of our ranks," says a Taliban spokesman, Muhammed Umer.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cause us difficulty", ensure the context clearly identifies what 'us' refers to, avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "cause us difficulty" can sound overly formal in casual settings. Consider using simpler alternatives like "give us trouble" in informal conversations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause us difficulty" functions as a verb phrase, where "cause" is the verb and "us difficulty" is the object. Ludwig AI indicates that this construction is grammatically sound and usable in written English. It describes the act of creating problems or challenges for a group.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

19%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cause us difficulty" is a grammatically correct and usable way to express that something is creating problems or challenges for a group, as validated by Ludwig AI. While more formal alternatives exist for informal settings, this phrase is appropriate for news, professional, and business contexts. Its use is relatively uncommon, and its precise meaning should be determined by the context. When employing it, clarity about who 'us' refers to is crucial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

create problems for us

This alternative focuses on the act of creating issues, rather than the specific experience of difficulty.

present challenges to us

This phrase uses a more formal tone, highlighting the challenges faced.

pose an obstacle for us

This alternative emphasizes the obstructive nature of the difficulty.

complicate matters for us

This highlights that something is making things more intricate or complex.

lead to complications for us

This suggests the difficulty arises as a consequence of something else.

be a hindrance to us

This emphasizes the impeding or preventative effect of the difficulty.

make things hard for us

This alternative is more informal and direct.

be detrimental to us

This suggests a harmful or damaging effect.

inhibit our progress

This highlights that the difficulty is impeding progress or advancement.

give us trouble

A more colloquial expression indicating problems or difficulties.

FAQs

How can I use "cause us difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "cause us difficulty" to describe something that creates problems or challenges for a group of people. For example: "These new regulations will "create problems for us"."

What are some alternatives to "cause us difficulty"?

Some alternatives include "present challenges to us", "pose an obstacle for us", or "complicate matters for us", depending on the context.

Is "cause us difficulty" formal or informal?

The phrase "cause us difficulty" leans towards a more formal register. In informal situations, consider using phrases like "give us trouble" or "make things hard for us".

What's the difference between "cause us difficulty" and "cause us difficulties"?

"Cause us difficulty" generally refers to a general state of being problematic, while "cause us difficulties" refers to specific instances or types of problems. The choice depends on whether you're referring to a broad impact or specific issues.