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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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challenging with

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "challenging with" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express difficulty in dealing with something or someone, but it lacks clarity and proper structure. Example: "I find it challenging with my workload this week." (This should be rephrased for clarity.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This was challenging with many students in each PE class.

"Those who would criticize Turkey for its problems confuse what is challenging with what is fundamental.

News & Media

The New York Times

Implementation will be challenging with no guarantee of success.

Di Mura's score is challenging with complex harmonies.

Is he challenging with the bigger or the smaller centre-back?

And the images aren't just big; they're challenging, with odd geometry and foreboding colors.

News & Media

The New York Times

His tenure has been challenging, with profits last year falling 13.4% to £123m.

"The outlook for the near term remains highly challenging with significant uncertainty".

News & Media

The New York Times

The circuit is moderately challenging with one fairly steep climb towards the end.

"It gets pretty challenging with a toddler in the car," she said.

Just finishing.500 will be challenging with the Patriots and Vikings still on the schedule.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "challenging with". Instead, rephrase your sentence to use constructions like "challenging due to", "difficult because of", or "challenging in light of" to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

Many writers incorrectly use "challenging with" to imply causation. For example, instead of saying "The project was challenging with limited resources", use "The project was challenging due to limited resources" to clearly indicate that the lack of resources caused the difficulty.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "challenging with" functions as an adjective phrase followed by a preposition. However, according to Ludwig AI, this specific construction is grammatically questionable and lacks clarity. Although it appears in several examples, it's advisable to rephrase for better grammatical accuracy.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

35%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "challenging with" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect. It's frequently used to express that something is difficult or complex in relation to another factor. However, more precise and grammatically sound alternatives, such as "challenging due to", "difficult because of", or rephrasing the sentence entirely, are recommended to ensure clarity and accuracy. Despite its common occurrence, particularly in scientific and news contexts, adhering to proper grammatical structures enhances the overall quality of writing.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "challenging" in a sentence?

Use "challenging" with prepositions like "for", "to", or in phrases like "challenging because of" or "challenging due to" to express difficulty or complexity. Avoid the construction "challenging with".

What are some alternatives to saying "challenging with"?

Consider alternatives like "difficult with", "challenging due to", or "complicated by", depending on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "challenging with"?

According to Ludwig AI, "challenging with" is not considered grammatically correct. It's better to use more precise and accepted phrases to convey your intended meaning.

What's the difference between "challenging with" and "challenging due to"?

"Challenging with" is generally considered incorrect. Instead use "challenging due to", which indicates that something is difficult because of a specific reason or factor. For instance, "The task was "challenging due to" the lack of data" is grammatically sound.

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Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.2/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: