difficult to expect that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficult to expect that" is correct and perfectly usable in written English.
You can use it in a sentence when you are saying that it is unlikely that something will happen or that somebody has an unrealistic expectation. For example: "It is difficult to expect that the team will win the championship this year, given their lack of talent".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

"It is difficult to expect that consumption will pick up the slack when capital spending falters," said Haruhito Arai, a cabinet office official.

The New York Times

As MIT economist Jim Poterba pointed out at a recent conference at the Tax Policy Center, persistent slow growth in the U.S. may demand pro-growth reform which could include lower taxes on capital income, but at the same time, the concern about income inequality makes it more difficult to expect that reductions in capital taxes or taxes on top earners would be acceptable.

Forbes

That said, following back-to-back terrific mid- to high-teen return years, it is difficult to expect that 2018 will match 2016 or 2017, but returns in the 10% range, in line with the historical norm for stocks, would not be surprising, with Value likely outperforming.

Forbes

It is difficult to expect that both standardization of approach and variability in approach can easily coexist, but the operational challenge is to exercise awareness of the ethical values discussed above and the appropriate due diligence in the implementation of processes.

Critical Care

"It was difficult to expect that here".

The New York Times - Sports

"Obviously the roads are not closed to allow training on the descent at full gas until the day before, so in that respect it was always going to be difficult to expect that there wouldn't be any accidents".

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Although it might be intuitively appealing to expect that increased decision difficulty leads to less appropriate decisions, it might also be expected that making difficult decisions involves the use of a more in-depth analytic decision making process and leads to more appropriate decisions.

BMC Health Services Research

Therefore it is quite difficult to expect any nice behavior that will imply the existence of a fixed point.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

Therefore it is quite difficult to expect any nice behavior that will imply the existence of a fixed point for this class of mappings.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

Whatever the time course of muscular degradation and its precise relationship to the extended phenotype (zombie behavior and biting) and unknown metabolite production, it is difficult not to expect that the enormous population of fungal cells in the head of zombie ants plays a decisive role.

BMC Ecology

"It would have been difficult for us to expect that he would last a whole season and do so at a high level of performance coming back after so much time off," Alderson said.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficult to expect that", ensure the statement is followed by a clear explanation of why the expectation is unrealistic. This adds credibility and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "difficult to expect that" when the situation is merely challenging but still plausible. Overstating the impossibility can weaken your argument and make you sound overly pessimistic. Use phrases like "unlikely" or "improbable" for situations with a low, but nonzero, chance of occurring.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficult to expect that" functions as an expression of low probability or uncertainty. It serves to temper expectations or suggest that a particular outcome is unlikely given the circumstances. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this function in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficult to expect that" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey a low probability or unrealistic expectation. As shown by Ludwig, this phrase appears most frequently in news and media and scientific contexts, indicating its suitability for objective and analytical discussions. While not extremely common, it serves a valuable purpose in managing expectations and offering realistic assessments. Remember to provide context when using this phrase to ensure clarity and avoid overstating the impossibility of an event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unlikely to anticipate that

Replaces "difficult to expect" with a more direct expression of improbability using "unlikely" and substitutes "expect" with "anticipate" maintaining the core meaning but changing the tone to something more proactive.

hard to foresee that

Employs "hard" instead of "difficult" and "foresee" instead of "expect", offering a slightly more informal and visually oriented take on the idea of predicting an outcome.

improbable to think that

Substitutes "difficult to expect" with "improbable to think", focusing on the low likelihood from a cognitive perspective.

doubtful to predict that

Replaces "difficult to expect" with "doubtful to predict", emphasizing the uncertainty in making a prediction.

scarcely imaginable that

Uses a stronger expression of disbelief, suggesting the outcome is almost impossible to visualize or consider as a possibility.

barely conceivable that

Indicates that the outcome is within the realm of possibility but only just, suggesting a very remote chance of it occurring.

remote chance to assume that

Shifts from expecting to assuming, highlighting the minimal possibility of something being true or happening.

slim prospect to believe that

Emphasizes the low probability from the perspective of belief or conviction, suggesting there's very little evidence or reason to think something will occur.

hardly reasonable to suppose that

Focuses on the lack of logical basis for expecting something, suggesting that such an expectation would be irrational.

not realistic to anticipate that

Directly states that expecting something is not grounded in reality, indicating a mismatch between expectation and what is likely to happen.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "difficult to expect that" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you might consider using phrases like "unlikely to anticipate that" or "improbable to think that", which convey a similar meaning with a slightly more elevated register.

When is it appropriate to use "difficult to expect that" in writing?

This phrase is suitable when you want to express a low degree of confidence in a future outcome or suggest that prevailing circumstances make a certain expectation unrealistic. Use it when you want to temper expectations or manage perceptions.

What are some common synonyms for "difficult to expect that"?

Some common synonyms include "hard to foresee that", "doubtful to predict that", or "remote chance to assume that", each carrying a slightly different nuance regarding the level of uncertainty.

Is "difficult to expect that" grammatically correct?

Yes, "difficult to expect that" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both spoken and written English. Ludwig AI confirms this with multiple examples from reputable sources.