difficulty taken

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulty taken" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express the concept of "difficulty encountered" or "difficulty experienced," but as it stands, it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "The difficulty taken in completing the project was greater than anticipated."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Questions appearing on the initial and final tests were constructed from ten pairs of related multiple-choice test questions of equivalent difficulty, taken from the materials used by Little et al. (2012), by randomly selecting one question from each pair to be on the initial test and the other to be on the later cued-recall test.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

One difficulty taken particularly seriously by Cohen is an alleged inconsistency between the explanatory primacy of the forces of production, and certain claims made elsewhere by Marx which appear to give the economic structure primacy in explaining the development of the productive forces.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

We have difficulty taking anything at face value.

The New York Times

Like many people in the media, I sometimes still have difficulty taking what Trump says seriously.

The New Yorker

He had difficulty taking his feeds, he couldn't hold anything down, and we took him to the paediatrician.

The Guardian

Gavrilles had difficulty taking her shoes off, and, after watching her struggle a bit, Bludau leaned in to help.

The New Yorker

For hundreds of years, the assumption among doctors and midwives was that the life of a labouring woman in difficulty took priority over the foetus within.

The Guardian

So great that many viewers might have difficulty taking their eyes off her -- if Ms. Anderson weren't also in the frame.

The New York Times - Arts

Murray held his advantage, with a little difficulty, took the set and then we got down to some serious fighting across the net.

The Guardian - Sport

A charity, directed by Shauneen Lambe, that provides legal support, advice and representation to young people in difficulty, taking referrals when there is no adequate local authority provision.

The Guardian

Aid organizations have their ears to the ground and could, without too much difficulty, take the pulse of the average Afghan.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "difficulty taken". Instead, opt for more common and grammatically correct alternatives such as "difficulty encountered" or "difficulty experienced".

Common error

Be cautious of constructing sentences where "difficulty" is the subject and "taken" implies an action performed by it. This often leads to awkward phrasing. Ensure clarity by specifying who or what is experiencing the difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulty taken" functions as a noun phrase, but its grammatical role is unclear and rarely used. According to Ludwig, the phrase is not correct and doesn't convey a clear meaning.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "difficulty taken" is grammatically questionable and lacks established usage in English. Ludwig indicates that it is not correct and doesn't convey a clear meaning. While there are a few examples across scientific and news domains, more conventional alternatives like "difficulty encountered" or "challenges faced" are recommended. Given its infrequent and potentially confusing nature, avoiding this phrase in formal and informal writing is advisable to maintain clarity and credibility. Therefore, it's best to opt for alternatives that are both grammatically sound and widely understood.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficulty encountered

Replaces "taken" with "encountered" to clarify the experience of facing a difficulty.

challenges addressed

Focuses on the act of dealing with difficulties, rather than just experiencing them.

problems managed

Highlights the active management of difficulties to achieve a resolution.

obstacles overcome

Emphasizes the successful surmounting of difficulties or barriers.

hardships faced

Stresses the endurance of difficult experiences or situations.

issues considered

Highlights the aspect of difficulties being thought about or taken into account.

complications handled

Focuses on managing complex or intricate difficulties.

predicaments resolved

Emphasizes the successful solving of difficult or perplexing situations.

setbacks addressed

Highlights instances of dealing with temporary impediments or reversals.

crises managed

Focuses on the effective control and handling of critical difficulties or emergencies.

FAQs

What is a more appropriate way to say "difficulty taken"?

Instead of "difficulty taken", consider using phrases such as "difficulty encountered", "difficulty experienced", or "challenges faced".

Is "difficulty taken" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "difficulty taken" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "difficulty encountered".

How can I use "difficulty encountered" in a sentence?

You can say, "The main difficulty encountered during the project was securing funding".

What's the difference between "difficulty taken" and "difficulty encountered"?

"Difficulty taken" is not a standard English phrase and is generally considered incorrect. "Difficulty encountered" is the correct and widely accepted way to express facing a challenge.