difficulty to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulty to" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used incorrectly; the correct form would be "difficulty in" or "difficulty with." Example: "She had difficulty in understanding the complex instructions."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Their swarming and tempo are causing real difficulty to Udinese.

The Guardian - Sport

But it has a certain sense of difficulty to it.

The New York Times - Sports

Mills explained the difficulty to his wife's colleague.

The Guardian

Sure, there is little physical difficulty to flying a plane, but that entirely misses the point.

The New York Times

"Having enjoyed La Vie Parisienne for several years, simply French phraseology presents no difficulty to me.

The New Yorker

He learned, with difficulty, to make an ancestor of modern plastics ape the fluency of oils.

The New Yorker

"This was a decision that was made with tremendous difficulty, to publicize it," Ms. Picard said.

The New York Times

"But there is in the region a real difficulty to identify the way forward".

The New York Times

Most players expect the course's degree of difficulty to increase, particularly if conditions are windy.

The New York Times - Sports

This introduces a whole new level of difficulty to the affair.

The Guardian - Books

Mourinho added: "Our players had difficulty to control him and we feel the potential is there.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "difficulty in" or "difficulty with" instead of "difficulty to". For example, say "difficulty in understanding" or "difficulty with the task".

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "difficulty". The correct prepositions are "in" or "with", depending on the context. "Difficulty to" is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulty to" functions incorrectly as it attempts to connect the noun "difficulty" with an infinitive verb form. Correct usage requires a preposition such as "in" or "with" to properly link the difficulty to the action or object causing it. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is not grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "difficulty to" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI highlights, the proper constructions are "difficulty in" (followed by a gerund) or "difficulty with" (followed by a noun). To ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy, it's crucial to avoid "difficulty to" and instead opt for the correct prepositional phrases. This ensures that your writing remains professional and easily understood. Using alternatives such as "challenge in" or "struggle with" can also enhance your writing by providing more nuanced expressions of difficulty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficulty in

Corrects the prepositional error by using "in" instead of "to".

difficulty with

Corrects the prepositional error by using "with" instead of "to".

challenge in

Replaces "difficulty" with "challenge", focusing on the obstacle itself and specifying "in" as the correct preposition.

struggle with

Emphasizes the effort required to overcome the difficulty. It uses the correct preposition "with".

problem with

Highlights the issue causing the difficulty. It uses the correct preposition "with".

trouble with

A more informal way of saying difficulty, and uses the correct preposition "with".

hard time with

Informal way of expressing difficulty, using the correct preposition "with".

impediment to

Formal alternative indicating a hindrance or obstruction. Uses correct preposition "to".

obstacle to

Similar to 'impediment', this highlights something that blocks progress and uses correct preposition "to".

hindrance to

Formal synonym that indicates something impeding progress; uses correct preposition "to".

FAQs

How do I correctly use "difficulty" in a sentence?

Use "difficulty in" or "difficulty with" followed by the action or object causing the challenge. For example, "I have "difficulty in" understanding this concept" or "I have "difficulty with" this task".

What are some alternatives to using "difficulty to"?

Instead of "difficulty to", you can use phrases like "challenge in", "struggle with", or "problem with" depending on the specific context.

Is "difficulty to" grammatically correct?

No, "difficulty to" is not grammatically correct. The correct forms are ""difficulty in"" or ""difficulty with"".

What's the difference between "difficulty in" and "difficulty with"?

"Difficulty in" is generally followed by a gerund (verb ending in -ing), while ""difficulty with"" is followed by a noun or noun phrase. For example, "difficulty in understanding" vs. "difficulty with the explanation".