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CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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difficulty to solve

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulty to solve" is not correct in standard written English.
A more appropriate expression would be "difficulty in solving" or "difficulty with solving." Example: "The difficulty in solving this equation has frustrated many students."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

There is a difficulty to solve the biharmonic equation due to the existence of fourth order derivatives.

The main weak points in using AI optimization technique are the possibility of being trapped at local minima, being confined to the population space, difficulty to solve heavily nonlinear problems and to make full use of the historical information beside the lack of prediction about the search space.

As the uncertain wind power is increasingly integrated into power system, it is of great difficulty to solve the DPs [19].

Transported into a video game, the gang must survive different levels of difficulty to solve a mystery.

News & Media

Los Angeles Times

The five datasets are of varying difficulty to solve, with some employing the basic clique-bounds DEE technique to prune the graphs, while others requiring more elaborate pruning that is constrained by three-way alignments (see Table 1).

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It means that we found some evidence that people with larger amygdala had more difficulties to solve emotional problems.

The main difficulties to solve this kind of problems lie in two aspects.

Despite enormous difficulties to solve remaining territorial disputes, China is determined to continue to pursue these discussions peacefully.

News & Media

Forbes

It is well known that nonlinearities with derivatives bring about more difficulties to solve the problem for us.

Let us now formulate CARA as a utility maximization problem and point out the difficulties to solve the problem by an LP.

Otherwise the barriers or difficulties to solving the problem are reviewed and alternative solutions sought.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing challenges, use the phrase "difficulty in solving" instead of "difficulty to solve" for grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "to" after "difficulty" when followed by a verb. The correct structure is "difficulty in/with + -ing form of verb".

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

3.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulty to solve" functions as a noun phrase that describes a challenge or obstacle in finding a solution. While grammatically questionable, as noted by Ludwig AI, its intended meaning is generally clear within context.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "difficulty to solve" is used to indicate a challenge or obstacle in finding a solution. While understandable, Ludwig AI points out that it is grammatically incorrect; the proper phrasing would be "difficulty in solving" or "difficulty with solving". Despite its grammatical flaws, the phrase appears across various contexts, including science and news, as showcased by Ludwig. Therefore, while its meaning is clear, it is best to opt for the grammatically correct alternatives to maintain clarity and professionalism in writing.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "difficulty to solve"?

No, the grammatically correct phrasing is "difficulty in solving" or "difficulty with solving". The preposition "to" is not correctly used in this context.

What are some alternatives to "difficulty to solve"?

You can use phrases like "challenge in solving", "problem in solving", or "issue in resolving".

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

Example: "There is a significant difficulty in solving this particular type of equation."

What is the difference between "difficulty in solving" and "difficulty with solving"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct and generally interchangeable. "Difficulty with solving" might be slightly more informal than "difficulty in solving".

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Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

3.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: