distinct difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "distinct difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a specific or unique challenge that stands out from others. Example: "The project presented a distinct difficulty that required innovative solutions from the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Item separation strata are used to identify statistically distinct difficulty levels according to the responses to all items (Wright & Masters, 2002).

Language Testing in Asia

Cronbach's alpha for items is 0.99 and the separation strata for non-extreme items (items for which there was not a 0% or a 100% success rate) was 8.54: this many distinct difficulty levels demonstrates that the scale discriminated effectively between test-takers (Smith, 2001).

Language Testing in Asia

Writing for GameSpy, Ben Turner commented on the "excellent progression of difficulty" engendered by three distinct difficulty modes and thoughtful stage design, expounding "most levels introduce some new idea or concept to the game" and "every single level played adds to your skill".

Wikipedia

Three distinct difficulty settings are available for each level, the choice of which will affect aspects such as the number of objectives that must be completed, enemy accuracy and damage, the effectiveness of the game's optional automatic aiming assistance, and the availability of ammunition and items such as protective shields.

Wikipedia

Care was taken that problems of a distinct difficulty differed between blocks to avoid learning effects.

BMC Psychiatry

Haley et al. [ 66] and Jette et al. [ 67] administered the Late-life FDI and recorded an item separation index of 10.1 and 9.39 respectively, which is well beyond the minimum requirement, and thus we can be confident that the scale provides an adequate number of statistically distinct difficulty strata with which to measure persons.

BMC Geriatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"But if they are perceived unfavourably, there are distinct difficulties".

The Guardian

Coverage Providing a high quality connectivity between the small cell BSs and the core network is a challenge, and it may require large planning efforts since various existing backhaul solutions encounter distinct difficulties.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

At the same time there are vast underground water resources whose utilization is afflicted with distinct difficulties due to the poor accessibility caused by the location deep underground and thus high pump heads, by the heterogeneous spatial distribution as well as by the highly temporal fluctuating water yield.

Applied Water Science

Each disease presents distinct difficulties: in MS, restriction of eligibility to patients with active inflammatory disease; in SSc, formulation of cardiopulmonary eligibility criteria to decrease risk; in SLE, judgment of whether HSCT adds any advantage to high-dose nonmyeloablative immunosuppressive treatment alone; and in RA, enhancement of response durability.

Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation

The group with moderate NE appeared to have distinct difficulties in reading, spelling and arithmetic/mathematics.

European Journal of Pediatrics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "distinct difficulty" to emphasize that the challenge is notably different from other difficulties, requiring a specific or tailored approach to overcome it.

Common error

Avoid using "distinct difficulty" when a simpler term like "challenge" or "problem" suffices. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "distinct difficulty" primarily functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "distinct" modifies the noun "difficulty". This denotes a specific or unique problem or challenge. Ludwig provides examples showing this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

64%

Wiki

16%

News & Media

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "distinct difficulty" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a specific or unique challenge. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase appears most commonly in scientific, wiki, and news contexts. While not overly frequent, its usage is appropriate in formal and professional settings to emphasize the unique nature of a problem. Consider alternatives like "unique challenge" or "specific obstacle" to add variety to your writing. Avoid overuse to maintain clarity and conciseness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unique challenge

Emphasizes the uniqueness of the challenge, rather than focusing on the level of difficulty.

particular challenge

Highlights the specificity of the challenge.

specific obstacle

Focuses on the hindering aspect of the difficulty.

singular difficulty

Emphasizes the isolated and individual nature of the difficulty.

notable difficulty

Highlights the significance or prominence of the difficulty.

clear challenge

Emphasizes the unambiguity of the challenge.

palpable difficulty

Emphasizes the noticeable or easily perceived nature of the difficulty.

marked difficulty

Highlights the noticeable or evident nature of the difficulty.

special difficulty

Emphasizes that the difficulty is out of the ordinary.

uncommon difficulty

Highlights the infrequency of the difficulty encountered.

FAQs

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

You can use "distinct difficulty" to describe a unique or specific challenge. For example, "The project presented a "distinct difficulty" that required innovative solutions."

What are some alternatives to "distinct difficulty"?

Alternatives include "unique challenge", "particular challenge", or "specific obstacle", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "very distinct difficulty"?

Yes, adding "very" to "distinct difficulty" is often redundant. The word "distinct" already implies a clear and noticeable difference, so "very distinct" isn't usually necessary.

What is the difference between "distinct difficulty" and "major difficulty"?

"Distinct difficulty" emphasizes the uniqueness or specificity of the challenge, while "major difficulty" highlights the significance or magnitude of the challenge. They are related but focus on different aspects.