found difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

"found difficulty" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when the speaker is talking about the difficulties they encountered while attempting to do something. For example, "John found difficulty understanding the complex math equations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

First studied dentistry, but being left-handed found difficulty in using right-handed equipment in school.

The New Yorker

After he left Jones to do his own music he found difficulty getting jobs.

The New Yorker

However, according to Radio 4 sources, he has found difficulty finding a suitable replacement.

The Guardian

But Bimbo executives have found difficulty in turning a profit outside of Mexico.

The New York Times

For one who found difficulty in maintaining close ties, it was an association that was uncharacteristically enduring.

The Guardian

He abhorred routine academic administration and, while often a good talent-spotter, he found difficulty in sustaining close relationships.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

However, both spiking neural networks and neuromorphic hardware have historically found difficulties in implementing efficient, effective learning rules.

Neural Networks

Therefore, many authors have found difficulties when facing to a quite complicated conjunction of ({mathcal C}_{am}) and ({mathcal C}_{m}).

Vietnam Journal of Computer Science

Here we report that we have achieved a practical setup, evaluated its performance, found difficulties in operating such a system and we draw conclusions about our proposition.

Microelectronic Engineering

Conversely, they found difficulties in sequence-specific learning in implicit and explicit condition, with more pronounced impairment in the implicit condition.

Brain Research

A recent report by the Center for a New American Security found that 80percentt of private companies considering hiring veterans found difficulties in skills translation.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "found difficulty" to clearly and concisely express that someone or something experienced problems or challenges in a specific situation. For example, "The team found difficulty in meeting the deadline."

Common error

Ensure you use the correct tense when using "found difficulty". Using the present tense "find difficulty" may be appropriate depending on the context but double-check that the tense agrees with the rest of the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "found difficulty" functions as a verb phrase indicating the experience of encountering problems or obstacles. It expresses a state of facing challenges, as demonstrated by the Ludwig examples, such as "Bimbo executives found difficulty in turning a profit outside of Mexico."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

34%

Wiki

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "found difficulty" is a versatile expression used to convey that someone or something experienced problems or challenges. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is both correct and usable in written English. It appears frequently in News & Media, Science and Wiki contexts, making it a common phrase across various registers. While grammatically straightforward, it's important to ensure proper tense usage. For alternative phrasing, consider options like "encountered challenges", "struggled with", or "had a hard time", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encountered challenges

Focuses on the challenges faced, emphasizing the act of encountering them.

experienced trouble

Highlights the experience of facing trouble, indicating a problematic situation.

struggled with

Emphasizes the effort and difficulty involved in dealing with something.

had a hard time

Indicates a difficult experience or period.

faced obstacles

Highlights the presence of obstacles that needed to be overcome.

met with resistance

Suggests opposition or pushback encountered during an attempt.

ran into problems

Indicates unexpected problems that arose.

had issues with

A more general way of saying there were problems.

discovered challenges

Highlights the discovery of unforeseen challenges.

grappled with

Emphasizes a deep struggle or wrestling with a problem.

FAQs

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

Use "found difficulty" to indicate that someone or something experienced problems or challenges. For instance, "The students "found difficulty" understanding the complex theorem".

What are some alternatives to saying "found difficulty"?

You can use alternatives such as "encountered challenges", "struggled with", or "had a hard time" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "find difficulty" instead of "found difficulty"?

While "found difficulty" indicates a past event, "find difficulty" suggests a current or ongoing situation. The correct choice depends on the intended meaning and the tense of the sentence. Ensure your verb tenses are consistent throughout the sentence.

What's the difference between "found difficulty" and "faced challenges"?

Both phrases indicate that someone experienced problems. "Found difficulty" is a more direct way of saying something was challenging, whereas "faced challenges" highlights the act of confronting those challenges.