has been a difficult period

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been a difficult period" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a time frame that has been challenging or tough, often in a personal, professional, or historical context. Example: "The past few months has been a difficult period for our community as we navigate through these challenges."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

But it is clear this has been a difficult period.

The New York Times

But he added: "For the whole country it has been a difficult period.

The Guardian

It has been a difficult period for recording, but I've never made so many records and DVDs.

The Guardian

The BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, acknowledged that it "has been a difficult period" for the BBC staff.

The New York Times

Radcliffe's physical therapist Gerard Hartmann, who worked with her for 14 years and insists he never saw anything untoward, admits it has been a difficult period for her.

The Guardian - Sport

"This has been a difficult period for the company and its shareholders, which the board sincerely regrets," Marconi's chairman said in a letter to its owners yesterday.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

"This could have been a difficult period in the fixed-income markets and they exceeded expectations".

The New York Times

She apologized for not having sent him a copy of the naturalization certificate, but it had been a difficult period.

The New York Times

Button said it had been a difficult period in his personal and professional life but was excited at the return of Ron Dennis, and was looking forward to the season with the appointment of Eric Boullier, who stepped down at Lotus yesterday, as McLaren's new team principal.

Independent

The minister said the past five years had been a difficult period as the States needed to balance tax income and spending.

BBC

Cilic, who has dropped to 41st in the world rankings, admitted it had been a difficult period since he tested positive for the prohibited glucose supplement at the Munich Open.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "has been a difficult period", consider providing specific examples or context to illustrate the nature of the difficulty. This adds depth and clarity to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "has been a difficult period" as a vague statement without further explanation. Provide specific details or examples to show the challenges encountered, making your communication more effective and meaningful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been a difficult period" functions as a descriptor of a specific timeframe. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to characterize a time that was challenging. Examples provided by Ludwig illustrate its application in contexts ranging from personal struggles to broader organizational issues.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Formal & Business

14%

Science

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "has been a difficult period" is a commonly used expression to describe a time marked by challenges and adversity. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the expression is grammatically correct and appears frequently in news and media, as well as formal business contexts. Its function is to provide context, elicit empathy, or explain outcomes related to a specific timeframe. While versatile, it's most effective when followed by specific details that illustrate the nature of the difficulties experienced, according to the writing guidance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has been a challenging time

Replaces "difficult period" with "challenging time", keeping the same grammatical structure but using a different adjective.

has been a tough time

Substitutes "difficult" with "tough", offering a more informal synonym while maintaining the original meaning.

has been a trying period

Replaces "difficult" with "trying", which implies a test of endurance or patience.

has been an arduous phase

Changes "difficult period" to "arduous phase", making the phrase slightly more formal and emphasizing the strenuous nature of the time.

has been a problematic phase

Replaces "difficult" with "problematic", highlighting the issues and complications that arose during the time.

has been a period of hardship

Rephrases the entire expression to focus on the "hardship" experienced during the time, emphasizing the suffering or difficulty.

has been a spell of adversity

Replaces the original phrase with "spell of adversity", framing it as a time marked by unfavorable circumstances or misfortune.

has been a rough patch

Uses the idiom "rough patch" to describe the difficult time, offering a more colloquial and concise alternative.

the past few months have been challenging

Alters the structure to focus on a specific time frame (the past few months) while using a synonym for "difficult".

we've faced some difficulties recently

Shifts the sentence structure to an active voice emphasizing recent difficulties faced.

FAQs

How can I use "has been a difficult period" in a sentence?

You can use "has been a difficult period" to describe a time marked by challenges or adversity. For example, "This "has been a difficult period" for small businesses due to the economic downturn".

What are some alternatives to "has been a difficult period"?

Alternatives include "has been a challenging time", "has been a tough time", or "has been a trying period", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "has been a difficult period" or "was a difficult period"?

Use "has been a difficult period" to describe a period that started in the past and continues to have an effect in the present. Use "was a difficult period" to describe a period that is completely over.

What's the difference between "has been a difficult period" and "has been a challenging time"?

While similar, ""has been a difficult period"" emphasizes hardship and adversity, while "has been a challenging time" focuses more on the demands and tests of one's abilities.