has been harder

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has been harder" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or experience that has become more difficult over a period of time. Example: "This semester has been harder than the last one, with more assignments and tighter deadlines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Subduing them has been harder.

The Economist

The loss of status has been harder.

The New York Times

Depressed morale has been harder to tackle.

The New York Times

For those with families, it has been harder.

Independent

Perhaps it has been harder for his family.

Independent

It has been harder to track and rate defensive skills.

The New York Times

Improvement in the housing market has been harder to detect.

The New York Times

But filling that time has been harder than she expected.

The New York Times

But appreciating that heritage has been harder for the blind.

The New York Times

But the Waitrose loyalty card has been harder to resist.

The Guardian - Opinion

But no group has been harder hit than the Roma.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "has been harder" to directly compare the relative difficulty between two situations or periods. This makes your writing more precise and impactful.

Common error

Avoid using "has been harder" without clearly establishing what the comparison is. Always specify what exactly has become more difficult to ensure clarity for the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has been harder" functions as a comparative adjective phrase within a sentence. It indicates that something is more difficult now than it was before. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in English writing to express relative difficulty.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "has been harder" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing an increase in difficulty over time. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its acceptability and commonality across various contexts. When using the phrase, ensure that the comparison is clear and that the context warrants a neutral to slightly formal tone. To enhance clarity, avoid overuse without specific context and consider alternative phrases like "has become more challenging" or "has grown more difficult" for stylistic variation. Remember this phrase is suitable for both formal and neutral settings, making it a versatile choice for expressing comparative difficulty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has become more challenging

Emphasizes the increased level of challenge.

has grown more difficult

Focuses on the increasing level of difficulty.

has proven to be tougher

Highlights the unexpected toughness encountered.

has turned out to be more complex

Indicates a higher level of intricacy than initially expected.

has presented more obstacles

Focuses on the increased number of obstacles.

has required more effort

Highlights the increase in the effort needed.

has been a greater struggle

Emphasizes the ongoing struggle and effort involved.

has demanded more resilience

Highlights the increased need for resilience.

has intensified in difficulty

Emphasizes the intensification of the difficulty.

has escalated in complexity

Focuses on the escalation of complexity.

FAQs

How can I use "has been harder" in a sentence?

You can use "has been harder" to compare the difficulty of two different situations. For example, "Learning English "has been harder" than I expected".

What's a more formal alternative to "has been harder"?

In more formal contexts, you could use phrases like "has become more challenging" or "has grown more difficult".

Is "has been harder" grammatically correct?

Yes, "has been harder" is grammatically correct. It is the past perfect form of "hard" used in a comparative sense, indicating an increase in difficulty over time.

What's the difference between "has been harder" and "was harder"?

"Has been harder" implies a comparison over a period of time leading up to the present, whereas "was harder" refers to a specific point in the past. For example, "The job "has been harder" than I imagined" (it continues to be difficult), compared to "The test was harder than I expected" (a one-time event).