have difficulty doing

USAGE SUMMARY

"have difficulty doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a particular action or task that someone finds challenging. For example: "Many people have difficulty doing math problems without a calculator."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Many would have difficulty doing that.

The New York Times

"And that is something scientists sometimes have difficulty doing".

The New York Times

Even helicopter pilots have told us they'd have difficulty doing it now.

The Guardian

Those features suggested that the plant would have difficulty doing the work.

Harvard Business Review

Computers have difficulty doing what the brain does easily: concentrating on one voice while ignoring other sounds.

MIT Technology Review

I could do the job without working late, but I would have difficulty doing it to the same standard.

The Guardian - Money

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

Many other companies, in retail and elsewhere, have difficulties doing this.

Forbes

We did expect to find group differences for low frequent words: Skilled readers should be able to successfully decode low frequent words, while dyslexic readers should have difficulties doing so (due to their reduced ability to apply grapheme-phoneme correspondences).

BMC Psychiatry

Experienced campers have been doing this for years and still have difficulties doing this in the dark.

WikiHow

Ask at a notions or craft store about tools to help thread needles if you have difficulties doing this.

WikiHow

He was having difficulty doing so.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a general difficulty, use "have difficulty doing". For instance, "Many students "have difficulty doing" abstract math problems".

Common error

Avoid shifting tenses within the same sentence when using "have difficulty doing". For example, instead of "They "have difficulty doing" the task, so they gave up", write "They "have difficulty doing" the task, so they give up" or "They had difficulty doing the task, so they gave up".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have difficulty doing" functions as a verb phrase expressing that someone experiences challenges or obstacles when performing a specific action or task. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Wiki

12%

Science & Research

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have difficulty doing" is a versatile and grammatically sound way to express that someone finds a particular action challenging. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is appropriate for various contexts. It is commonly found in news articles, scientific publications, and business communications, suggesting a broad applicability. While alternatives like "struggle to do" and "find it hard to do" exist, "have difficulty doing" maintains a level of formality suitable for diverse writing scenarios. When employing this phrase, ensure consistent tense usage and consider the potential for ambiguity when describing difficulties.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

struggle to do

Implies a greater degree of effort and resistance than "have difficulty doing".

find it hard to do

A more informal way of expressing difficulty, suitable for everyday conversation.

have a hard time doing

Similar in meaning to "find it hard to do", but slightly more emphatic.

encounter problems doing

Focuses on the problems or obstacles encountered while doing something.

face challenges in doing

Highlights the challenges and difficulties involved in performing a task.

be challenged to do

Emphasizes that someone/something makes a task challenging.

experience trouble doing

Highlights the fact that the subject is going through problems when performing the task.

have a tough time doing

An informal way of describing how it's difficult to someone performing an action.

be hard-pressed to do

Indicates significant difficulty, implying that success is unlikely.

strive with

Describes that someone is making a big effort to achieve something.

FAQs

How can I use "have difficulty doing" in a sentence?

Use "have difficulty doing" to describe challenges in performing an action. For example, "I "have difficulty doing" complex calculations without a calculator".

What are some alternatives to "have difficulty doing"?

Alternatives include "struggle to do", "find it hard to do", or "have a hard time doing". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "have difficulty to do" or "have difficulty doing"?

"Have difficulty doing" is the correct and idiomatic choice. "Have difficulty to do" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "have difficulty doing" and "have difficulties doing"?

"Have difficulty doing" refers to a general challenge, while "have difficulties doing" implies facing multiple specific challenges or obstacles. While both are valid, "have difficulty doing" is often preferred for broader statements of difficulty.