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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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it may difficulty

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it may difficulty" is not correct in English.
Did you mean "it may cause difficulty"? You can use the corrected phrase when discussing potential challenges or obstacles that might arise in a situation. Example: "The new software update may cause difficulty for users who are not familiar with the changes."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Be that as it may, difficulty arises in most of the real asset investment projects.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

By cancelling it altogether Russia lost a good deal of credibility, and it may have difficulty getting its new pipeline proposals taken seriously.Nevertheless, Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister and one of Mr Putin's greatest sympathisers in Europe, was quick to signal support for Turkish Stream.

News & Media

The Economist

"But it may have difficulty fulfilling the criteria".

Asta Funding, a leading collector and servicer of consumer debt, has been volatile on worries it may have difficulty finding new debt to purchase.

News & Media

Forbes

Early detection of precancerous lesions may not reduce treatment costs largely; thus, it may have difficulty being cost-effective when treatment costs are generally lower in Taiwan than in other countries.

As for Germany, it may face difficulties in fostering a startup culture: its venture capital investment is around ten times less than in America.

News & Media

The Economist

It may cause difficulties for maintaining the unity of the socialist countries.

News & Media

The New York Times

Irvine says British judges' current reticence is "untenable" and that they "should not abstain from deciding the case for themselves simply because it may cause difficulties for the UK on the international law plane".

News & Media

The Guardian

It may cause difficulties within religious groups.'.

He used several case studies and examples to conclude that UIC code 406 is a good methodology for evaluating the main corridor capacity, but it may encounter difficulties with node (station) capacity evaluation.

This route becomes important under inflammatory conditions and it may cause difficulties in the interpretation of [C]AMT scan data [ 94].

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating a potential challenge, use grammatically correct phrases like "it may cause difficulty" or "it might be difficult."

Common error

Avoid using "difficulty" directly after "may" or other modal verbs. Instead, use it as a noun with a verb like "cause" or as an adjective following a linking verb like "be".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

1.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it may difficulty" is grammatically incorrect. It attempts to express a possibility of something being challenging. Ludwig AI indicates the proper usage involves rephrasing to "it may cause difficulty" or similar constructions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it may difficulty" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct forms are "it may cause difficulty" or "it may be difficult". The intended meaning is to express a potential problem or challenge. The single example from Ludwig comes from a scientific source, but due to the grammatical error, the phrase should be avoided. Alternative phrases such as "it might be difficult" or "it may present a challenge" are recommended for clearer and more accurate communication.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "difficulty" after "it may"?

The correct usage is "it may cause difficulty" or "it may be difficult". The original phrase, "it may difficulty", is grammatically incorrect.

What are some alternatives to "it may cause difficulty"?

You can use alternatives like "it might be difficult", "it could pose a problem", or "it may present a challenge" depending on the context.

Is "it may difficulty" ever correct in English?

No, "it may difficulty" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The modal verb "may" requires a verb phrase, and "difficulty" is a noun.

What's the difference between "it may cause difficulty" and "it may be difficult"?

"It may cause difficulty" focuses on the action of causing a problem, while "it may be difficult" describes the state of something being challenging. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the cause or the condition.

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: