it required difficult

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it required difficult" is not correct in English.
It seems to be an incomplete thought and does not convey a clear meaning. An example could be: "The project it required difficult adjustments to meet the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

While it required difficult maneuvers, it seemed well worth the effort — and it was".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It will require difficult, uncertain decisions.

The New York Times

Much of it would require difficult negotiations and, yes, consensus.

The Economist

It will require difficult decisions and recalculating what is possible.

The New York Times

It may require difficult and lengthy surgery to remove the spleen, parts of the intestine and even the lining of the diaphragm.

The New York Times

It also requires difficult conversations including a frank and open dialogue about the utility of the term "white privilege".

Huffington Post

requires difficult choices that only you can make".

The New York Times

These are tough issues requiring difficult trade-off choices.

Huffington Post

It requires confronting difficult facts – about yourself and about the world.

The Guardian - Books

It requires a difficult balancing act between the intellectual, emotional and spiritual.

The Economist

Although primaquine treatment clears the hypnozoite reservoir, it requires a difficult 14 day treatment regimen, and is not without risk due to vulnerability to haemolytic toxicity among glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficient patients (Howes et al., 2013).

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the phrase accurately reflects the intended meaning. Consider rephrasing to improve clarity and grammatical correctness. Check the word order.

Common error

The phrase "it required difficult" often suffers from incorrect word order. It should be rephrased to something like "it required difficult adjustments" or "it demanded significant effort" for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase functions as part of a clause where the subject "it" necessitates something challenging. Ludwig AI points out that the phrase is not correct in English without further clarification, indicating a need for a noun following "difficult".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

59%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

9%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it required difficult" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect due to its incomplete structure. While sources demonstrate its usage, the lack of a noun following "difficult" makes the phrase unclear. It's often used in News & Media and Science, but its incorrect grammar diminishes its appropriateness for formal contexts. For clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives, consider phrases like "it necessitated a difficult solution" or "it demanded significant effort". Always ensure that the phrase reflects your intended meaning accurately and consider adding a noun after "difficult" for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it presented a difficult requirement

Focuses on the requirement being difficult, rather than the action of requiring.

it necessitated a difficult solution

Emphasizes the need for a challenging solution.

it demanded considerable effort

Highlights the amount of effort needed, implying difficulty.

it posed a significant challenge

Focuses on the challenge presented by the situation.

it involved complex challenges

Highlights the complex and challenging aspect of something.

it called for a difficult approach

Emphasizes the need for a challenging strategy.

it mandated a tough decision

Highlights the need for a challenging choice.

it created complex demands

Focuses on the complex demands arising from a situation.

it imposed a stringent condition

Highlights the strict and difficult condition imposed.

it entailed arduous tasks

Emphasizes the laborious and difficult tasks involved.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "it required difficult"?

You can correct it by adding a noun after "difficult" to clarify what was difficult, for example, "it required difficult adjustments". Alternatively, rephrase using stronger verbs such as "necessitated" or "demanded."

What are some alternatives to "it required difficult"?

Alternatives include "it necessitated a difficult...", "it demanded significant...", or "it posed a significant challenge depending on the intended meaning.

Is "it required difficult" grammatically correct?

No, "it required difficult" is not grammatically correct. The adjective "difficult" needs to be followed by a noun to describe what was difficult. The phrase is incomplete and unclear without it.

Can I use "it required difficult" in formal writing?

It's best to avoid "it required difficult" in formal writing because it is grammatically incorrect and unclear. Opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives such as "it required difficult adjustments" or "it necessitated complex maneuvers".