it was pretty difficult

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "It was pretty difficult" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something was not easy or simple to do. For example, "I had to take a college course in math and it was pretty difficult".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

"It was pretty difficult," he says of his abrupt departure.

Independent

"With the rain coming down it was pretty difficult," he said.

The New York Times - Sports

"With the rain coming down, it was pretty difficult," said Button.

The New York Times

"It was pretty difficult for me to watch a guy committing suicide," Mr. Morgenthau says.

The New York Times

"It was pretty difficult to find yourself in a position where you had committed a felony".

The Guardian - Tech

It was pretty difficult growing up as a Muslim girl in Peterborough; there weren't that many of us.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

It rocks, it grooves, it jives, it moves, but in 2011, it's pretty difficult to speak its simplistic language.

Huffington Post

It's pretty difficult to hit".

The New York Times - Sports

But by that time it's pretty difficult.

The New York Times - Magazine

Alternative: It's pretty difficult to ditch Google entirely.

The Guardian - Opinion

"If it's locked, it's pretty difficult to even resell a handset".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a past event or experience, "it was pretty difficult" is a suitable and straightforward way to convey that something wasn't easy. Consider the audience and context to determine if a more formal or descriptive phrase would be more appropriate.

Common error

While "pretty" is acceptable as an intensifier, overusing it can make your writing sound less sophisticated. Vary your language by using stronger adjectives or adverbs to describe the level of difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was pretty difficult" functions as a statement expressing that a task, situation, or experience presented challenges or obstacles. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

19%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it was pretty difficult" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to express that something presented a notable challenge. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it's a straightforward way to describe a situation that wasn't easy, finding frequent usage in neutral contexts like news and media. While acceptable in many situations, more formal or scientific contexts might benefit from stronger or more descriptive language. Remember to avoid overusing "pretty" as an intensifier and consider alternative phrases to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was rather challenging

Replaces 'difficult' with 'challenging' and 'pretty' with 'rather', indicating a slightly more formal tone.

it proved quite hard

Uses 'hard' instead of 'difficult' and 'quite' instead of 'pretty', suggesting a simpler way of expressing the difficulty.

it was no easy task

Highlights the lack of ease in the task, conveying the difficulty.

it posed a significant challenge

Emphasizes the challenge aspect of the difficulty.

it wasn't a walk in the park

An idiomatic expression that conveys the idea that something was not easy.

it was far from simple

Expresses the difficulty by stating that it was not simple.

it presented considerable obstacles

A more formal and elaborate way of saying something was difficult, focusing on the obstacles involved.

it required significant effort

Focuses on the effort needed, rather than directly stating the difficulty.

it tested my abilities

Focuses on how the difficulty tested one's abilities.

it was something of an ordeal

Suggests that the difficulty was a trying and unpleasant experience.

FAQs

What does "it was pretty difficult" mean?

The phrase "it was pretty difficult" means that something was not easy, but not extremely hard either. The word "pretty" is used as an intensifier to describe the degree of difficulty.

What can I say instead of "it was pretty difficult"?

You can use alternatives like "it was rather challenging", "it proved quite hard", or "it was no easy task" depending on the context.

Is "it was pretty difficult" formal or informal?

"It was pretty difficult" is considered relatively informal. For more formal situations, you might prefer something like "it presented considerable obstacles" or "it required significant effort".

How can I use "it was pretty difficult" in a sentence?

You can use "it was pretty difficult" to describe any situation or task that presented some challenges. For example, "Learning to code was pretty difficult at first, but I eventually got the hang of it".