separate the issue

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "separate the issue" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing complex topics that need to be divided into distinct parts for clarity. Example: "To resolve the conflict, we need to separate the issue of budget constraints from the team's performance." Alternative expressions include "distinguish the matter" and "isolate the problem."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

From the imperial point of view, it was impossible to separate the issue of lay investiture from the changes occurring in the political life of the northern Italian cities.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As for David Cameron, his spokesman noted that the judgment did not seem to separate "the issue of information that is wrong, and correction of factually inaccurate information, as distinct from what some have characterised as seeking to hide factually correct information".

The Guardian - Opinion

The present proposal to separate the issue of death from what is morally important is somewhat radical.

SEP

Academic attempts to separate the issue of identity and nation into two groups, civic and ethnic, proved to be a failure in Russia.

European Journal of Futures Research

The best way forward may be to separate the issue of item-discriminability from that of numerosity estimation itself.

Plosone

Including irregular migrants in UHC, whether through tax-based, premium-based or other potential forms of financing, will require a deliberate decision to separate the issue of irregular migrant status from people's entitlement to accessing essential healthcare.

Global Health Action

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"Most people here know enough to separate the issues," said Charles Albidress, a longtime family friend.

The New York Times

How do you separate the issues of jobs and the environment, when even the obvious examples are lost on many of those affected the most?

The New York Times

This would separate the issues of accuracy in numerical calculations of the physical equation and in the level-set model propagation.

Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering

At the meetings, Collins was careful to separate the issues of her proposed education plan and potential tax increases.

Wikipedia

Yet, parents as I still suffer from the injustices that Courts have made historically, to separate the issues of parenting from child support.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this phrase with the preposition "from" to explicitly state what is being excluded, such as in the phrase: "We must separate the issue of funding from the debate over ethics."

Common error

Do not use this phrase for physical objects. While you can separate parts of a machine, you "separate the issue" only in a conceptual or analytical sense. For physical tasks, use a more literal verb like "dismantle" or "detach".

Linguistic Context

This phrase serves as an analytical verb phrase that functions to establish a conceptual boundary. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it is frequently used in the infinitive form to propose a methodological step in problem-solving or logical argumentation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "separate the issue" is a robust tool for any writer looking to inject precision into their arguments. As demonstrated by Ludwig AI's collection of examples, this expression is a staple in scientific discourse and investigative journalism, where the ability to distinguish between related but distinct facts is paramount. Whether you are using it to "disentangle the matter" in a complex social debate or to "isolate the problem" in a technical report, it signals a high level of intellectual rigor. Ludwig confirms its status as a grammatically correct and versatile phrase that excels in professional and academic settings, helping to clear the path for more focused and productive discussions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disentangle the matter

Suggests a higher degree of complexity or confusion that needs unravelling

isolate the problem

Focuses specifically on identifying one particular fault or challenge

distinguish the concerns

More formal and often used when dealing with multiple stakeholders or points of view

decouple the arguments

Implies breaking a logical link between two concepts that were previously paired

bifurcate the debate

A technical term for splitting a single discussion into two distinct paths

segment the topic

Implies an organizational or structural division into parts

bracket the question

Often used in philosophical contexts to set aside an issue temporarily

tease apart the variables

Common in scientific research when looking for specific causal relationships

silo the issues

Typically used in business to describe keeping problems separate and uncoordinated

differentiate the factors

Focuses on identifying the unique qualities of each part

FAQs

How do I use "separate the issue" in a sentence?

You can use it to clarify your focus, for example: "To move forward, we must "separate the issue" of cost from the quality of the product."

What can I say instead of "separate the issue"?

Depending on the tone, you could use "isolate the problem" for technical tasks or "disentangle the matter" for complex social situations.

Is it "separate the issue" or "separate the issues"?

Both are correct. Use "separate the issue" when you are singling out one specific problem from a larger context. Use "separate the issues" when you are dividing a large group of problems into smaller, distinct categories.

What is the difference between "separate the issue" and "isolate the issue"?

While similar, "isolate the issue" often implies finding the single root cause, whereas "separate the issue" suggests simply distinguishing one topic from another to avoid confusion.