was difficult to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was difficult to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is not clear or easy to comprehend, such as a text, speech, or concept. Example: "The lecture on quantum physics was difficult to understand, even for the advanced students in the class."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I argued that it was difficult to understand Britain today without understanding the tabloids.

The New York Times

Their hostility was difficult to understand".

The New York Times - Arts

People were dying, and it was difficult to understand why.

The New Yorker

He said her death was "difficult to understand".

The Guardian

"It was difficult to understand, maybe there were issues I didn't know about.

The New York Times

"It was difficult to understand what to do," he told me.

The New Yorker

Then it got all this other response that was difficult to understand".

The New York Times

At first it was difficult to understand why the Eurofolk were so intense about this place.

The New York Times

It was difficult to understand why such a captivating place was empty.

The New York Times - Travel

At times she was difficult to understand; some jurors cupped their hands to their ears.

The New York Times

The coach, Didier Deschamps, added that the postponement of the game "was difficult to understand".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "was difficult to understand", ensure the context clearly identifies what specifically was challenging to comprehend. This adds clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "was difficult to understand" without specifying the subject or aspect that posed the challenge. Instead of saying "The topic was difficult to understand", specify which part of the topic created difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was difficult to understand" serves as a descriptive predicate, attributing a quality of being challenging to comprehend to a subject. As per Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

39%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was difficult to understand" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something presented challenges in comprehension. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. Its frequent appearance across diverse sources, including news, science, and general media, underscores its widespread applicability. When using this phrase, it's best practice to specify what made the subject difficult to understand in order to improve clarity. Alternatives such as "was hard to understand" or "was challenging to understand" can be used depending on the desired nuance and level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was hard to understand

Replaces "difficult" with "hard", a more informal synonym, slightly decreasing formality.

was challenging to understand

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging", suggesting a stimulating but demanding comprehension process.

was tough to understand

Uses "tough" instead of "difficult", indicating a stronger sense of resistance to understanding.

was complicated to understand

Replaces "difficult" with "complicated", highlighting the intricacy contributing to the lack of understanding.

was not easy to understand

Expresses the same meaning using a negation, softening the directness of the original phrase.

was obscure to understand

Emphasizes the ambiguity or vagueness that made understanding difficult.

was perplexing to understand

Highlights the confusion caused by the subject, leading to difficulty in understanding.

was abstruse to understand

Indicates that the subject was esoteric or known only to a few, making understanding challenging.

was unintelligible

Conveys that the subject was impossible to understand due to its lack of clarity or coherence.

defied comprehension

Emphasizes the impossibility of understanding, suggesting the subject surpassed the ability to comprehend.

FAQs

How can I use "was difficult to understand" in a sentence?

You can use "was difficult to understand" to describe something that wasn't clear or easy to comprehend, such as, "The instructions "was difficult to understand", leading to errors".

What are some alternatives to "was difficult to understand"?

Alternatives include "was hard to understand", "was challenging to understand", or "was tough to understand", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "was difficult to understand"?

Yes, "was difficult to understand" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to express that something was not easy to comprehend. Ludwig AI confirms this.

What's the difference between "was difficult to understand" and "was impossible to understand"?

"Was difficult to understand" indicates that something presented challenges in comprehension, while "was impossible to understand" suggests that it could not be understood at all. The latter is a stronger statement.