Sunday 7 April 2013

What is the difference between “difficulty” and “problem”?

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Consider caused by kbontosk: What’s the difference between “difficulty” and “trouble”?

I am an ESL student.

Although the difference in the meaning or usage between “difference” and “trouble” is explained in some websites, I cannot understand it clearly.


For example, if I make a sentence “I had difficulty returning home due to heavy snow”, can I use “trouble” instead of “difficulty”?


What’s the difference in usage or meaning between these two words?

And please let me know what situation they are interchangeable and they are not?


Actually facts to consider about What’s the difference between “difficulty” and “trouble”? that you may must have to resolve dilemmas them selves. With a little luck this helps in many ways; as well as everything greater. Who wish facts to consider about What’s the difference between “difficulty” and “trouble”? might be a solution in the foreseeable future.

Solution:


Answer by toodle toodle doo

in the sentence expressed above trouble and difficulty are the same thing but trouble is also doing something bad like getting into trouble like doing drugs is something that will get you into trouble


Answer by Ella

Glad you asked

The definition of trouble has the work difficulty in it

the definition of difficulty.

• a thing that is hard to accomplish, deal with, or understand

I guess I was just born with understanding these stuff…..LOL JK


Answer by Trust me. I know these things.

The sentence you’ve presented is strange. If you’re only referring to conversational English, then it doesn’t really matter that much, but as far as grammar and the written language goes, “difficulty” is being used in and odd way. I don’t even think that it’s a legal usage of the word. For that sentence you’d have to use “trouble”. In order to use “difficulty” you would have to be referring specifically to the situation.


“I had trouble returning home due to heavy snow” <This is an acceptable sentence.

In order to use the word "difficulty" it would have to say something like this: "Due to heavy snow, returning home was a difficulty."

That sentence is proper, but most people wouldn't speak that way, so it sounds strange. My advice is that you just don't use the word difficulty in this sense because people generally don't do it. The word "difficulty" is usually only used when describing how challenging a task may be.


For example, when speaking about a test, one may say, "The difficulty of that test was very high." ,or one may say, "That game has a very high level of difficulty."


As a matter of fact, people usually don't use the word difficulty much at all. For the most part, we only use the root word "difficult".


For instance, "It was difficult to return home due to heavy snow" or "It may be difficult for you to understand exactly how to use the word "difficulty" right now."

Do you see what I did there?


I don't want to sound patronizing, but until you are more familiar with the word "difficulty", I don't think you should use it at all. After hearing and reading the word in context more, you'll be more exposed to it and you'll begin to understand how to use it. Just be patient; you'll understand it eventually.


Now, "trouble" is actually a much more versatile word.


1) "I had trouble returning home due to heavy snow."

2) "He was in a lot of trouble after he let the dog out of the yard."

3) "I had to trouble my sister because I didn't know how to clean the printer."

4) "After she found out about her mother's illness, Susan was very troubled about what she should do."


All four of those sentences are correct. "Trouble" can be used as either a noun or verb. In the first sentence, the word is used to describe mild frustration or struggle. In sentence 2, "trouble" is describing a situation in which someone is expecting some form of punishment. The third sentence uses "trouble" in the sense that someone is bothering or causing an inconvenience for another person. Lastly, in sentence number "4", "trouble" is used describe confusion or mental distress. "Trouble" is a much easier word to use than "difficulty" is. As far as I know, the words are never really interchangeable; they both have their places in the language.


Fully grasp a lot better?

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What is the difference between “difficulty” and “problem”?