Cool MateDifficulty vs That's an issue
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Difficulty
Top 2,000 (common)B1noun
That's an issue
Top 2,000 (common)
| Difficulty | That's an issue | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈdɪfɪkəlti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈdɪfɪkəlti/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts ən ˈɪʃuː//🇺🇸 //ðæts ən ˈɪʃu// |
| Meaning | How hard something is. | It's a problem or concern. |
| Example | The difficulty of the exam surprised many students. | That's an issue we need to resolve before the project deadline. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | considerable, enormous, extreme, level, encounter, experience, face, arise, lie (in something), despite a/the difficulty, in difficulty, with difficulty, considerable, enormous, extreme, level, encounter, experience, face, arise, lie (in something), despite a/the difficulty, in difficulty, with difficulty, considerable, enormous, extreme, level, encounter, experience, face, arise, lie (in something), despite a/the difficulty, in difficulty, with difficulty | address an issue, report an issue, identify an issue, resolve an issue, discuss an issue |
| Antonyms | easy, simple, effortless | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'difficult' (adjective) vs. 'difficulty' (noun), Using 'difficulties' when referring to multiple challenges, Overgeneralizing to describe feelings instead of tasks | Using 'issue' interchangeably with 'problem' without context., Saying 'that's issues' instead of 'that's an issue'., Overusing this phrase in positive contexts. |
| Usage notes | Often used to describe challenges in tasks, tests, or activities. Suitable in both casual and academic contexts. Avoid using in overly informal situations. | Use this phrase to point out a problem during discussions. It works well in both formal meetings and casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Difficulty vs That's an issue
What's the difference between Difficulty and That's an issue?
Difficulty: How hard something is. That's an issue: It's a problem or concern.
Can you show an example of each?
Difficulty: The difficulty of the exam surprised many students. That's an issue: That's an issue we need to resolve before the project deadline.
Can I use Difficulty and That's an issue interchangeably?
Not always. Difficulty and That's an issue are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.