69 Difficulties and dilemmas

A

B

C Nouns relating to difficulties

Fairly small difficulties: a snag, a hitch, a glitch. Glitch usually refers to a technical problem of some kind; the other two words are more general. More important difficulties: A setback means that progress has been stopped by something. A stumbling block is something that prevents action or agreement. A pitfall is an unexpected difficulty (often used in the plural). An obstacle is anything that stops progress, either literally or metaphorically. An impediment is something that prevents free action, progress or movement. A dilemma is a situation where a difficult choice has to be made between two, sometimes unpleasant, alternatives. An ordeal is a severe experience, which is very difficult, painful or tiring.

Adjectives relating to difficulty

adjective meaning collocations problematic full of problems or difficulties relationship, situation, concept abstruse difficult to understand theory, argument, philosopher arduous difficult, tiring, needing much effort climb, task, journey complex difficult to understand as it has many parts issue, problem, theory, process convoluted unreasonably long and hard to follow explanation, sentences, theory gruelling extremely tiring and difficult journey, work, match, expedition insufferable difficult to bear, as it is annoying or uncomfortable behaviour, heat, boredom, pain, person obstructive causing deliberate difficulties person, measure, behaviour tough difficult to deal with or do time, job, climate, decision traumatic shocking and upsetting experience, past, childhood wayward changeable, selfish and/or hard to control behaviour, child, person

Common mistakes

Difficulty is used in the singular in the expression to have difficulty in doing something: I had great difficulty in finding a job at first (NOT great difficulties).

Informal expressions relating to difficulties

Oh dear, more homework! What a pain! / What a drag![What a nuisance!] The software is good for editing still images, but editing video is a real chore. [boring job that has

to be done] What’s eating him? / What’s got into him? / What’s bugging him? / What’s (up) with him?

[What’s the matter with him?] I can’t face the hassle of moving house again. [situation causing trouble or difficulty] My daughter keeps hassling me for a new bike. [asking again and again]

Having to listen to him singing is sheer torture! [used figuratively to refer to an unpleasant experience] to slog (your guts out) / to grind / to graft / to flog yourself to death[to work hard] in a fix / in a spot / in a hole / up against it / up to your neck[in a difficult situation] The company’s in a sticky/tricky situation now the workers are going to strike. [difficult] I think I’m off the hook / in the clear / out of the wood(s) now. [freed from a difficult situation] The downside of living here is the traffic thundering by. [the disadvantage of a situation]

69.1

69.2

69.3

69.4

Choose the best word from the box to complete the sentences. Put the word in the plural if necessary.

glitch chore impediment dilemma ordeal pitfall snag stumbling block

1 Shona is caught in a terrible – should she move abroad with the man she loves or take the promotion she has been offered at work? 2 At first there were some with the software, but it’s OK now. 3 Removing old files from my hard drive was a real – I spent four boring hours doing it! 4 The hostage is writing a book about his six-month . 5 The proposal is very good. The only is that it is a little expensive. 6 Mark used to have a speech , but he’s overcome it and is now an actor. 7 The leaflet gives new businesses information about typical to avoid. 8 Negotiations were going well until the issue of sick pay became a major .

Which of the adjectives in B opposite might you use to describe:

1 a pupil who deliberately makes it hard for his teacher to continue with the lesson 2 an accident which affects the victim psychologically 3 a book that deals with very difficult ideas without simplifying them 4 a child who is very disobedient and self-willed 5 pain that is almost impossible to put up with 6 a speech that is very difficult to follow because the line of argument is very complex 7 an exhausting Arctic expedition 8 a decision that is not easy to make

Fill the gaps in this conversation using words from the opposite page.

A: What’s got 1 you, Dan? You look really fed up! B: Oh, I don’t know. I’ve been slogging my 2 out at work and it’s all getting too much. My wife says I should leave rather than go on flogging myself to 3 . But I really can’t face the 4 of looking for something else at the moment. A: What a 5 ! I’m also in a bit of a 6 . B: Why? What’s up 7 you then? A: I’m in a 8 situation with my flat. The landlord’s threatening to put the rent up. We’ve had quite a 9 relationship for some time now, and I’m having great 10 in finding somewhere else to live. That’s the 11 of living in Cambridge – it’s beautiful but accommodation is so expensive. Still, at least my economics exam is over. B: Great! How did that go? A: Well, studying for it was sheer 12 , but the exam itself wasn’t too bad. It’s a great relief it’s over. Anyway, I hope you soon get through all your work and begin to feel off the 13 soon. B: Thanks. I think I’ll feel out of the 14 when this project is over.

Over to you

Answer these questions about difficulties you may have experienced in your life. • When have you been in a dilemma? What were the choices that were facing you? • Give an example of a project you were involved in that suffered a setback. • Are there any downsides to living where you do at the moment? • What obstacles have you had to overcome in your life so far?