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REFERENCE

difficult for sb

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. This phrase means something is hard for a specific person to do, understand, or experience.

fixed phr.. An adjectival phrase where 'difficult' is complemented by a prepositional phrase headed by 'for', specifying the person who experiences the difficulty.


SIMPLE

This puzzle is difficult for me.

CONTEXTUAL

Learning a new language is often difficult for adults because they have less free time.

COMPLEX

It was difficult for the committee to reconcile the conflicting testimonies, as each witness presented a version of events that seemed plausible yet contradictory.

Usage

This pattern is often completed with an infinitive verb, like 'It's difficult for him to say no'.

Teaching tip

Contrast 'difficult for someone' with 'kind of someone' to highlight how different adjectives require specific prepositions to introduce a person.

Pitfall

This is difficult to me.This is difficult for me.The adjective 'difficult' uses the preposition 'for' to say who finds something hard, not 'to'.

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