English lessons and practice games are intended for people aged 13 and over.
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Lesson 77 / Solving difficulties
5 phrases · 12 minutes · Look, listen and try.
Face difficult tasks, choose the appropriate plan and follow through until the end.
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A randomly assigned, fixed male or female synthetic voice for each phrase or sentence · Slow playback at 0.7× preserves pitch.
We need to face up to the fact that this puzzle is difficult.
We need to face up to the fact that this puzzle is difficult.
I faced up to the problem and asked for help.
I faced up to the problem and asked for help.
Emphasize not avoiding truths or difficult issues; Don't just face one direction.
Cambridge Dictionary · face up to
We came up against a difficult clue in the game.
We came up against a difficult clue in the game.
Every team comes up against problems sometimes.
Every team comes up against problems sometimes.
Saying that you encounter an obstacle or a difficult opponent does not necessarily mean choosing to proactively face it like "face up to".
Cambridge Dictionary · come up against
I agreed to help, but I had to back out because I was ill.
I agreed to help, but I had to back out because I was ill.
They backed out of the plan at the last minute.
They backed out of the plan at the last minute.
You no longer do what you promised; different from giving ground in “back down”.
The special paper was gone, so we settled for plain paper.
The special paper was gone, so we settled for plain paper.
I wanted a big model, but I settled for a small one.
I wanted a big model, but I settled for a small one.
Accept that things are not the best choice you want; different from choosing the option to consider later in “settle on”.
This project is difficult, but we will see it through.
This project is difficult, but we will see it through.
She saw the task through to the end.
She saw the task through to the end.
In the lesson, it is about completing what has been started. Middle pronoun: “see it through”; past tense “saw”.
The examples were written for this course. Usage was checked against Matt Errey’s book, pages 43, 27, 10, 115, 113. A2–B1 is the course’s intended level.
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OBSERVE · UNDERSTAND · MATCH
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Read the picture descriptions for more context. Similar expressions are accepted when they fit the particular scene.
Duy admitted that the puzzle was difficult and prepared to do it step by step.
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Duy encounters a difficult step in a board game and thinks of a way to overcome it.
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Duy explained to his friend that he had to withdraw from the activity he had agreed to participate in.
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Duy agreed to make simpler models when the best materials were not available.
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Duy continued the craft through difficult steps until it was completed.
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Choose a phrase to begin.
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Read the conversation and find the expressions you have learned.
We have come up against a problem with the budget.
We have come up against a problem with the budget.
We need to face up to it before promising a date.
We need to face up to it before promising a date.
Let us see the work through with a smaller plan.
Let us see the work through with a smaller plan.
“Face up to” means accept and confront something difficult; “come up against” means encounter an obstacle. Encountering a problem does not mean being ready to confront it.
Try answering before revealing the suggested answer. This practice is not scored.
The answers below are models. Other answers can also work if they preserve the facts, meaning and structure requested in the task.
A team encounters a budget problem. Members have avoided admitting it, but must now deal with the facts.
Describe encountering the obstacle.
They have come up against a budget problem.
The team encounters a budget obstacle, so “come up against” expresses facing a difficulty.
Complete: We need to face up ___ the facts.
to
“Face up to the facts” means acknowledge reality; keep “to” before “the facts”.
Write a commitment to finish responsibly.
We will see the project through with a smaller, realistic plan.
“See the project through” commits to finishing, while the smaller, realistic plan addresses the budget constraint.
The usage comparisons are checked against the Cambridge Dictionary entries linked beside the compared expressions. The additional conversations and exercises are written for this course.
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