"have difficulty in doing sth." 是英语中表达“做某事有困难/费劲”的常用结构,核心是描述主语(通常是人)在完成某一动作时遇到的阻碍或挑战。
该短语的结构和变体可以拆解为以下几点,关键是理解“difficulty”的词性(不可数名词,表“困难”)和“doing sth.”的作用(动名词作介词宾语):
“in”可以省略(口语中更常见),即“have difficulty doing sth.”;
主语通常是人(表示“某人做某事有困难”);
后面接动名词(doing),不能接不定式(to do)。
例:I have difficulty (in) understanding this poem.(我理解这首诗有困难。)
She has difficulty (in) waking up early.(她早起有困难。)
如果要表达“在某件事/某个领域有困难”,可以用“with + 名词/代词”代替“in doing sth.”,更简洁。
例:He has difficulty with math.(他数学不好/学数学有困难。)
Do you have difficulty with this new software?(你用这个新软件有困难吗?)
difficulty作为不可数名词,前面可以用some, any, no, great, little, much等词修饰,表达困难的“程度”:
例:I have some difficulty in reading his handwriting.(我读他的字迹有点困难。)
She has no difficulty in finding the way.(她找路没困难。)
They have great difficulty in moving the heavy box.(他们搬这个重箱子很费劲。)
否定:在have前加don’t/doesn’t(一般现在时)或didn’t(一般过去时);
疑问:将have/do提前(注意时态和人称)。
例:I don’t have difficulty in speaking English now.(我现在说英语没困难了。)
Did he have difficulty in passing the exam?(他通过考试有困难吗?)
不要混淆为“have difficulty to do sth.”(×),必须用动名词doing;
difficulty通常作不可数名词,但偶尔也可用复数(如“multiple difficulties”表“多种困难”),但“have difficulties in doing sth.”不如单数常用。
"have difficulty (in) doing sth." 是描述“做某事有困难”的标准表达,关键是记住动名词作宾语、in可省、可换with+名词。日常使用中,省略in的情况更口语化,比如:
> “I have difficulty learning French.”(我学法语有困难。)
> “Do you have difficulty with your homework?”(你做作业有困难吗?)