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Differences of Issue, Trouble, and Problem in English

What do Issue, Trouble, and Problem mean? How are Issue, Problem, and Trouble different? How can we quickly differentiate Issue, Trouble, and Problem? Let's find out in today's article with PREP!

Differences of 3 words Issue, Trouble, and Problem

I. What is Issue?
1. 1. Definition
2. 2. Words/phrases associated with Issue
II. What is Trouble?
1. 1. Definition
2. 2. Words/phrases/Idioms associated with Trouble
III. What is Problem?
1. 1. Definition
2. 2. Words/phrases associated with Problem
IV. Differences of Issue, Trouble and Problem
V. Exercise to differentiate Issue, Trouble and Problem
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer
VI. Achieve Your Dream Band Score

I. What is Issue?

To differentiate the differences of Issue, Trouble, and Problem, let's explore the definitions, words, and phrases associated with Issue below with PREP!

1. Definition

What is Issue? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Issue is pronounced as/ˈɪs.juː/, this word acts as both a noun and a verb. Let's find out the meaning of Issue through the examples below!

Issue acts as a noun, meaning:
- A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about. For example: Animal experimentation is a highly controversial issue.
- A set of newspapers or magazines published at the same time or a single copy of a newspaper or magazine. For example: Have you seen the latest issue of that magazine?
- An issue of shares is a time when a company gives people the chance to buy part of it or gives extra shares to people who already own some. For example: Shareholders approved the issue of 12 million shares of preferred stock.
Issue acts as a verb, meaning: to produce or provide something official. For example: The office will be issuing permits on Monday and Friday mornings.

2. Words/phrases associated with Issue

Let's take a look at the nouns and phrases associated with Issue in the table below!

Words/ phrases associated with Issue	Example
Issue a certificate	The school issued a certificate of achievement to recognize Jenny's outstanding academic performance.
Issue an apology/ a notice/ an order	After realizing the mistake, the company decided to issue a formal apology to its customers.
Issue a report/ statement/ warning	The research team will issue a comprehensive report detailing their findings on climate change.
Issue shares/ stock/ bonds	The company plans to issue additional shares to raise capital for its expansion.
Be at issue	The disagreement between the two departments is at issue during the team meeting.
A complex/ controversial/ sensitive issue	Addressing climate change is a complex issue that requires coordinated efforts globally.
A critical/ serious issue	The data breach was a serious issue that urged the company to enhance its cybersecurity measures.
A major/ minor issue	Infrastructure development became a major issue in the election campaign, with candidates responding to different solutions.
Address/ tackle/ resolve an issue	The mediator worked with both parties to resolve the issue and reach a mutually agreeable solution.
Consider/ discuss an issue	During the team meeting, we will discuss the issue of declining customer satisfaction and brainstorm solutions possible.

II. What is Trouble?

To understand how Issue, Trouble, and Problem differ from each other, let's explore the definitions, words, phrases, and common idioms associated with Trouble with PREP!

1. Definition

What is Trouble? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Trouble is pronounced as /ˈtrʌb.əl/ and functions as both a noun and a verb. Let's understand its meaning through the following examples with PREP!

Trouble acts as a noun, meaning: difficulties/ a situation in which you experience problems, usually because of something you have done wrong or badly. For example: The tax forms were complicated and I had a lot of trouble with them.
Trouble acts as a verb, meaning: to cause someone to be worried or nervous/ to cause someone to have a problem or difficulties. For example:
- I asked Jenny what was troubling her, but she didn't want to talk.
- He has been troubled by a knee injury for most of the season.

2. Words/phrases/Idioms associated with Trouble

Let's learn some words, phrases, and idioms associated with Trouble below!

Words/ phrases/ idioms associated with Trouble	Example
Go to the trouble to do something	Despite the inconvenience, Maria went to the trouble to organize a surprise birthday party for her best friend.
The trouble with someone/ something	The trouble with this old computer is that it takes forever to start up.
In trouble with	Tim found himself in trouble with the law after he was caught speeding.
Be asking for trouble	Parking in a no-parking zone is asking for trouble.
Get someone into trouble	Driving without a license got my friend into big trouble with the police.
More trouble than it's worth	Fixing that old lawnmower would be more trouble than it's worth; I think it's time for a new one.
Keep/ stay out of trouble	As part of that agreement, Paul was to stay out of trouble and submit to drug testing over a two-year period.

III. What is Problem?

To accurately distinguish between Issue, Trouble, and Problem, let's explore the definition, words, and phrases associated with Problem below!

1. Definition

What is Problem? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Problem is pronounced as /ˈprɑː.bləm/ and functions as a noun, meaning: a situation, person, or thing that needs attention and needs to be dealt with or solved. For example:

Financing the school’s athletic program is a problem.
Robert has a serious health problem.

2. Words/phrases associated with Problem

Let’s take a look at some of the most common phrases associated with Problem in the table below!

Words/phrases associated with Problem	Example
Attendant problem	Implementing new technology often comes with attendant problems.
Alcohol-related problem	Tom realized he needed help when his alcohol-related problems started affecting his relationships and work.
Age-old problem	The age-old problem of poverty continues to challenge societies around the world.
No problem (idioms)	When asked if she could lend a hand, Jane replied with a smile, "No problem at all!".
Have a problem with something/ someone (idioms)	Mark doesn't usually have a problem with anyone, but he found it difficult to get along with his new coworker.
Pose/ present a problem	The increasing pollution levels in the city pose a serious problem for public health.
Tackle/ deal with/ solve/ the problem	The team worked together to tackle the problem of declining sales by implementing a new marketing strategy.

IV. Differences of Issue, Trouble and Problem

Issue, Trouble, and Problem are often used to describe difficult situations or problems, but they still have differences in meaning and usage. Let's explore how Issue, Trouble, and Problem differ with PREP!

	Issue	Trouble	Problem
Part of speech	Noun Verb	Noun Verb	Noun
Meaning	Often refers to a difficult decision or disagreement.	Often refers to troubles, annoyances, or worries.	Often refers to a specific issue or challenge that needs to be solved or addressed immediately.
Example	The team is discussing the current issues with the software and planning updates.	The car broke down on the highway, and now we're in trouble.	The project faced a major problem when key team members resigned unexpectedly.

V. Exercise to differentiate Issue, Trouble and Problem

To understand how to differentiate Problem, Trouble, and Issue, let's complete the exercise below!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the appropriate words: Problem, Issue or Trouble in the blanks:

The political debate focused on key _______ such as healthcare, education, and economic reform.
We ran into _______ when the weather suddenly changed.
The environmentalists highlighted the _______ of deforestation and its impact on biodiversity during the conference.
Starting the car became a real _______ when the battery died unexpectedly.
The committee discussed the _______ of employee morale and job satisfaction during the quarterly meeting.

Exercise 2: Find and correct mistakes.

Last week, the university troubled a certificate to recognize the student's successful completion of the advanced language course.
Borrowing a friend's car without permission can get you into issue with both your friend and the law.
When asked for a favor, Sarah replied, "Sure, no issue at all. I'd be happy to help!"
John is going through a tough time dealing with his personal problem and strife, and he appreciates the support of his friends.
The age-old trouble of communication breakdown between different departments in the company still persists despite efforts to address it.

2. Answer

Exercise 1:

issues
trouble
problem
trouble
issue

Exercise 2:

troubled ➞ issued
issue ➞ trouble
issue ➞ problem
problem ➞ trouble
trouble ➞ problem

VI. Achieve Your Dream Band Score

PREP hopes that through this article above, you have grasped the definitions, usages, and differences of Issue, Trouble and Problem. If you need help acing your IELTS exam? Check out our top-rated practice modules below:

IELTS learning online: Score Big in IELTS With Our Expert Tips!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.