Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about problems, solutions, and decision-making.
Example: We need to find a ______ to this problem before the deadline. (solution / decision / trouble)
Answer: We need to find a solution to this problem before the deadline.
Problems, Solutions and Decision-Making
Every day, we face problems — big and small. Maybe your bus is late and you need to find another way to work. Maybe you have a difficult decision to make at your job or in your personal life. Knowing how to identify a problem, think about possible solutions, and make a good decision is one of the most useful skills in life — and in English!
In this lesson, you will learn key vocabulary for talking about problems, solutions, and decision-making in everyday situations. We will look at useful words, natural collocations, common phrasal verbs, and expressions that will help you speak and write more confidently at B1 level.
Mini Situation
Sofia is a university student. She has an important exam next week, but her laptop has stopped working and she cannot access her notes. She needs to figure out what to do. She could borrow a friend's laptop, go to the library, or buy a cheap secondhand one. She has to weigh up her options carefully and make a decision quickly.
Let's learn the vocabulary that helps us describe situations like Sofia's.
Key Vocabulary and Meaning Breakdown
1. Identifying and Describing Problems
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| problem | noun — a situation that causes difficulty or that needs to be dealt with | We have a problem with the heating in our flat. | face a problem, have a problem, serious/common problem |
| issue | noun — a problem or topic that needs attention; slightly more formal than problem | There are several issues we need to discuss at the meeting. | raise an issue, deal with an issue, key issue |
| difficulty | noun — something that is hard to do or deal with | She had difficulty understanding the instructions. | have difficulty (with/in doing), experience difficulty |
| obstacle | noun — something that makes it hard to reach a goal or make progress | Lack of money was the main obstacle to finishing the project. | overcome an obstacle, face an obstacle |
| challenge | noun — a difficult task or situation that tests your ability | Moving to a new country was a real challenge for him. | face a challenge, take on a challenge, a big/major challenge |
| consequence | noun — a result or effect of an action or decision | What are the consequences of making the wrong choice? | serious/negative consequences, face the consequences |
| cause | noun / verb — the reason something happens; to make something happen | What was the cause of the accident? / The rain caused delays. | main cause, cause problems/damage/concern |
| complaint | noun — a statement that something is wrong or unsatisfactory | The customer made a complaint about the slow service. | make a complaint, receive a complaint, formal complaint |
2. Finding Solutions and Taking Action
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| solution | noun — a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation | We need to find a solution to this problem quickly. | find/reach a solution, the best solution, possible solution |
| solve | verb — to find a way to fix or deal with a problem | Can you help me solve this problem? | solve a problem/mystery/equation |
| deal with | phrasal verb — to take action to handle a problem or difficult situation | We need to deal with this complaint as soon as possible. | deal with a problem/situation/person |
| figure out | phrasal verb — to understand or find the answer to something after thinking about it | I can't figure out how to use this new software. | figure out a solution / what to do / how to... |
| overcome | verb — to successfully deal with or control a problem or difficulty | She overcame many obstacles to finish her degree. | overcome a problem/challenge/fear/obstacle |
| avoid | verb — to stay away from something or prevent it from happening | We can avoid this problem by planning ahead. | avoid problems/mistakes/conflict |
| prevent | verb — to stop something (negative) from happening | Regular exercise can help to prevent health problems. | prevent problems/accidents/illness — often followed by from + -ing: prevent someone from doing |
| alternative | noun / adjective — a different choice or option when the first is not possible | If the train is full, what's the alternative? | have no alternative, an alternative solution/plan, alternative route |
| approach | noun — a way of doing or thinking about something | We need a different approach to this problem. | take an approach, a practical/new approach to something |
3. Making Decisions
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech and Meaning | Example Sentence | Collocations / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| decision | noun — a choice you make after thinking about something | It was a difficult decision, but she chose to change jobs. | make a decision, reach a decision, a big/difficult/final decision |
| decide | verb — to choose something after thinking about it | Have you decided which university to apply to? | decide to do something, decide on something, decide between options |
| consider | verb — to think carefully about something before making a decision | You should consider all your options before deciding. | consider an option/possibility, consider doing something |
| option | noun — one of the choices available to you | We have three options: take the train, drive, or fly. | have an option, choose an option, the best/only option |
| weigh up | phrasal verb — to think carefully about the advantages and disadvantages of something | Let's weigh up the pros and cons before we decide. | weigh up options/alternatives/the situation |
| compromise | noun / verb — an agreement where both sides accept less than they wanted | We reached a compromise — she would work from home two days a week. | reach a compromise, find a compromise, compromise on something |
| priority | noun — something that is more important than other things and must be dealt with first | Finishing the report on time is my main priority. | top/main priority, give priority to, set priorities |
| consequence | noun — a result that follows from a decision or action (can be positive or negative) | Think carefully about the consequences of your decision. | serious/major consequences, face the consequences, as a consequence |
| hesitate | verb — to pause before doing something because you are uncertain or nervous | Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. | hesitate to do, hesitate before doing, without hesitation |
| reconsider | verb — to think again about a decision you have already made | After hearing the new information, he decided to reconsider his choice. | reconsider a decision/position/offer |
Collocations and Useful Expressions
Collocations are words that naturally go together in English. Learning them helps you sound more natural and fluent. Here are the most important collocations for problems, solutions, and decision-making:
Problem Collocations
face + a problem
We are facing a serious problem with our internet connection.
cause + problems
The bad weather caused problems for travellers at the airport.
deal with + a problem
The manager needs to deal with the problem before it gets worse.
raise + an issue
She raised the issue of poor communication at the team meeting.
identify + the cause
The engineers identified the cause of the power cut.
Solution Collocations
find + a solution
We worked together and found a solution to the problem.
come up with + a solution / an idea
Can anyone come up with a better solution?
reach + a solution / an agreement
After a long discussion, the two sides reached an agreement.
put + a plan into action
Once we agreed on the plan, we put it into action immediately.
Decision-Making Collocations
make + a decision
It's time to make a decision — we can't wait any longer.
take + a decision (more formal British English)
The board took the decision to close two offices.
weigh up + the pros and cons
Before you decide, weigh up the pros and cons carefully.
think through + a problem / decision
Give yourself some time to think through the problem before you respond.
reach + a compromise
Both teams were unhappy at first, but they eventually reached a compromise.
set + priorities
At the start of the week, I set my priorities for the days ahead.
Useful Phrases for Expressing Opinions and Suggestions
In my opinion, the best solution is to...
In my opinion, the best solution is to speak to the manager directly.
One option would be to...
One option would be to postpone the meeting until next week.
Have you thought about...?
Have you thought about asking your colleague for help?
It might be worth...
It might be worth trying a different approach.
Why don't we...?
Why don't we look at all the options before we decide?
Important Differences and Confusing Words
Problem vs Issue vs Difficulty
These three words all describe something negative or challenging, but they are used in slightly different ways.
- Problem — a general word for something that causes trouble or needs to be fixed. It can be big or small.
My car has a problem with the engine. - Issue — more formal. Often used for problems related to topics, debates, or subjects that need discussion. We often say raise an issue or key issue.
Climate change is a major issue for our generation. - Difficulty — focuses on something that is hard to do. It often appears with the pattern have difficulty + -ing or have difficulty with.
He has difficulty making decisions under pressure.
Solve vs Deal With vs Overcome
- Solve — to find the correct or complete answer to a problem, like a puzzle or a specific question.
Can you solve this maths problem? - Deal with — to take action to handle a situation, often an ongoing one. It does not always mean you completely fix it.
She had to deal with many complaints from customers. - Overcome — to successfully get past a difficulty or challenge, often with effort over time.
He overcame his fear of public speaking through practice.
Decide vs Make a Decision
Decide (verb) and make a decision (verb + noun phrase) have the same meaning, but the grammar is different.
- Decide + to + infinitive: She decided to stay at home.
- Decide + on + noun: They decided on the blue design.
- Make a decision + about / on: We need to make a decision about the new office.
❗ Do not say do a decision. The correct verb is make a decision.
Option vs Alternative
- Option — one of several things you can choose from. There are usually two or more options available.
You have three options: bus, train, or taxi. - Alternative — a different possibility, often when the first choice is not possible or not good. It often suggests "instead of" something else.
The flight was cancelled, so we had to find an alternative way to travel.
Avoid vs Prevent
- Avoid — to deliberately stay away from something or not do something.
Try to avoid making the same mistake twice.
Pattern: avoid + -ing (not avoid to do) - Prevent — to stop something from happening, especially something negative. It often involves taking action.
Good communication can prevent many workplace problems.
Pattern: prevent + noun / prevent + someone + from + -ing
Common Mistakes
❌ We need to do a decision before Friday.
✅ We need to make a decision before Friday. — In English, we always use make with decision, never do.
❌ She avoided to make the same mistake.
✅ She avoided making the same mistake. — Avoid is always followed by the -ing form, not the infinitive.
❌ I have difficulty to understand the problem.
✅ I have difficulty understanding the problem. — After have difficulty, use the -ing form, not to + infinitive.
❌ We must overcome this issue and solve it.
✅ We must overcome this issue / We must solve this problem. — Overcome already means you have successfully dealt with something. Do not combine it with solve in the same phrase — it is redundant.
❌ What are the consequences from this decision?
✅ What are the consequences of this decision? — Use the preposition of after consequences, not from.
❌ I didn't hesitate to making a choice.
✅ I didn't hesitate to make a choice. — Hesitate is followed by to + infinitive, not the -ing form.
❌ There is no other alternative.
✅ There is no alternative. — The word alternative already means "another option", so saying other alternative is repetitive. Simply say there is no alternative.
❌ He reconsidered about his decision.
✅ He reconsidered his decision. — Reconsider is a transitive verb and does not need the preposition about.
Problems, Solutions and Decision-Making: Quick Summary and Review
In this lesson, you have learned a wide range of vocabulary for talking about problems, solutions, and decision-making. Here is a quick summary of the key points:
- Use problem, issue, difficulty, challenge, and obstacle to describe different kinds of difficulties — they are not always interchangeable.
- Use solve, deal with, and overcome carefully — they describe different ways of responding to problems.
- Key phrasal verbs include: deal with, figure out, weigh up, come up with, and think through.
- Remember important collocations: make a decision (not do a decision), face a problem, find a solution, reach a compromise.
- After avoid and have difficulty, always use the -ing form.
- After hesitate, always use to + infinitive.
- Consequences is followed by the preposition of.
Now practise problems, solutions, and decision-making vocabulary in the exercises below.
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