"It is difficult to ascertain" vs "It was difficult to ascertain"

Question

"It is difficult to ascertain" vs "It was difficult to ascertain"

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "It was difficult to ascertain" is used when referring to a past event or situation, while "it is difficult to ascertain" is used when talking about a current or ongoing situation.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

This phrase is used to indicate that something is currently hard to determine or find out.

Examples:

It is difficult to ascertain the impact of the new policy.
It is difficult to ascertain the accuracy of the data.

Alternatives:

It is hard to determine
It is challenging to figure out

This phrase is used to indicate that something was hard to determine or find out in the past.

Examples:

It was difficult to ascertain the exact cause of the problem.
It was difficult to ascertain his true intentions.

Alternatives:

It was hard to determine
It was challenging to figure out

Answer 1

It is difficult to ascertain

This phrase is correct when talking about a current or ongoing situation.

Answer 2

It was difficult to ascertain

This phrase is correct when referring to a past event or situation.

"It is difficult to ascertain" vs "It was difficult to ascertain"

It is difficult to ascertain

It was difficult to ascertain

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