Collocation Mini-Lessons

Dealing with Problems

Lesson 23  ·  General Communication

B1 – B2

Register Key

General Casual News Professional Workplace
4 phrases  ·  5 example sentences each  ·  See how each phrase is used across different real-world contexts.

1 solve a problem
Example Sentences
  • The ability to solve problems calmly is one of the most valuable skills you can develop.General
  • Okay, let's stop arguing about whose fault it is and just solve the problem.Casual
  • Engineers worked through the night to solve the problem that had caused the power outage.News
  • The new software was specifically designed to solve the problem of duplicate data entry.Professional
  • If you can't solve the problem yourself, escalate it to your supervisor right away.Workplace
2 deal with a problem
Example Sentences
  • Ignoring a problem never makes it go away — you have to deal with it.General
  • I'll deal with the problem tomorrow. Tonight I just need to switch off.Casual
  • The administration has been criticized for being slow to deal with the housing problem.News
  • Part of a manager's role is knowing how to deal with problems before they escalate.Professional
  • The maintenance team dealt with the problem quickly, and the line was back up within the hour.Workplace
3 fix a problem
Example Sentences
  • It's one thing to identify a problem — it's another to actually fix it.General
  • Can someone please just fix the problem instead of explaining why it happened?Casual
  • The tech company released an emergency update to fix the problem affecting millions of users.News
  • The IT department was called in to fix the problem with the billing system.Professional
  • The engineer fixed the problem with the conveyor belt before the afternoon shift started.Workplace
4 manage a problem
Example Sentences
  • You may not always be able to eliminate a problem, but you can learn to manage it.General
  • I'm managing the problem — it's not gone, but it's under control for now.Casual
  • The authorities managed the problem by introducing temporary traffic restrictions.News
  • Experienced project managers know how to manage problems without derailing the entire timeline.Professional
  • The shift leader managed the problem by redistributing tasks across the available team.Workplace
Bonus

get to the root of a problem