Success, failure and difficulty

Succeeding

• I managed to contact him just before he left his office.manage to do something

*Image by 74207111@N00 via Flickr

Succeeding

• I don’t think I can manage the whole walk. I think I'll turn back.manage something

*Image by 10956352@N04 via Flickr

Succeeding

•We succeeded in persuading a lot of people to join our protest.succeed in doing something

*Image by 46397897@N03 via Flickr

Succeeding

•We've achieved / accomplished a great deal in the last three yearsachieve / accomplish + quantifier

Succeeding

•The company has achieved all its goals / aims / targets for this yearachieve goalsreach objectivesmeet targets

*Image by 64386887@N08 via Flickr

Succeeding

•D'you think his plan will come off?(succeed, informal)

*Image by 67956735@N00 via Flickr

Matrix for some collocations with ‘succeeding’ verbs

  reach attain secure realise fulfil achievean ambition

a dream

an agreement

an obligation

a target

a compromise

a goal

Failing

•Plans and projects often go wrong or misfire (don't turn out as intended)

*Image by 9197840@N02 via Flickr

Failing

•Companies, clubs and societies often fold through lack of success (close down)

*Image by 24177197@N00 via Flickr

Failing

•A plan or project may falter, even if it finally succeeds (go through ups and downs)

Failing

•All your plans and hard work / efforts may come to nothing / fall through

*Image via Bing

Difficulty

• I have great difficulty in getting up this morning.

• I find it difficult to remember the names of everybody in the class.difficulty in doing somethingfind it difficult to do something

Difficulty

• It's hard / difficult to hear what's she's sayinghard /difficult to do something

Difficulty

• I often have trouble starting the car on cold morningshave trouble doing something

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Difficulty

•We've had a lot of bother with the neighbors lately

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Difficulty

•Can you cope with three more students? They've just arrived.

*Image via Bing

Difficulty

• I've no money, my girlfriend's left me; I need help; I just can't cope any more

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Word classesverb  noun adjective adverb

succeed success successful successfullyaccomplish accomplishment accomplished  achieve achievement achievable  attain attainment attainable  fulfill fulfillment fulfilling      hard hard