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minor problem — small issue

collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon

A minor problem is a small or unimportant issue that does not cause serious difficulty.

Say it like a native

Textbook It was a difficulty of relatively little consequence.

Native It was just a minor problem.

The paraphrase is wordy; 'minor problem' / 'minor issue' is the natural pairing.

Pattern: minor problem (with/in/for something)

In use

  • We had a minor problem with the printer, but it was fixed quickly.daily life
  • In my opinion, arriving a few minutes late is only a minor problem, as long as it doesn't happen often.IELTS speaking

Common mistake

✗ It's a few minor problem.

✓ It's a minor problem.

'A minor problem' (singular) or 'a few minor problems' (plural) — match the number.

Common collocations

  • a minor problem — a minor problem, minor issue, only, a couple of

Don't confuse it

'Major problem' means a serious or important issue, while 'minor problem' means the opposite.

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