SpeakUp

Grammar fix

wrestle with

struggle to resolve (abstract problem or decision)

to try hard to deal with a difficult problem, question, or decision, especially when it is not easy to find an answer.

phrasal verbC1occasional

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • I've been wrestling with the decision of whether to move abroad for months now.work
  • Many students wrestle with time management when they first start university, as balancing study and social life can be quite challenging.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: wrestle with + noun (problem/issue/decision)

WrongI'm wrestling about the decision.

RightI'm wrestling with the decision.

'Wrestle WITH' a problem — not 'about'.

Patternwrestle with + noun (problem/issue/decision)

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff I have been grappling with a profound moral dilemma.

Natural I've been wrestling with a tough decision.

'Wrestle with' is the natural verb for struggling with a hard problem; 'grappling with a profound dilemma' is formal.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • wrestle with + problem
    a decisionthe questionmy consciencethe issue

Don't confuse it

Unlike the literal sense of 'wrestle' (physically fighting), this sense is figurative and refers to mental or emotional struggle with a problem, not a person.

Try it in Daily Speak →