Grammar fix
come up against
face a difficult situation or problem
to suddenly have to deal with a difficult situation, problem, or obstacle.
phrasal verbB2common
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- We came up against a lot of problems when we tried to renovate the old house.daily life
- During my studies, I often came up against tight deadlines, which taught me how to manage my time better.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: come up against + noun/pronoun
WrongWe came up against with some problems.
RightWe came up against some problems.
No 'with' — 'come up against' takes the obstacle directly.
Patterncome up against + noun/pronoun
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Come up against' is how people describe hitting resistance; 'encountered considerable opposition' is report-speak.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
come up against + obstacleoppositionresistancea problema brick wall
Don't confuse it
'Come across' means to find or meet by chance, not to face a problem.