Example
issue (noun)
Neutral; a topic people discuss or a problem. Very safe in Task 2.
Traffic congestion has become a serious issue in most large cities.
Written by Fizza Butool Zaidi and Ali Zaidi
13 alternatives
Neutral; a topic people discuss or a problem. Very safe in Task 2.
Traffic congestion has become a serious issue in most large cities.
A difficulty that can be overcome; slightly positive.
Caring for an ageing population is one of the greatest challenges for governments.
Something hard to deal with; often in the plural.
Many migrants face difficulties finding work that matches their qualifications.
Something that worries people.
The rise in childhood obesity is a growing concern for health services.
Something that blocks progress.
Cost remains the main obstacle to university education for poorer families.
Something that stops people doing or reaching something; often 'a barrier to'.
Language can be a barrier to integration for new arrivals.
A risk of serious harm.
Rising sea levels pose a threat to coastal communities.
A disadvantage of something that is otherwise good.
The main drawback of online courses is the lack of face-to-face contact.
Don't swap blindly: For a weakness in a plan or product, not a social problem. 'Unemployment is a drawback' is wrong.
A weakness or failure in a system or person.
One shortcoming of the exam system is that it rewards memory over thinking.
Something that delays progress.
The closure of the factory was a major setback for the local economy.
A very serious, urgent situation.
The country faced a housing crisis, with rents doubling in five years.
Don't swap blindly: Do not use it for ordinary problems; it exaggerates.
A difficult choice between two options.
Parents face a dilemma between working longer hours and spending time with their children.
Don't swap blindly: Only for a choice. It is not a general word for a problem.
Difficulty; usually uncountable in 'have trouble (with)'.
I had a lot of trouble finding a flat when I moved to the city.
Don't swap blindly: Not 'a trouble' in this meaning; 'have trouble doing something'.
Paraphrasing
Band tip: the public IELTS Writing band descriptors for Lexical Resource describe Band 7 as using “less common lexical items” with “some awareness of style and collocation”. A synonym that changes your meaning or breaks a collocation works against you, so choose the word that fits the sentence, not the rarest one you know.
In context
The movement of young people to cities poses a serious threat to rural communities. Once schools and clinics lose their younger residents, they often close, which creates a further barrier to anyone who might move there. The challenge for governments is therefore not only economic but social, because isolation is a growing concern among older villagers.
Issue is the safest neutral swap. Challenge, concern, obstacle and threat are more precise, so choose the one that says what kind of problem you mean.
A problem is something bad that needs solving. An issue can be a problem or simply a topic of debate. 'The issue of school uniforms' is a topic; 'the problem of school uniforms' says they are harmful.
Only for the weak side of something otherwise useful, such as a policy or a technology. Social problems such as crime are not drawbacks.
It is better in Speaking. In Writing, difficulty or problem are usually more natural.
Practise
© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy