This week, we answer a question from Noel from France.He writes, "Can you explain the difference between matter, problem and issue?In English lessons these three words come often in the conversation and I am never sure which I have to use.Thank you in advance for the explanation and thank you very much for the daily news and lessons." -- Noel, France.Dear Noel,As a learner of English you probably wonder: Why does the language have so many words with similar meanings?One reason is that some words are more common in formal or official settings than others.Let me start with "problem," the least formal of the words that you asked about."Problem" is a word that you can use in many different situations.A problem is a difficulty to overcome or a question to solve.We may say, for example:The poor economy has caused social problems.Or you could ask somebody this question if they look unhappy:What's the problem?There are many words that are close in meaning to problem, such as trouble or challenge.A more formal word that sometimes has the same meaning as problem is "issue."
