adj · academic
destructive
/dɪˈstrʌk.tɪv/de·STRUC·tive
Band 6-7task2speaking
causing great damage or harm
Examples
“The hurricane had a destructive effect on coastal towns.”
“Destructive behaviour among teenagers can indicate deeper social problems.”
“Pollution has a destructive impact on biodiversity.”
Band 8 sentence
“Unchecked industrial expansion can have destructive consequences for local ecosystems and long-term food security.”
Collocations
- destructive effect
- destructive behaviour
- highly destructive
Word family
destroy vdestruction ndestructive adjdestructively adv
Common mistakes
The storm was very destruction.→The storm was very destructive.
He has destruct behaviour.→He has destructive behaviour.
Say it for a higher band
5harmful→6damaging→7+destructive
Synonyms
devastating
ruinous
Easily confused
disruptive
“The loud construction work was disruptive to students studying for exams.”
Related words
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In -ive
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