verb / noun · formal
increase
/ˈɪn.kriːs/IN·crease
become larger in number, amount, or degree; (n) the amount or instance of becoming larger
Examples
“The number of smartphone users increased rapidly between 2010 and 2015.”
“There was a sharp increase in sales after the promotion.”
“Overall, the chart shows an increase in renewable energy production over the period.”
Band 8 sentence
“Overall, the chart indicates a steady increase in domestic tourism, rising from roughly 2 million trips in 2005 to over 6 million in 2019, with the most pronounced growth occurring after 2010.”
Collocations
- increase sharply / a sharp increase
- increase gradually / a gradual increase
- increase by 10% / increase to 50%
- a steady increase
Word family
Common mistakes
The price increase quickly last year.→The price increased quickly last year.
A increase of 10% was recorded.→An increase of 10% was recorded.
There was an increase with the number of students.→There was an increase in the number of students.
Say it for a higher band
5go up→6grow→7+increase
Synonyms
rise
grow
Easily confused
rise
“If temperatures continue to rise, coastal cities will face more flooding.”
grow
“The population grew steadily over the decade.”
Related words
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In Rise & fall
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