Explanation at your level:
When you have one apple and you add another, you increase the number of apples. It means 'to make more'. If you turn the volume up, you increase the sound. It is a very useful word for talking about things getting bigger.
Use increase when you want to say something is growing. You can increase your speed on a bike or increase the temperature in a room. It is a great way to describe change in size, number, or level.
In intermediate English, increase is used to describe trends. You might say, 'The company aims to increase sales next year.' It is a formal alternative to 'get bigger' or 'grow'. Remember that it is a regular verb, so use 'increased' for the past.
At this level, you will use increase in more academic or professional settings. It often appears with prepositions like 'by' or 'to'. For example, 'The population increased by 10%.' It carries more precision than 'rise' or 'grow' in technical reports.
Advanced learners use increase to nuance arguments. It is frequently paired with adverbs like 'significantly', 'dramatically', or 'marginally'. It is a staple in essay writing, especially when discussing socio-economic shifts or scientific data. Its versatility allows it to function in almost any context requiring a shift in magnitude.
At the mastery level, increase is understood as part of a wider semantic field of expansion. You might contrast it with 'swell', 'burgeon', or 'amplify' depending on the nuance. Historically, its Latin roots link it to the concept of 'crescendo' in music. Using it correctly demonstrates a command of standard English register, particularly in formal discourse where precision is paramount.
30초 단어
- Increase means to make larger or more.
- It is a regular verb (increased).
- It is the opposite of decrease.
- It is used in professional and daily contexts.
When you hear the word increase, think of something growing or getting bigger. Whether it is the number of cookies in a jar or the volume of your music, this verb covers any situation where values go up.
It is a highly versatile word used in almost every part of life. You might increase your speed while running or increase your knowledge by reading books. It is the opposite of decrease, making it a fundamental building block for describing change.
The word increase has a fascinating journey through time. It comes from the Latin word increscere, which literally means 'to grow upon' or 'to grow in'.
It entered Middle English through Old French in the 14th century. Interestingly, it has kept its original meaning of growth for over 700 years. It shares roots with the word 'crescent', which refers to the growing shape of the moon.
You will see increase used in both formal business reports and casual conversation. It is very common to hear phrases like 'increase production' or 'increase the dose'.
While it is a neutral term, it often carries a positive connotation in business, such as 'increasing profits'. In casual speech, you might just say 'turn it up' instead, but 'increase' is perfect when you need to be precise or professional.
While the verb itself is direct, it appears in many common phrases. On the increase means something is becoming more common. Increase by leaps and bounds describes very fast growth.
Another common expression is increase the pressure, which can be literal or figurative (like in a high-stakes job). These idioms help you sound more natural when describing trends or situations.
As a verb, the stress is on the second syllable: in-CREASE. If you use it as a noun, the stress shifts to the first: IN-crease. This is a classic English pattern for two-syllable words.
It is a regular verb, so the past tense is increased. It is often followed by 'by' when describing the amount of change, such as 'The price increased by five dollars'.
Fun Fact
Related to the word 'crescent' (the growing moon).
Pronunciation Guide
Stress on the second syllable.
Clear 's' sound at the end.
Common Errors
- Stress on first syllable
- Pronouncing as 'in-creez'
- Weak vowel sounds
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Very easy to read.
Simple to use.
Commonly used.
Easy to hear.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
고급
Grammar to Know
Transitive vs Intransitive
He increased the speed (transitive).
Adverb placement
It increased significantly.
Prepositions with verbs
Increased by 10%.
Examples by Level
Please increase the volume.
make louder
imperative
I want to increase my speed.
go faster
verb + object
The price will increase.
go up
future tense
We need to increase food.
get more
verb + noun
Did the heat increase?
get hotter
question form
I increase my daily steps.
do more
present simple
Don't increase the risk.
make bigger
negative imperative
They increase the time.
make longer
simple subject-verb
The company will increase its staff.
Can you increase the font size?
The demand for cars continues to increase.
We must increase our efforts.
The rain will increase tonight.
They increased the tax last year.
I want to increase my vocabulary.
The tension began to increase.
The government decided to increase the minimum wage.
We need to increase awareness about this issue.
The risk of infection increases in cold weather.
They have increased production to meet demand.
The number of students has increased significantly.
She hopes to increase her chances of success.
The cost of living continues to increase.
Please increase the pressure on the valve.
The policy aims to increase efficiency across the board.
Investors are hoping to increase their returns this quarter.
The study shows that stress increases the risk of illness.
We need to increase our investment in renewable energy.
The company increased its market share by five percent.
Global temperatures are expected to increase over the next decade.
He wants to increase his influence within the organization.
The frequency of these meetings has increased recently.
The data suggests that the phenomenon will increase exponentially.
We must increase our vigilance regarding security protocols.
The organization is seeking to increase its global footprint.
He managed to increase his output despite the constraints.
The proposal serves to increase transparency in government.
The intensity of the debate increased as the deadline approached.
They are looking to increase the scope of the project.
The complexity of the task increases with each step.
The subtle shift served to increase the overall aesthetic appeal.
The architect sought to increase the structural integrity of the bridge.
The orator's voice increased in volume as he reached the climax.
The legislation was designed to increase the accountability of firms.
The sheer scale of the operation increased the logistical burden.
The artist's influence increased posthumously.
The chemical reaction increased in velocity under heat.
The desire for reform increased among the populace.
자주 쓰는 조합
Idioms & Expressions
"on the increase"
becoming more common
Crime is on the increase.
neutral"leaps and bounds"
very fast growth
His skills grew by leaps and bounds.
casual"increase the stakes"
make a situation more serious
He increased the stakes by betting more.
neutral"increase the tempo"
make something faster
The band increased the tempo.
neutral"increase the burden"
make something harder
The new taxes increased the burden.
formal"increase in value"
become worth more
The house increased in value.
neutralEasily Confused
both mean going up
Rise is intransitive, increase can be transitive.
Prices rise (intransitive). I increased the price (transitive).
similar meanings
Grow implies biological or natural process.
Plants grow; sales increase.
both mean getting bigger
Expand implies spreading out.
The company expanded its reach.
both mean adding
Augment is very formal.
He augmented his salary.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + increase + object
They increased the price.
Subject + increase + by + amount
It increased by 5%.
Subject + increase + to + number
It increased to 100.
Adverb + increase + object
They significantly increased output.
Subject + increase + in + noun
There was an increase in demand.
어휘 가족
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
관련
How to Use It
9
Formality Scale
자주 하는 실수
Increase already implies going up; 'up' is redundant.
We say an increase in something.
Spelling error.
Often confused; 'to' is the final amount, 'by' is the change.
Preposition usage error.
Tips
Memory Palace
Visualize a balloon inflating.
Native Usage
Use it to talk about trends.
Business Speak
It is a key word in professional emails.
Grammar Shortcut
It is a regular verb.
Say It Right
Stress the second syllable.
Avoid Redundancy
Don't say 'increase up'.
Did You Know?
Related to 'crescent'.
Study Smart
Learn it with its antonym 'decrease'.
Essay Tip
Use it to describe data.
Fluency Tip
Practice with adverbs like 'significantly'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
IN-CREASE: Imagine a crease in paper getting bigger.
Visual Association
A graph line going up.
Word Web
챌린지
Write 3 sentences about things that increased today.
어원
Latin
Original meaning: to grow upon
문화적 맥락
None.
Used frequently in business and news media.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at work
- increase productivity
- increase sales
- increase efficiency
at school
- increase knowledge
- increase study time
- increase focus
travel
- increase speed
- increase distance
- increase budget
daily life
- increase volume
- increase temperature
- increase effort
Conversation Starters
"What is something you want to increase in your life?"
"How can companies increase their profits?"
"Do you think the cost of living will increase soon?"
"What is the best way to increase your vocabulary?"
"Why do people want to increase their speed when running?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you had to increase your effort.
Describe a trend you have noticed that is on the increase.
If you could increase one thing in the world, what would it be?
How has your English ability increased this year?
자주 묻는 질문
8 질문Yes, it can be both a verb and a noun.
In-CREASE for the verb.
Increased.
No, it is redundant.
It is neutral and common.
Decrease.
Use 'by' to show the amount of change.
Yes.
셀프 테스트
The temperature will ___ tomorrow.
It describes a change in temperature.
What does increase mean?
Increase means to make larger.
Increase is the opposite of decrease.
They are antonyms.
Word
뜻
Synonym matching.
Subject-Verb structure.
The sales increased ___ 20%.
Use 'by' for the amount of change.
Which adverb fits best?
All can modify increase.
You can say 'increase up'.
Redundant phrase.
The ___ in demand was unexpected.
Noun form needed.
Adverb placement.
점수: /10
Summary
To increase is to make something grow in size, number, or amount.
- Increase means to make larger or more.
- It is a regular verb (increased).
- It is the opposite of decrease.
- It is used in professional and daily contexts.
Memory Palace
Visualize a balloon inflating.
Native Usage
Use it to talk about trends.
Business Speak
It is a key word in professional emails.
Grammar Shortcut
It is a regular verb.
예시
I need to increase the amount of water I drink every day to stay healthy.
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