What Does “Increase sth” Mean?
“Increase sth” means to make something become larger in number, amount, or degree. It is a common phrase used to describe growth or improvement in various contexts.
Introduction
The phrase “increase sth” is widely used in everyday English to talk about raising or expanding something. Whether it’s increasing sales, temperature, or effort, this phrase helps describe the action of making something bigger or more intense. Understanding the increase sth meaning is important because it allows you to express changes clearly when discussing data, goals, or improvements. This phrase is often used in both formal and informal situations, making it very useful for learners of all levels. Knowing how to use “increase sth” correctly will improve your speaking and writing skills.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: increase sth (increase something)
- Type: transitive
- Level: A2–B2
- Short meaning: to make something bigger or more in amount
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Increase” is a transitive verb, so it always requires an object (something that is increased).
- Correct pattern: increase + something
- Example: increase the price, increase the speed
- This verb is not separable because it is a single word, not a phrasal verb with particles.
How to Use “Increase sth”?
Use “increase sth” when you want to say that something grows or becomes larger. It is used with nouns that can be counted or measured. You can talk about increasing numbers, amounts, levels, or intensity. It fits well in business, science, education, and daily life contexts.
Examples
Here are some examples of how to increase sth in a sentence:
- We need to increase the budget for the new project.
- The company plans to increase sales by 20% this year.
- Doctors recommend increasing your daily intake of water.
- The government decided to increase taxes next year.
- To improve your skills, you should increase your practice time.
Common Mistakes
Sometimes learners confuse “increase” with other verbs or forget the object after “increase.” Here are some examples:
- Incorrect: I want to increase.
- Correct: I want to increase my knowledge.
- Incorrect: Increase the fast speed.
- Correct: Increase the speed.
Remember, “increase” must always have an object to make sense.
Differences / Synonyms
“Increase sth” is similar to verbs like “raise,” “boost,” and “grow,” but there are differences:
- Raise sth: Often used with more physical or formal things like “raise your hand” or “raise funds.”
- Boost sth: Implies a quick or strong increase, like “boost energy.”
- Grow: Usually used for natural or gradual increases, such as “grow plants” or “grow your business.”
“Increase” is more neutral and widely used for general growth or rise.
Common Collocations
Here are some common objects used with “increase” and their meanings:
- Increase salary: to get a higher pay
- Increase production: to make more products
- Increase speed: to go faster
- Increase awareness: to make more people know about something
- Increase risk: to make something more dangerous
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “increase sth”:
Anna: We should increase the advertising budget to attract more customers.
Ben: That’s a good idea. Increasing it by 15% might really help sales grow.
Practice
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
- We need to ______ the number of participants for the event.
- a) increase
- b) raise
- c) grow
Answer: a) increase
Fill in the blank:
The company decided to _______ the price of their product next month.
FAQs
- Q: Can “increase” be used without an object?
A: No, “increase” is a transitive verb and needs an object. - Q: What is the difference between “increase” and “raise”?
A: “Increase” is more general; “raise” often refers to lifting or improving something specific like salary. - Q: Is “increase” formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. - Q: Can I say “increase fast”?
A: No, you should say “increase quickly” or “increase rapidly.” - Q: What types of nouns can follow “increase”?
A: Usually measurable nouns like numbers, amounts, levels, or quantities.
