Electric is the new normal as growing secondhand market helps Australian car buyers shift gear
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EN: The phrase 'no longer' is an adverbial phrase used to express that a situation that used to exist in the past does not exist now. It is typically placed after the verb 'to be' or auxiliary verbs, and before main verbs.
He no longer works at this company.
EN: The word 'luxury' is used here as a noun adjunct (a noun modifying another noun) to describe 'choice', indicating that the choice is of high quality, expensive, and not essential.
They stayed in a luxury hotel during their vacation.
EN: Australia has traditionally had a slower adoption rate for electric vehicles compared to Europe or China, partly due to its vast distances and limited charging infrastructure in regional areas. However, as mentioned in the context, this trend is rapidly changing with lower-cost brands entering the market and infrastructure improving.
EN: Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe a state that started in the past and continues to the present, emphasizing the current result of a gradual change.
Smartphones have become an essential tool for daily life.
EN: The noun phrase 'a normal part of the car market' uses the preposition 'of' to show belonging or association, indicating that 'a normal part' is integrated within 'the car market'.
EN: The noun clause introduced by 'that' acts as the direct object of the verb 'shows'. It contains a complete sentence structure (subject + verb) to express the fact or information being shown.
Research shows that regular exercise improves mental health.
EN: The present perfect passive voice ('have been solved') is used to describe an action that has been completed in the past, where the focus is on the result or the receiver of the action (the problems) rather than who performed it.
All the tickets for the concert have been sold.
EN: The NRMA (National Roads and Motorists' Association) is an Australian organization that provides roadside assistance, car insurance, and advocates for motorists. In Australia, its data is highly trusted and frequently cited in news reports regarding transport and vehicle trends.
EN: The auxiliary verb 'used to' is used to describe past habits, states, or facts that are no longer true in the present. It is followed by the base form of the verb.
He used to live in London before moving to Sydney.
EN: The structure 'stop someone from doing something' is used to express preventing someone from performing an action. 'From' is a preposition, so it must be followed by a gerund (verb-ing).
The heavy rain stopped us from going to the beach.
EN: The present perfect tense ('has pushed up', 'has accelerated') is used to describe an action that happened in the past but has a strong connection to or effect on the present situation.
The heavy rain has caused severe flooding in the city.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used here in a non-defining relative clause to refer back to the entire preceding clause ('The oil crisis has also pushed up petrol prices'), rather than just the noun 'prices'.
He passed the exam with perfect scores, which surprised everyone.
EN: Apposition (Appositive Noun Phrase): A noun phrase placed next to another noun to identify or explain it. Here, 'a car loan broker with twenty years of experience' is an appositive that describes 'Nicole Taylor'. It is set off by commas.
Mr. Green, a high school teacher with ten years of experience, won the award.
EN: Noun Clause as Object: The conjunction 'that' introduces a noun clause ('that about one in three car loans now goes towards electric vehicles') which functions as the direct object of the reporting verb 'says'.
She believes that the new policy will benefit everyone.
EN: In Australia, car loan brokers play a significant role in the automotive market, helping consumers find financing options. The phrase 'one in three' reflects a major shift in Australian consumer preferences towards sustainability, driven by both environmental awareness and rising fuel costs.
EN: The Present Perfect Continuous tense (has/have been + verb-ing) is used to describe an action that started in the past and has continued up to the present moment, emphasizing the ongoing process or duration.
It has been raining since this morning.
EN: The noun clause introduced by 'that' acts as the direct object of the verb 'noticed'. It contains a complete sentence structure (subject + verb) to express what was noticed.
He noticed that the store was closed.
EN: Noun Clause with 'that': The word 'that' introduces a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the reporting verb 'explained'. It tells us exactly what Taylor explained. In spoken English, 'that' is often omitted, but it is kept in formal writing.
The doctor explained that the medicine would start working in an hour.
EN: Adverbial Clause of Reason with 'because': The conjunction 'because' introduces a subordinate clause that explains the reason why clients are now comfortable. It connects the main feeling (comfortable) with its cause (enough infrastructure).
We stayed at home because it was raining heavily.
EN: The 'There is/are' structure is used to introduce the existence of something. In this sentence, 'There are technicians' introduces the existence of plural subjects (technicians). It is followed by a defining relative clause 'who can service these cars' to specify what kind of technicians they are.
There are many volunteers who want to help clean up the park.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' is used to introduce a relative clause that describes a person or people. In this sentence, 'who' acts as the subject of the relative clause 'who can service these cars', referring back to 'technicians'.
I know a doctor who speaks three languages.
EN: The noun clause introduced by 'that' functions as the direct object of the reporting verb 'added'. In English, 'that' can often be omitted in informal speech, but it is kept here for clarity in reporting information.
He added that the project would be finished on time.
EN: The present perfect tense ('have come down') is used to describe an action that happened in the past but has a strong relevance or result in the present. The adverb 'dramatically' modifies the verb phrase to show the intensity of the change.
The temperature has come down dramatically since last night.
EN: The noun clause introduced by the conjunction 'that' functions as the direct object of the verb 'show'. In this structure, 'that' is often used to connect a main clause with a subordinate clause that expresses a fact, opinion, or statement.
Research shows that regular exercise improves sleep quality.
EN: The adjective pattern 'be ready to + verb' is used to express that someone is prepared or willing to perform a certain action.
The team is ready to launch the new product next week.
EN: In Australia, 'making the switch' in the context of vehicles refers to the significant cultural and economic transition from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to electric vehicles (EVs). This shift is heavily influenced by Australia's vast distances, which historically caused 'range anxiety', but expanding charging infrastructure is rapidly changing consumer attitudes.
EN: The verb 'hit' is used here in its past tense form (which is also 'hit') to mean 'reached' a certain level or record. It is a transitive verb that directly takes 'a record' as its direct object.
The company's stock price hit a new high yesterday.
EN: The preposition 'of' is used to show possession or connection. In the phrase 'Sales of electric vehicles and hybrid cars', 'of' indicates what is being sold, connecting the noun 'Sales' with the specific types of vehicles.
The production of organic vegetables has increased this year.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'According to' is used to indicate the source of information, meaning 'as stated by' or 'on the authority of'. It is typically followed by a noun or noun phrase.
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
EN: The phrasal verb 'account for' means to form, comprise, or make up a specified amount or proportion of something.
High-tech exports account for seventy percent of the nation's economy.
EN: The 'Electric Vehicle Council' is the national body representing the electric vehicle industry in Australia. Mentioning such official organizations adds high credibility to market statistics in news reporting.
EN: Possessive nouns with apostrophe-s ('s) are used to show ownership or association. When a noun already ends in 's' or is a proper noun, we still add 's to indicate possession (e.g., Tesla's, Australia's).
The company's new policy surprised everyone.
EN: Compound adjectives are often formed by combining a noun/adverb and a participle or adjective, sometimes connected by a hyphen. 'Bestselling' (or 'best-selling') functions as a compound adjective modifying the noun 'car'.
This is the best-selling novel of the year.
EN: Tesla's Model Y becoming the bestselling car in Australia (beating traditional petrol competitors) represents a historic milestone. Historically, the Australian car market has been dominated by large petrol or diesel utility vehicles (utes) and SUVs, so an electric vehicle taking the top spot highlights a rapid shift in consumer preferences.
EN: The past simple tense of the irregular verb 'beat' is also 'beat' (pronunciation remains /biːt/). It is used here to describe a completed action in the past.
Our team beat the champions in yesterday's game.
EN: Defining relative clauses (adjective clauses) start with relative pronouns like 'that' or 'which' to define or identify the noun preceding them. Here, 'that use traditional petrol engines' identifies which competitors are being referred to.
I prefer cars that run on electricity.
EN: In Australia and British English-speaking countries, the term 'petrol' is used to refer to the fuel for cars, whereas in American English, 'gasoline' or 'gas' is the standard term. This sentence highlights the ongoing global transition from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs).
EN: The Present Perfect Continuous tense (have/has + been + verb-ing) is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present, emphasizing the ongoing nature and duration of the activity.
They have been working on this project for three months.
EN: The possessive determiner 'their' is used to show ownership or association with a plural noun (in this case, 'Chinese brands'). 'Share of' refers to a portion of a whole, such as a market share.
Local companies are trying to increase their share of the global market.
EN: This sentence reflects a major shift in the global automotive industry, where Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers (like BYD) are expanding rapidly into Western markets like Australia, offering competitive pricing that challenges traditional automakers.
EN: The phrasal verb 'account for' is used to mean 'to form a particular amount or part of something' or 'to explain the cause of something'. In this context, it expresses a proportion or percentage.
Students account for over 30% of our customers.
EN: The past participle 'sold' (from 'sell') is used as a post-modifier (reduced relative clause) modifying the noun phrase 'all electric cars'. It is short for 'which are sold' or 'that are sold'.
EN: In recent years, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers like BYD and Haval (GWM) have aggressively expanded into the Australian market. By offering high-tech features at significantly lower price points compared to traditional Western brands or Tesla, they have played a major role in making EVs accessible to everyday Australian consumers.
EN: Present Perfect Tense (has + past participle) is used here to describe an action that started in the past and has a direct result or relevance to the present situation.
The introduction of new technology has improved our daily lives.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'between A and B' is used to show a relationship, connection, or difference involving two distinct groups or entities.
The bridge connects the passage between the island and the mainland.
EN: In Australia and the UK, the term 'petrol' is commonly used to refer to gasoline, whereas in North America, 'gas' or 'gasoline' is the standard term. This sentence reflects the Australian context of the news story.
EN: The causative verb 'make' is used here in the pattern 'make + object + adjective' (make electric vehicles more affordable). This structure indicates that a cause brings about a change in the state or condition of the object.
The new technology made smartphones much cheaper to produce.
EN: The present perfect tense ('has also made') is used to describe an action that started in the past and has a strong relevance or effect on the present situation.
The rise of online shopping has changed how people buy groceries.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
A vehicle that is powered by an electric motor rather than an internal combustion engine.
To make something increase in amount or value.
To change from using or doing one thing to another.
The buying and selling of goods that have already been owned or used.