David Jones to close half its stores, triggering mass job losses in ‘urgent restructure’
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EN: In news headlines, the infinitive ('to + verb') is frequently used to indicate future actions or plans instead of 'will' or 'is going to'.
Government to introduce new carbon tax next month.
EN: The present participle clause (', causing...') acts as an adverbial of result, describing the inevitable consequence of the main clause action.
Heavy rain flooded the streets, causing traffic chaos.
EN: David Jones is Australia's oldest and most iconic upmarket department store, founded in 1838. In recent years, traditional department stores globally have faced intense pressure from e-commerce and specialized retailers, making store closures a major economic and cultural talking point in Australia.
EN: A non-defining relative clause is introduced by 'which' (set off by commas) to provide extra, non-essential information about a proper noun or specific noun. It cannot use 'that'.
Harrods, which is a famous luxury department store in London, attracts millions of tourists every year.
EN: The quantifier phrase 'half of + noun phrase' expresses 50% of an amount or collection. Before determiners like possessives (its), 'of' is used ('half of its stores').
The company decided to sell half of its shares to private investors.
EN: David Jones, founded in Sydney in 1838, is Australia's oldest continuously operating department store chain and one of the oldest in the world. It long represented upscale retail and prestige shopping in Australian urban life, making its major store closures and financial struggles a significant national news event.
EN: The Past Perfect tense ('had' + past participle, e.g., 'had suffered') is used to describe an action that was completed before another past event ('collapsed'). It clarifies the chronological sequence of past events.
She had already left the office before the manager called.
EN: The conjunction 'after' introduces a dependent adverbial time clause ('after it had suffered heavy losses for several years'), showing why or when the main clause event occurred.
He decided to sell the car after it had broken down three times.
EN: In Australian corporate law, 'voluntary administration' is an insolvency procedure where an independent administrator takes control of a struggling company to assess whether it can be saved or should be liquidated. It is similar to Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US.
EN: A relative clause introduced by 'that' is used here as a defining relative clause to modify the noun 'restructure'. 'That' acts as the subject of the clause, followed by the verb phrase 'will lead to'.
The company introduced a new policy that will improve working conditions.
EN: The phrasal verb 'lead to' means to cause something to happen or result in a particular situation. It is followed by a noun or gerund.
Poor communication can lead to serious misunderstandings.
EN: In corporate law (especially in Commonwealth jurisdictions like Australia and the UK), 'receivers' are independent insolvency practitioners appointed by creditors to take control of an insolvent company's assets to recover debts, often requiring severe restructuring or liquidation.
EN: Compound sentence with 'and': Two independent clauses are joined by the coordinating conjunction 'and', separated by a comma. Each clause contains its own subject and predicate.
The company launched a new website, and customers responded very positively.
EN: Present Perfect Passive voice ('have been told'): Formed by 'have/has + been + past participle'. It indicates an action that was received/completed prior to the present moment, emphasizing the result rather than who delivered the message.
All passengers have been informed about the flight delay.
EN: David Jones is Australia's oldest and most iconic luxury department store chain, founded in 1838. In corporate communication and business journalism, the passive phrase 'have been told about the closures' reflects the legal and ethical requirement for companies to consult and inform affected workers directly before public announcements are finalized.
EN: The verb 'keep' followed by a gerund ('keep + V-ing') means to continue doing an action without stopping. It often expresses persistence or habitual continuity.
He kept working even after everyone else had left.
EN: The passive structure 'be expected to + verb' is used to talk about anticipated events or future predictions based on current plans or beliefs. It means 'something is anticipated to happen'.
The train is expected to arrive at noon.
EN: In British and Australian business contexts, the verb 'trade' is standard for 'do business' or 'operate' (e.g., 'trading hours' means opening hours). In American English, 'remain open' or 'continue operating' is more commonly used.
EN: The Present Perfect tense ('has struggled', 'have taken') is formed using 'have/has + past participle'. It indicates actions that began in the past and continue into or have a direct impact on the present situation.
Many local bookstores have closed because digital reading has become popular.
EN: The subordinate conjunction 'because' introduces an adverbial clause of reason ('because online shops and smaller upmarket stores have taken...'), explaining the cause behind the main clause's action.
She stayed home because the weather was stormy.
EN: 'Upmarket' (mainly British and Australian English, equivalent to 'upscale' in American English) describes goods, services, or shops designed for high-income customers. Traditional department stores globally have faced severe pressure from both cheap e-commerce and specialized upmarket boutiques.
EN: The verb 'tell' takes an indirect object (someone) followed by a direct object, often in the form of a 'that'-clause: 'tell + someone + that-clause'. In reported speech, tenses often shift back (e.g., 'can' becomes 'could').
The manager told the team that they needed to improve sales.
EN: The verb 'continue' can be followed by a gerund (-ing form) or an infinitive (to + verb) with virtually no difference in meaning: 'continue doing something' or 'continue to do something'.
Despite the storm, they continued working on the project.
EN: In corporate crisis communications, especially regarding insolvency or administration, leaders often reassure or inform 'suppliers' early on. Maintaining clear communication with suppliers is critical because suppliers supply the goods on credit and risk severe financial losses if the retailer fails.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
A process where an insolvent company places itself in the hands of an independent administrator to assess all options.
The situation in which people lose their jobs, typically as a result of company cutbacks or closures.
Large amounts of money lost by a business over a period of time.
A large retail store selling a wide variety of goods organized into separate departments.