Rising prices are Britons’ biggest money worry as inflation stays high, survey finds
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EN: Present Participle as Adjective: The word 'Rising' is a present participle (verb + -ing) used as an adjective to describe the noun 'Prices'. It indicates an ongoing action or state.
The falling leaves covered the ground.
EN: Superlative Adjectives: 'The Biggest' is the superlative form of 'big'. In English, we use 'the' + adjective-est (or 'most' + adjective) to compare three or more things and indicate the extreme.
This is the most expensive car in the shop.
EN: In British English news headlines, the 'source' of the information (like 'Survey Shows' or 'Police Say') is often placed at the end of the sentence after a comma, which is a stylistic choice to emphasize the main news first.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle) is used here to describe an action or state that started in the past and continues to be relevant or true in the present.
The cost of living has increased significantly this year.
EN: The Superlative Adjective 'the biggest' is used to compare three or more things, indicating that 'financial worry' is at the highest degree among all worries.
This is the biggest challenge the company has ever faced.
EN: The term 'households' is commonly used in UK economic reports to refer to the basic unit of people living together who make financial decisions, rather than just individuals.
EN: The sentence uses a 'Noun Clause' starting with 'that' as the direct object of the verb 'found'. This clause functions as a noun to describe what was discovered.
The report shows that global temperatures are rising.
EN: The adverb 'increasingly' is used to modify the adjective 'gloomy', indicating a progressive change or growth in a particular state.
The exam questions are becoming increasingly difficult.
EN: S&P Global is a major American publicly traded corporation that provides financial information and analytics. In economic news, their surveys are often used as key indicators of market sentiment and consumer behavior.
EN: Non-restrictive Relative Clauses: The word 'which' is used after a comma to provide extra information about the preceding noun ('official inflation figures'). Unlike restrictive clauses, this information is not essential to identify the noun but adds descriptive detail.
The report, which was released yesterday, highlights the economic growth.
EN: Passive Voice: The structure 'be + past participle' (was published, were expected) is used when the action is more important than the person or thing performing it. In news reports, this shifts focus to the events and data.
The results were expected to be positive.
EN: In economic reporting, 'official inflation figures' usually refer to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by government agencies. The timing of such reports is critical as they influence market expectations and central bank decisions on interest rates.
EN: The infinitive 'to measure' is used here as an adverbial of purpose, explaining 'why' the survey uses the index.
He saved money to buy a new car.
EN: The noun clause 'how people feel about their finances' acts as the direct object of the verb 'measure'. It follows the structure: question word + subject + verb.
I don't know how she finished the work so fast.
EN: The use of 'down from' is a common prepositional phrase used to compare a current figure with a previous one, indicating a decrease.
The unemployment rate is 4.5%, down from 5.0% last year.
EN: Prepositions of time: 'in' is used with months (e.g., in May, in April) to indicate when an event occurred.
The project will be completed in June.
EN: In financial reporting, precision is key. The use of decimals (42.1, 42.3) and specific months helps stakeholders track economic trends accurately. The index mentioned is likely a 'Consumer Sentiment Index' which reflects public confidence in the economy.
EN: The word 'when' is used here as a relative adverb to introduce a non-defining relative clause. It provides additional information about a specific time (July 2023) mentioned in the main clause.
I remember the day when we first met.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'because of' is used to indicate a reason or cause. It is followed by a noun or noun phrase (the Russian invasion).
The flight was delayed because of the heavy rain.
EN: The sentence refers to the global economic impact of the conflict in Ukraine, which led to a sharp increase in energy and food prices worldwide, particularly affecting the cost of living in the UK.
EN: The sentence uses a 'wh- noun clause' starting with 'how' as the direct object of the verb 'tracks'. This clause functions as a noun to describe the specific information being monitored.
The report explains how businesses adapt to new regulations.
EN: The Oxford Comma (the comma before 'and') is used here to clearly separate the final item in a list of four nouns: spending, savings, debt, and employment.
She bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
EN: In economic reporting, 'The index' often refers to a specific statistical measure used to track changes in the economy. In this context, it refers to the consumer sentiment index mentioned earlier in the text, which is a common tool for economists to gauge public confidence.
EN: The Present Continuous Participle as an Adjective: The word 'growing' is a present participle (verb + -ing) used as an adjective to describe a noun that is currently in a state of change or development.
The rising sun is beautiful.
EN: Subject-Verb Agreement: In English, the verb must agree with the subject in number. Here, 'Higher fuel prices' is a plural subject, so the plural verb 'are' is used.
The students are ready for the test.
EN: In the UK, 'fuel prices' typically refers to the cost of petrol (gasoline) and diesel for vehicles, which is a significant part of the cost of living and is highly sensitive to global geopolitical events.
EN: Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that follow another noun to provide additional information or clarification. In this sentence, 'an important shipping route' explains what 'The strait of Hormuz' is.
Mr. Chen, my English teacher, is very kind.
EN: The Present Perfect Passive Voice ('has been' + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result in the present, where the subject receives the action.
The window has been broken by the wind.
EN: The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most strategically important choke points for oil transport. Located between Oman and Iran, it connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Any disruption here significantly impacts global energy prices.
EN: The Present Perfect tense (has pushed) is used here to describe a past action that has a direct result or relevance to the present situation.
The heavy rain has caused the river levels to rise.
EN: The conjunction 'that' introduces a noun clause acting as the object of the verb 'fear', specifying what people are afraid of.
Scientists fear that global temperatures will continue to increase.
EN: In the context of global economics, interest rates are a primary tool used by central banks to control inflation. When prices (inflation) rise too quickly, central banks often increase interest rates to cool down the economy, which directly impacts household mortgages and loans.
EN: The causative structure 'make + object + adjective' is used to describe how someone or something causes a change in state or condition. In this sentence, 'it' is a dummy object representing the infinitive phrase that follows.
The heavy rain made the roads slippery.
EN: The use of 'it' as a dummy object (preparatory object) allows the real object (to pay back loans...) to be placed at the end of the sentence for better flow and clarity.
I find it difficult to wake up early.
EN: In the UK, many mortgages are on variable rates or short-term fixed rates. This means that when the central bank raises interest rates to fight inflation, British households feel the financial impact much more quickly than in countries where 30-year fixed mortgages are common.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (have + past participle) is used here to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has a result or relevance in the present.
The company has seen a growth in sales this year.
EN: The Noun Clause starting with 'that' acts as the direct object of the verb 'found', explaining exactly what was discovered.
Scientists found that the climate is changing rapidly.
EN: In the UK, the 'cost of living crisis' has been a major socio-economic issue since 2022, leading to significant changes in household spending and saving habits as mentioned in the survey.
EN: The phrase 'at the fastest pace' uses the superlative adjective 'fastest' with the preposition 'at' to describe the rate or speed at which an action occurs.
Technology is developing at the fastest pace in history.
EN: The word 'since' is used as a preposition here to indicate a starting point in time, referring back to a specific date (July 2023) to show how long a situation has been the case.
He has been working here since 2010.
EN: The mention of July 2023 refers to a period of significant economic pressure in the UK, often linked to high inflation rates following global geopolitical events. Comparing current data to this specific point helps readers understand the severity of the current financial situation.
EN: Present Perfect Tense: Formed with 'have/has + past participle'. It is used here to describe an action that started in the past and has a result or relevance in the present.
The recent storm has caused significant damage to the city.
EN: Collocation 'Put pressure on': A common phrase meaning to try to make someone do something or to be a burden on a situation.
The rising demand for housing is putting pressure on local prices.
EN: In the UK, 'household budgets' is a common term used in economic discussions to refer to the total money a family has to spend on necessities like food, energy, and housing. The mention of energy prices is particularly relevant due to the global energy crisis affecting Europe since 2022.
EN: Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that follow another noun to provide additional information or clarification. In this sentence, 'an economist at S&P Global' identifies who Maryam Baluch is.
Mr. Smith, my high school teacher, is very kind.
EN: The present perfect tense (have/has + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past and has relevance to the present. 'Have taken' suggests the worries started recently and are still prominent.
The new policy has caused many debates.
EN: The idiom 'take centre stage' originates from the theatre, referring to an actor moving to the middle of the stage where they receive the most attention. In business and news, it means a particular issue has become the most important or prominent topic.
EN: The phrasal verb 'eat into' means to use up or consume a part of something valuable, such as time or money, especially when you do not want to.
High medical bills are eating into my retirement fund.
EN: The phrase 'at a rate that...' uses a relative clause to describe the speed or frequency of an action. 'That has not been seen for a long time' is a present perfect passive relative clause modifying 'rate'.
Technology is advancing at a rate that surprises everyone.
EN: The phrase 'cost of living' is a standard economic term used frequently in British media to discuss inflation and its impact on everyday expenses like food, rent, and energy.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
The proportion of a loan that is charged as interest to the borrower.
The amount of money needed to cover basic expenses such as housing, food, and healthcare.
To become the most important or noticeable part of a situation.
To gradually use up or reduce something, such as savings or time.