Toothbrushes, ice-cream and frozen pizza: data reveals how Coles and Woolworths switch...
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EN: Present Perfect Tense (has/have + past participle): Used here to describe a recent action that has a result in the present. In this context, 'has revealed' indicates that the analysis was completed and the information is now known.
The study has revealed a link between diet and health.
EN: Appositive Phrase: A noun or noun phrase that sits next to another noun to rename it or describe it in more detail. 'Australia's two largest supermarkets' is an appositive describing 'Coles and Woolworths'.
Mr. Chen, my English teacher, is very kind.
EN: In Australia, Coles and Woolworths form a 'duopoly,' controlling a vast majority of the grocery market. The term 'High-Low pricing' mentioned in the context refers to a strategy where prices fluctuate significantly, which is a major point of discussion regarding the cost of living in Australia.
EN: The past participle phrase 'called CW Scanner' acts as an adjective to modify the preceding noun 'website'. This is a reduced relative clause, shortened from 'which is called CW Scanner'.
A company called Apple makes the iPhone.
EN: The verb 'provide' follows the pattern 'provide something to someone/something'. It indicates the transfer of information or goods from a source to a recipient.
The teacher provided the notes to the students.
EN: Guardian Australia is the Australian edition of The Guardian, a major global news organization. In this context, it highlights how independent data analysis from third-party websites like CW Scanner is used by investigative journalism to hold large corporations accountable.
EN: Compound Predicate: This sentence uses a compound predicate where two verbs ('covers' and 'includes') share the same subject ('The information'). They are connected by the conjunction 'and'.
The report analyzes the market and suggests new strategies.
EN: Listing with 'such as': The phrase 'such as' is used to introduce specific examples of a general category (in this case, 'products'). It is followed by a list of nouns separated by commas.
She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and cycling.
EN: The phrase 'According to' is a prepositional phrase used to indicate the source of information. It is followed by a noun or a noun phrase.
According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
EN: The correlative structure 'one... the other' is used when referring to two specific items or groups. 'One' identifies the first, and 'the other' identifies the remaining one of the pair.
I have two pens; one is blue and the other is red.
EN: In Australia, the supermarket industry is dominated by a 'duopoly' consisting of Coles and Woolworths. This market structure often leads to similar pricing behaviors, which can sometimes be scrutinized by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to ensure fair competition and protect consumers.
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the action is more important than the person or thing performing it. Here, 'was advertised' focuses on the promotion of the product.
The new smartphone was launched last month.
EN: Prepositional Phrases for Pricing: The preposition 'at' is used to indicate a specific price point or rate (at half price), while 'for' indicates the total amount paid.
The tickets are available at a discount for 20 dollars.
EN: In Australia, the supermarket duopoly of Coles and Woolworths is a major public topic. 'Half price' specials are a very common marketing tactic used to drive foot traffic, often alternating between the two chains to ensure one always has a higher price while the other is on sale.
EN: The Passive Voice (be + past participle) is used when the action is more important than the person performing it. Here, 'was sold' focuses on the product's price rather than the supermarket staff.
The tickets were sold in just five minutes.
EN: Prepositional Phrases for Price: 'At' is used to indicate a specific price point (at full price), while 'for' is used to indicate the total amount of money (for 199 dollars).
I bought this shirt for 20 dollars at a discount.
EN: In Australia, Coles and Woolworths form a 'duopoly,' controlling the vast majority of the grocery market. This sentence highlights the controversial practice where they avoid competing on price for the same items simultaneously, a topic currently under government scrutiny.
EN: The Past Perfect tense ('had been') is used to describe an action or state that was completed before another point in the past. In this context, it emphasizes the state of affairs prior to the 'recent' promotion mentioned earlier.
By the time I arrived at the store, the sale had already ended.
EN: The word 'just' is used here as an adverb to emphasize the specific amount of time or the precision of the timing, meaning 'exactly' or 'only'.
The train left just two minutes ago.
EN: In the context of Australian retail, the 'High-Low' pricing strategy mentioned in the text is a common but controversial practice. The sentence highlights how quickly prices can fluctuate between major competitors like Coles and Woolworths, which is a central point of the ongoing consumer rights debate in Australia.
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the subject receives the action rather than performing it. In this sentence, 'is known' indicates that the strategy doesn't know itself, but is recognized by others.
The new policy is known to all employees.
EN: The phrase 'be known as' is used to specify the name, title, or category of someone or something.
Paris is known as the City of Light.
EN: "High-Low" pricing is a common psychological marketing tactic where a retailer charges a high price for an item every day, but then offers a significant discount through promotions or coupons to create a sense of urgency and value for the customer.
EN: The sentence uses the Present Simple tense to describe a habitual action or a general business strategy. The third-person singular subject 'The supermarket' requires the verbs to end in '-s' (sets, offers).
The store opens at 9 AM every day.
EN: The 'to + infinitive' structure (to attract) is used here as an infinitive of purpose, explaining why the supermarket offers promotions.
He saved money to buy a new car.
EN: The 'High-Low' pricing strategy mentioned in the context is a common retail tactic where prices are kept high normally but dropped significantly during sales. This contrasts with 'Everyday Low Price' (EDLP) strategies used by retailers like Walmart or ALDI.
EN: Relative Clauses (Defining and Non-defining): The sentence uses two types of relative clauses. 'That followed this pattern' is a defining relative clause that identifies which products are being discussed. ', which include...' is a non-defining relative clause that provides extra information about those products, separated by a comma.
The company released a report that analyzed sales, which helped investors understand the market.
EN: At least: This phrase is an adverbial modifier used to indicate that a number or amount is the minimum possible, and it could be more.
You need to wait at least twenty minutes for the paint to dry.
EN: The conjunction 'because' is used to introduce a subordinate clause that provides a reason or explanation for the main clause.
I stayed home because it was raining.
EN: The determiner 'many more' is used to emphasize a significantly larger quantity of countable nouns.
Many more people attended the concert than expected.
EN: The Past Perfect Tense (had + past participle) is used here to describe an action (deceiving customers) that happened before another past action (the court finding).
The police discovered that the thief had escaped before they arrived.
EN: The conjunction 'after' introduces a subordinate clause that provides temporal context for the main event.
He felt much better after he took the medicine.
EN: This sentence refers to a real legal case in Australia where major supermarkets faced scrutiny over their pricing tactics. In Australia, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is a powerful body that protects consumer rights against misleading advertising.
EN: The verb 'ruled' is followed by a 'that' clause, which functions as a noun clause (the direct object of the verb). This structure is commonly used to report official decisions or statements.
The committee decided that the proposal was too expensive.
EN: The possessive form 'supermarket's' uses an apostrophe and 's' to indicate ownership or association with the noun that follows ('promotional program').
The company's logo is very recognizable.
EN: The 'Down Down' campaign is a famous long-running marketing strategy by Coles in Australia, using a giant red hand pointing downwards to signify price drops. The legal ruling mentioned reflects increasing scrutiny on whether these 'drops' are genuine or artificial.
EN: Present Perfect Continuous (have/has been + -ing): This tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present, or has just finished but has a strong connection to the present. It emphasizes the duration or the ongoing nature of the activity.
The police have been looking for the suspect for three days.
EN: Correlative Conjunctions (both... and...): This pair of words is used to join two equal elements (nouns, adjectives, or phrases) together, emphasizing that both items are included.
She likes both tea and coffee.
EN: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is a powerful independent government authority in Australia. Its role is to enforce competition and consumer protection laws, ensuring that businesses act fairly and do not mislead customers. In Australia, the supermarket industry is highly concentrated, dominated by Coles and Woolworths (often called the 'duopoly'), which is why ACCC investigations into their pricing are major national news.
EN: The verb 'deserve' is followed by an infinitive (to + verb) to indicate that someone should have or do something because of their qualities or actions.
All employees deserve to be treated with respect.
EN: The word 'if' is used here as a conjunction to introduce indirect questions or noun clauses, meaning 'whether'. It presents two or more possibilities.
I don't know if the store is open today.
EN: In Western retail markets like Australia, consumer rights are heavily protected by law. The statement reflects the expectation of 'price transparency,' where retailers are discouraged from using 'was/is' pricing (raising a price just to immediately discount it) to create a false sense of savings.
EN: The conjunction 'Although' is used to introduce a subordinate clause that expresses a contrast or concession. In English, 'although' is not paired with 'but' in the same sentence.
Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.
EN: The Present Perfect tense (has/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 new policy has improved customer satisfaction.
EN: In Australia, the supermarket sector is dominated by a duopoly consisting of Coles and Woolworths. This market structure often leads to public scrutiny regarding pricing tactics and competition, especially during periods of high inflation.
EN: The structure 'make it + adjective + for someone + to do something' uses 'it' as a dummy object (preparatory object). The real object is the infinitive phrase 'to find...'.
The heavy rain made it impossible for us to go hiking.
EN: The word 'that' introduces a noun clause acting as the direct object of the verb 'believe'. It connects the main subject/verb to a complete thought.
Experts believe that the economy will improve next year.
EN: In the Australian retail context, the duopoly of Coles and Woolworths is a frequent topic of public debate regarding competition and cost-of-living pressures. The term 'critics' often refers to consumer advocacy groups or economic analysts who monitor these market giants.
EN: The verb 'encourage' follows the pattern 'encourage someone to do something', where an object is followed by a to-infinitive to express the action being promoted.
The teacher encourages students to ask questions.
EN: The phrase 'where to buy' is a wh-word followed by a to-infinitive, acting as a noun phrase that serves as the object of the verb 'decide'.
I haven't decided where to go for my vacation.
EN: In Australia, the term 'groceries' typically refers to food and household items bought at supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths. The retail sector in Australia is often described as a 'duopoly' because these two major chains dominate the market, making price comparison a significant public interest topic.
EN: Present Perfect Tense (have/has + past participle): 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 new policy has caused many changes in the company.
EN: Collocation 'draw attention': A common word pairing where 'draw' means to attract or pull in. It is often modified by adjectives like 'significant' or 'considerable'.
Her unique style of painting drew international attention.
EN: In Australia, the supermarket duopoly of Coles and Woolworths is a major political and social issue. Because these two chains control about 65% of the market, any suspicion of price manipulation or misleading discounts quickly becomes national news and draws government scrutiny.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
A retail pricing strategy where a store charges a high price for an item and then periodically sells it at a lower price through promotions.
To start and stop something repeatedly or at specific times.
Simultaneously; happening during the same period.
To cause people to feel worried or to start a discussion about a potential problem.
The part of the economy that involves the sale of goods to the public in relatively small quantities for use or consumption.