noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ big , considerable , great , large , major , marked , significant , substantial
▪
The changes may result in a greater ~ in employee numbers than we had previously expected.
▪ dramatic , drastic , huge , massive , remarkable , severe
▪
a sale with massive ~s on selected items
▪ minor , modest , slight , small
▪ tenfold , fiftyfold , etc.
▪ further
▪ possible
▪ actual , net , overall , real
▪ across-the-board , general
▪ rapid , sharp , steep
▪ slow
▪ immediate , sudden
▪ gradual , progressive , steady
▪ initial
▪ recent
▪ long-term , permanent
▪ proposed
▪ percentage
▪
A small percentage ~ in the cost of materials would mean a significant increase in profit.
▪ cost , debt , deficit , pay , price , tariff , tax , wage
▪ emission , noise , pollution , waste
▪ harm , pain , risk , stress
▪
a drug strategy which prioritizes harm ~
▪ poverty
▪
The IMF claims to put poverty ~ at the heart of its policies.
▪ size , weight
▪
The result is a 75 to 80% size ~.
▪ breast
▪
She had a breast ~ last year.
▪ staff
▪ arms , troop
VERB + REDUCTION
▪ achieve , make , secure
▪
The government has found it difficult to make real ~s in spending.
▪
Every effort is made to secure the highest possible ~ in casualties.
▪ cause , lead to , make , produce , result in
▪
These simple changes will make a substantial ~ in the fat content of your diet.
▪ avoid
▪ ask for , demand , seek
▪
I asked for a ~ as the dress was damaged.
▪ require
▪ get , receive
▪
Guests staying 14 nights will receive a 10% ~.
▪ experience , have
▪
The company has had a ~ in sales.
▪ suffer
▪
They suffered a severe ~ in income.
▪ accept , welcome ( esp. BrE )
▪
I welcome the ~ in road traffic fatalities.
▪ give (sb) , offer (sb)
▪ propose
▪
She proposed a ~ in the state president's powers.
▪ notice , observe , see
▪
Police said they had noticed a significant ~ in crime last year.
▪ announce
▪
The gas company has announced price ~s for all customers.
▪ mean , represent
▪
Our average margins dropped to 35%, which represents a ~ in gross margins of £109 million.
▪ demonstrate , show
▪
Figures just released show a steady ~ in levels of emissions over the last four years.
REDUCTION + VERB
▪ occur , take place
REDUCTION + NOUN
▪ target
▪
the government's waste ~ targets
PREPOSITION
▪ through a/the ~
▪
economic growth through a ~ in interest rates
▪ ~ by
▪
~ by 30%
▪ ~ from , ~ in
▪
There has been a sharp ~ in the number of accidents on our roads.
▪ ~ of
▪
a ~ of carbon dioxide emissions
▪ ~ on
▪
a 25% ~ on normal subscription rates
▪ ~ to
▪
a ~ in the speed limit from 50 to 40 miles per hour
PHRASES
▪ a ~ in numbers
▪
Asian elephants have experienced a 50% ~ in numbers over the last three generations.
▪
They are concerned about the ~ in numbers of people eligible for legal aid.
▪ a ~ in the amount of sth , a ~ in the number of sth , a ~ in the size of sth
▪
the ~ in the number of hospital beds