Collocation Mini-Lessons

Business Performance

Lesson 44  ·  Professional & Workplace

B1 – B2

Register Key

General Casual News Professional Workplace
4 phrases  ·  5 example sentences each  ·  See how each phrase is used across different real-world contexts.

1 increase sales
Example Sentences ▾
  • ◆The best way to increase sales is usually to focus on the customer experience first.General
  • ◆We need to increase sales — the numbers from last quarter were not good.Casual
  • ◆The company launched a major advertising campaign to increase sales ahead of the holiday season.News
  • ◆The regional team increased sales by thirty percent through a combination of new pricing and targeted outreach.Professional
  • ◆Staff were briefed on the new promotional offers designed to increase sales during the slow period.Workplace
2 reduce costs
Example Sentences ▾
  • ◆Reducing costs doesn't always mean cutting quality — sometimes it means working smarter.General
  • ◆They're always talking about reducing costs, but the cuts always seem to hit the wrong people.Casual
  • ◆The airline announced a restructuring plan aimed at reducing costs by two hundred million dollars.News
  • ◆The operations team identified several opportunities to reduce costs without affecting output quality.Professional
  • ◆New energy-efficient equipment was installed specifically to reduce costs on the production floor.Workplace
3 improve performance
Example Sentences ▾
  • ◆Small, consistent changes are usually the most sustainable way to improve performance.General
  • ◆I really need to improve my performance this month — last month was not my best.Casual
  • ◆The national team brought in a specialist coach to improve performance ahead of the championships.News
  • ◆The restructuring was designed to streamline operations and improve overall business performance.Professional
  • ◆Regular equipment calibration is one of the simplest ways to improve performance on the line.Workplace
4 expand a business
Example Sentences ▾
  • ◆Expanding a business into new areas is exciting, but it carries real risks that need managing.General
  • ◆They're thinking about expanding the business overseas — I hope they know what they're getting into.Casual
  • ◆The tech startup announced plans to expand its business into Latin America by the end of next year.News
  • ◆The board approved a three-year plan to expand the business through both organic growth and acquisition.Professional
  • ◆Expanding the business means hiring additional staff and upgrading key areas of the facility.Workplace
★ Bonus

gain a competitive edge