Business & Economy
A market situation where a single company dominates the entire industry with no competition.
a monopoly
An informal event at a venue where amateur performers are invited to take the stage and perform live.
open-mike night
Rephrase: "I'm 100% sure the board is not happy with the current turnover."
"The board can't..."
The board can't be happy with the current turnover
Transform using a passive structure: "They expect the city to transform the downtown infrastructure before the festival."
he downtown infrastructure is expected to be transformed before the festival.
Complete the structure: "We were pleasantly ________ by the sheer variety of local talent at the open-mike night.
surprised
When a company reduces its prices to lower levels than its competitors to win business.
undercut
An official offer or proposal by a city or country to host a major international event.
a bid
Rephrase: "It is logical that they spent millions, considering the scale of the new infrastructure."
"They must..."
They must have spent millions on the new infrastructure
Rephrase with fronted adverbial: "The company decided to branch out without prior warning."
"Without..."
Without prior warning, the company decided to branch out
Rephrase: "Everyone thought the indie film would fail, but it won three awards."
"Contrary to..."
Contrary to expectations, the indie film won three awards.
To start doing a new type of business activity or enter a new market area.
branch out
An organized refusal to participate in or buy goods from an event or organization as a protest.
a boycott
Complete with deduction: "Look at their sales figures! They're struggling to survive; they ________ making any profit this quarter."
can't be
Passive Reporting: "People report that the event was catalyst for the city's economic boom."
"The event..."
The event is reported to have been a catalyst for the city's economic boom
Complete: "The new management is ________ to submit a full financial audit before branching out into new markets."
expected
The total amount of money a business receives in sales during a particular period.
turnover
Financial support provided by government or institutions for specific projects, like cultural events.
grants
Complete in the past: "The organizers ________ anticipated the boycott, because they cancelled the gig at the very last minute."
must have
Correct the error: "Significantly, the grant was reduced after the board reviewed the budget." (Rephrase using an adverbial phrase of place/condition).
Under the new budget constraints / In the final report, the grant was significantly reduced.
Make a sentence: "It came as no surprise..." using boycott and corruption.
It came as no surprise that the public decided to boycott the event following allegations of corruption
When a large corporation is legally forced to separate into smaller independent companies.
broken up
A person, event, or decision that acts as a powerful driver to accelerate change or development.
catalyst
Rephrase: "It's impossible that she was appointed to the board without the chairman's approval."
"She..."
She can't have been appointed to the board without the chairman's approval.
Complex Passive: "The board is currently considering a proposal to break up the firm."
"A proposal to break up the firm..."
What is "A proposal to break up the firm is currently being considered by the board.
Rephrase using an expectation pattern: "Analysts didn't anticipate that the tech monopoly would be broken up so quickly."
The tech monopoly was not expected to be broken up so quickly by analysts.