[xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] prefer verb To like one thing better than another. I greatly prefer this version. I prefer tea over coffee in the mornings. I prefer staying home rather than going out tonight. Do you prefer working alone or in a team? Does she prefer reading books to watching movies?

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] increase verb To become larger or greater in number or amount. Sales increased significantly during the holiday season. The volume of work has increased dramatically. Sun exposure may increase the risk of skin cancer. The cost of the project has increased rapidly since it began. Sales have increased by 10%.

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] save up phrase To accumulate money for future use. It took me months to save up enough money to go on vacation. They will save up for a house down payment. She’s saving up for a new car. They have saved up a substantial amount over the years.

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] excitement noun A feeling of great enthusiasm. There was no excitement in his voice today. I can’t contain my excitement about the upcoming vacation. His excitement faded quickly after hearing the bad news. She clapped her hands in excitement. Can you feel the excitement before the concert starts?

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] insist verb To demand firmly or persistently. She insisted on paying for dinner. He has always insisted on punctuality from the team. He insisted that we follow the rules strictly. She insists on a full refund. Did he insist on seeing the manager immediately?

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] come across phrase To find or meet by chance. I came across an old friend at the market. She came across some interesting facts while researching. They came across a rare bird during their hike. We’ve come across a few problems that need resolving. We might come across new opportunities during the trip.

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] promise verb To assure someone that you will definitely do something. Don’t promise things you cannot deliver or achieve. Do you promise to be there on time? They promised their kids a trip to Disneyland. I can’t promise I’ll be there. Can you promise to keep this a secret?

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] random adjective Made or done without a specific pattern or reason. She has chosen a random book from the shelf. We will conduct a random survey next week. They have found a random error in the system. We will generate random numbers for the experiment. Did they perform a random check on the inventory?

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] reduce verb To make something smaller or less in amount. We need to reduce our expenses this month. He didn’t reduce his speed despite the warnings. He tries to reduce stress through meditation daily. Giving up smoking reduces the risk of heart disease. Costs have been reduced by 20% over the past year.

 [xyz-ips snippet=”Date”] challenge verb To question or dispute the truth or validity of something. She challenged the accuracy of his statement. They didn’t challenge the results of the test. He challenged her version of the events. Why didn’t anyone challenge his false claims?