Meaning of “Increase”

verb: To become larger or greater (intransitive); to make larger (transitive).

noun: An amount by which something becomes larger; the process of growing larger.

Pronunciation

• verb: /ɪnˈkɹiːs/ (stress on the second syllable: in-CREE-as)
• noun: /ˈɪnkɹiːs/ (stress on the first syllable: IN-krees)

Morphology

Base form: increase (verb & noun)

Past tense / Past participle: increased

Present participle: increasing

Third person singular present: increases

Grammar Notes

• As a verb, it can be both transitive (“increase the volume”) and intransitive (“he rates to increase”).
• As a noun, it’s countable (“an increase in salary”) and uncountable (“a significant increase in prices”).
• Past tense forms end with “-ed”: increased.

Interesting Facts

1. Latin Roots: Comes from Latin “increscere” (in- = “in/on” + crescō = “to grow”). This connects it to “crese” (grow) in Spanish.

2. **Stress Shift:** Notice how stress switches from the second syllable in the verb (/ɪnˈkɹiːs/) to the first syllable in the noun (/ˈɪnkɹiːs/).

3. **Knitting Term:** In knitting, “increase” has a specific technique meaning to create extra stitches.

How to Learn It Easier

• Link it to “crease” (to fold) – think “in-crease = fold in more, grow more.”
• Imagine prices “increasing” when you see a rising chart line.
• Note the verb stress: position after “in-” is key.

Examples

• Simple: I increase the gas heat when cooking. (Transitive verb)
• Medium: Rainfall has increasedsigh”.