What is reduce? Pronunciation and usage in English

Let's break down how to use the word "reduce" in English. It's a versatile word with several different meanings and ways to use it. Here's a comprehensive guide:

1. As a Verb – To Make Smaller

This is the most common meaning. "Reduce" means to make something smaller in size, amount, or degree.

• Physical Size:

  • “The rain reduced to a drizzle.” (The rain became less heavy.)
  • “He reduced the size of the photograph.” (He made the photo smaller.)
  • “The furniture was reduced in scale to fit the small room.” (The furniture was made smaller to fit.)

• Quantity/Amount:

  • “We need to reduce our spending.” (We need to spend less.)
  • “They reduced the price of the tickets.” (They lowered the price.)
  • “The company reduced its workforce.” (The company fired employees.)
  • “The recipe was reduced to half.” (The ingredients were cut in half.)

• Intensity/Degree:

  • “The intensity of the pain was reduced.” (The pain became less severe.)
  • “The noise was reduced to a whisper.” (The noise became quieter.)
  • “He reduced his anger.” (He calmed down.)

2. As a Verb – To Bring Down to a Lower Value or Level

This often applies to numbers, rates, or percentages.

• “The government plans to reduce taxes.” (Lower the tax rates.)
• “The unemployment rate is expected to be reduced this quarter.” (The unemployment rate is expected to go down.)
• “The interest rate was reduced by 0.5%.” (The interest rate decreased.)

3. As an Adjective – Decreased, Lowered

"Reduced" can also be used as an adjective to describe something that has been decreased.

• “He received a reduced price on the item.” (He got a lower price)
• “The tickets were sold at a reduced rate.” (The tickets cost less)
• “The company offered a reduced work week.” (They offered employees fewer hours).

Phrases and Expressions with "Reduce"

• Reduce to: This means to bring something down to its simplest form or cause something to come to a specific state.

  • “The complex problem was reduced to its core components.”
  • “He was reduced to tears.” (He was brought to tears – often due to sadness)

• Reduce something by: To decrease something by a certain amount.

  • “We’ll reduce our carbon footprint by using public transport.”

• Reduce (something) to its essentials: To strip something down to its most important parts.

• Reduce stress: To lower or eliminate stress.

Tips for Using "Reduce" Correctly:

• Consider the context: Pay attention to what you're trying to make smaller – is it size, quantity, intensity, or something else?
• Use the correct tense: "Reduce" can be in the present simple ("We reduce our spending"), present continuous ("They are reducing the price"), or past simple ("He reduced the volume").
• Be precise: Specify what you're reducing. "Reduce costs" is better than just "reduce."

Example Sentences to Practice:

1. “The city council is trying to reduce traffic congestion.”
2. “The teacher reduced the homework assignment to just one problem.”
3. “The company decided to reduce its investment in that particular project.”
4. “Please reduce the volume of your music.”
5. “The amount of waste we generate needs to be reduced.”

To help me give you even more tailored advice, could you tell me:

• What are you trying to do with the word "reduce"? (e.g., write an essay, have a conversation, etc.)