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The English we speak.

From BBC learning English.

dot com.

Hello, Neil here with you. Learning English.com.

Hello, Neil here with you, and this is Faye. Hello.

The word we're going to focus on today is the verb to downsize.

That's the word companies use to describe cutting a number of jobs and making employees redundant.

Down sizing is the noun.

Yes, when they make workers redundant, the companies become smaller in size. They downsize.

You might have heard or read this verb during the economic downturn of the last few years.

As most people were short of money, they decided to save the money they did have,

and it had an impact on businesses all over the world.

And some people have started applying the term to their own situations. If you've had to sell your house and move to a smaller flat, for example, you might say you were downsizing.

To downsize is today's expression in the English we speak. Let's hear some examples of how it's used.

The growth of online sales in the UK has forced many retail businesses to downsize. Some of them have reduced their

number of outlets in the high street. Now the time going to university my parents have decided to downsize.

They are selling the house, moving to a flat and using some of the money to travel the world.

And if you don't mind me saying, Neil, I think you would benefit from downsizing.

What do you mean? I don't own a company. I'm not selling my house or anything.

No, but I've noticed you've um well you know you really enjoy your food don't you?

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