Britain has voted to leave the European Union, a decision commonly called Brexit—a word made from combining "Britain" and "exit". This will be big news for the foreseeable future, especially as markets adjust to the new situation. Do you know how to discuss this topic in English? Here are some words and phrases you should use:
Britain and Wales voted marginally in favor of leaving, while Scotland heavily backed staying in the EU. World opinion overwhelmingly opposes the move.
Here are some adverbs used to describe support (from weak to strong):
- narrowly > marginally > strongly/heavily > overwhelmingly
| Subject | Adverb | Verb | Complement | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| weak ↓ strong |
The people | narrowly | voted | in favor of | the new policy. |
| marginally | a change in the law. | ||||
| Politicians | strongly/heavily | against | leaving the EU. | ||
| overwhelmingly | a tax increase. | ||||
Currency markets around the world have been volatile, and the price of gold has been especially turbulent.
Here are some words to describe the markets arranged from weakest to strongest. Markets are:
- unstable > unpredictable > erratic > volatile > turbulent
Some very strong language is also used in situations like this. Various blogs and news reports have said markets are going crazy, freaking out or flipping out (all idioms for reacting in an extreme way).
Global currency has been effected too. We can say the pound plummeted, dropped, tanked or took a nose-dive. On the other hand, the value of the Japanese yen has soared, skyrocketed or increased dramatically.
Using these words and phrases, you'll sound a lot more natural when discussing world markets and Brexit.
