a sharp decline — a sharp decline (steep fall)
collocationC1IELTS 7+neutralcommon
a sudden and significant drop in the level, amount, or quality of something, often used for statistics, performance, or conditions.
Say it like a native
Textbook There was a sudden and large reduction in sales.
Native There was a sharp decline in sales.
'A sharp decline in' is the standard data phrasing.
Pattern: a sharp decline in [noun]
In use
- There was a sharp decline in smartphone sales last year after the new model failed to impress consumers.work
- If you look at the graph, you can see a sharp decline in the number of people using public transport after 2020, which could be due to the pandemic.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ There was a sharp decline of sales.
✓ There was a sharp decline in sales.
'A decline IN' something, not 'of'.
Common collocations
a sharp decline in— in sales, in numbers, in quality, steep
Don't confuse it
Unlike 'a gradual decline', which describes a slow decrease, 'a sharp decline' means the fall happens quickly and is quite noticeable. 'Sharp' is stronger and more precise than 'big' or 'sudden' in this collocation.