'Increase In' or 'Increase Of'? Which One Is Correct? | Mastering Grammar

(Last Updated: 27 December 2023)

Increase In or Increase Of: Which One Is Correct?

Use increase in when you want to talk about what is increasing:

✅ The increase in production results in an increase in employment.
❌ The increase of production results in an increase of employment.

✅ The increase in employment will prompt people to buy more.
❌ The increase of employment will prompt people to buy more.

✅ There has been an increase in the amount of rubbish being produced.
❌ There has been an increase of the amount of rubbish being produced.

Use increase of with a percentage or number when you want to talk about the amount or size of an increase:

✅ We expect a price increase of 3% this year.
❌ We expect a price increase in 3% this year.

✅ The workers called for a wage increase of 5%.
❌ The workers called for a wage increase in 5%.

✅ There has been an increase of 100,000 people in the population of Hong Kong.
❌ There has been an increase in 100,000 people in the population of Hong Kong.

Examples from the Media

Nina Skero, the consultancy's chief executive, said that while an increase in the national minimum wage will have raised the incomes of many low-paid workers, the data showed many others were not able to benefit. —The Guardian (2022)

Biden's health officials warn of a substantial increase in coronavirus cases. —The New York Times (2022)

In Toronto, average monthly rent for condos in June was $2,748, an increase of 19 per cent year-over-year, the report adds. —Toronto Star (2022)

The ODT's average daily readership is 107,000, an increase of 16,000 people a day on the corresponding period last year, according to Nielsen. —Otago Daily Times (2021)

Practice

Choose the correct preposition to complete each sentence.

1. We saw a population increase in/of about 3% last year.

2. Shorter working hours resulted in a massive increase in/of productivity.

3. There has been a sharp increase in/of homeless people over the past 12 months.

4. We are deeply concerned about the increase in/of the crime rate.

5. We've had an increase in/of around 10% in our sales.

Answer Key

1. of    2. in    3. in    4. in    5. of

Recommended Further Reading

'Decrease In' or 'Decrease Of'? Which One Is Correct?