ADJ
- constant, expected, regular, steady
- slow
- the slow rate of change
- fast, rapid
- alarming, phenomenal
- The costs of the project are rising at an alarming rate
- low
- There is a low survival rate among babies born before 22 weeks
- high
- ever-increasing, rocketing
- seasonally-adjusted
- The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in December stood at 5%
- success
- divorce, marriage
- death, mortality
- survival
- birth, fertility
- accident
- crime
- growth, inflation
- metabolic, pulse, respiratory
- We need to eat less as we get older and our metabolic rate slows down
VERB + RATE
- improve, increase, speed up
- cut, hold down, reduce, slow down
- trying to hold down the rate of inflation
- stabilize
- maintain
- increase
RATE + VERB
- be/go/shoot up, grow, increase, rise, rocket, skyrocket, soar
- be/ come/go down, decline, decrease, drop, fall, plummet, plunge, slow, slip
PREP
- at a/the ~
- The water was escaping at a rate of 200 gallons a minute
ADJ
- competitive, cheap, low, moderate, reasonable
- We have a wide range of vehicles available for hire at competitive rates. Calls are cheap rate after 6 p.m
- extortionate, high
- excellent, good
- poor
- The account offers a poor rate of interest
- fixed, flat
- You can opt to pay a flat rate for unlimited Internet access
- usual
- going
- I'll pay you at the going rate (= the present usual rate of payment)
- variable
- annual, hourly, weekly
- base, basic, standard
- top
- paying the top rate of tax
- average
- market
- current market rates for borrowing
- group, preferential, reduced
- Ask about the special group rates for entrance to the house and gardens
- bank, exchange, interest, lending, mortgage, tax
VERB + RATE
- determine, fix, set
- increase, lift, put up, raise
- cut, lower, reduce
- hold
- We will hold these rates until 1 April
- charge
- They charge the usual rate of interest
- pay
- give (sb), offer (sb)
RATE + VERB
- go/shoot up, increase, rise
- Their hourly rates have gone up
- come/ go down, drop
- fluctuate
- Exchange rates are fluctuating wildly
- apply to sth
- Standard rates of interest apply to these loans
PREP
- at a/the ~
- borrowing money at a high rate of interest
- ~ for
- the average rate for an unskilled worker
- ~ of
- an increase in the rate of taxation
PHRASES
- a drop in interest rates, a rise in mortgage rates, etc.
- a one-point rise in base lending rates
- a rate of return
- safe investments which give a good rate of return