Can I replace "shoot up" with "increase"? Does it mean the same?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
Yes, you can replace "shoot up" with "increase." However, the speaker has used "shoot up" to emphasize the size of the increase, so it is better to use a stronger verb to better express this. For example, "rocket," "soar," or "surge" would also work well in this context. Ex: Sales increased by 10%. = Sales soared by 70%. = Sales surged by 70%.