BBC Learning English News

2025-02-05 Trump’s tariffs – Learning English from the News

The story

US President Donald Trump has started imposing tariffs on imports into the USA.

Tariffs make imports more expensive – a cost which is often passed onto consumers who have to pay more for imported products.

Donald Trump has imposed 10% tariffs on all Chinese imports to the US. He had also threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, but these have been suspended for 30 days.

News headlines

China announces tit-for-tat tariffs as US levies come into effect
MSN

As Trump’s tariff pledge comes due, he vows to follow through on key campaign promise
CNN

Trump’s tariffs are already bearing fruit
The Telegraph

Key words and phrases

tit-for-tat
describes an action done in retaliation

  • You ate the last biscuit, so I’m going to eat your piece of cake – it’s tit for tat.

follow through (on)
fulfil a promise

  • I can’t come. I said I’d help my friend move house, so I need to follow through on that promise.

bearing fruit
getting a positive result

  • Well done on your exam results! All your hard work is now bearing fruit.

BBC Learning English

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