Describing
Trends - By Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com).
When
describing changes in data represented in a graph or bar chart, the following
structures are common:
Adjective and Noun.
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Time @ |
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Adjective |
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Noun |
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steep |
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In February |
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sharp |
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considerable |
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Between March and June |
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there was a |
marked |
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rise |
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increase |
in the (variable*) |
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Since 1992*** |
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there has been a*** |
steady |
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gradual |
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from ** to ** |
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From January to May |
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fall |
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small |
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drop |
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slight |
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Verb and Adverb.
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Time @ |
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Variable |
Verb |
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Adverb |
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In February |
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rose/risen |
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steeply |
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increased |
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sharply |
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Between March and April |
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went up |
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considerably |
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markedly |
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Since 1992*** |
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the (variable*) |
has gone up*** |
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from ** to ** |
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steadily |
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went down |
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gradually |
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From January to |
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fell |
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September |
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has fallen*** dropped |
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slightly a little |
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@ The time reference can come first or
last.
*
the price of sth,
the number of sth, sales, profits etc.
** a number, an amount of money, a
percentage etc.
***
Don't forget that if the data represented forms a link between the past and the
present, the present perfect simple should be used.
The highest point, the lowest
point and no change in a trend.
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Time @ |
Variable |
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Feature |
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Amount |
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In February |
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peaked |
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Between March and April |
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reached a peak |
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the (variable*)
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levelled off/out |
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at ** |
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Since 1992*** |
(has***) |
remained steady/stable |
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From January to September |
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reached its lowest point |
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Additional expressions
Plunge
(verb & noun) and plummet (verb only), (take a) tumble and take a nose dive
(idioms) are very sharp drops.
Dip
(verb & noun) is a slight fall against the trend.
Shoot
up/down (phrasal verb) means to rise or fall very sharply.
Describing trends practice
exercise