Types
Bar
Pie
Line
Chart
Graphs






Key for this page
! = a little
!! = significant amount
!!! = dramatic amount
Otherwise, rates / amounts are not specific
Describing Upwards change
*Usual
to go up
to increase / an increase
to rise / a rise
to grow / a growth
** Quite common
to improve / an improvement
to get better
to recover / a recovery
To take off / a take off !!!
Shot up !!!
Climbed / a climb
*** Rare
to creep !
to soar (remained high)
to rocket!!!
What happened between month 4 and 5?
Describing Downwards change
*Usual
to go down
to decline
to decrease / a decrease
to fall / a fall !!
to drop / a drop !!
**Quite common
to deteriorate / a deterioration
to get worse
to worsen / a worsening
to slump / a slump (falling for a long time)
To crash / a crash !!!
to slide / a slide
***Rare
to collapse / a collapse !!!
to plummet / a plummet !!!
to plunge !!!
to dive !!!
to stagnate (remained low)
What happened between months 5 and 6?
Speed of change
rapid -rapidly !!
steady -steadily
gradual -gradually !
slow – slowly
Degree of change
Sharp -sharply !!
Exponential -exponentially !!!
dramatic -dramatically !!!
significant -significantly !!
moderate -moderately !!
slight -slightly !
marked – markedly !!
Steep – steeply !!!
Substantial -ly !!
considerable -ly !!
What happened between A1 and A18?
Other
to remain stable
to flatten out
to hold steady
to level out
to reach a peak
to peak / a peak
to fluctuate / a fluctuation
to bottom out
to reach a low point
to hit a low / a low
to rally
to dip / a dip
to bounce back / to rebound
Negative growth
THE Future
The outlook seems …
The period looks…
We predict
The forecast is
We’re optimistic that / about
The past
Unexpectedly !!!
Suddenly !!!
As forecast
As suspected
As predicted
Feelings
Disappointing
Elated
Happy / Happily
Sadly
Unfortunately
Positive
Depressing
Gloomy
Delighted
Prepositions
to stand at
from…to…
by an increase of…
The rate of growth increased by 20%
Starting with £5
Sales increased to £10
There was an increase of £5 (total is £10)
Sales increased by £5 (total of £10)
… doubled (£10)
… tripled
… quadrupled
…
Time
Increased over the third quarter
Through the period (week month etc)
Continue
Through the quarter
Just under
Just over
Well under / over
Approximately
Around / about
Roughly
Test 1
Look at the following graph.
Adverbs: Slightly / dramatically/ rapidly / gradually
Adjectives: stable / huge/ slight / rapid
Verbs: Fall / rise / jump / shoot /
Nouns: a + fall/ drop /increase / rise /
Now complete the following sentences using the appropriate words:
- Sales went up _____ in 2001.
- Sales_______ from 752K in 2000 to _____ in 2007.
- Sales ________ (verb) _________ (adverb) from 2001 to 2006.
- There was a ______ (adjective) _______ (noun) between 2001 and 2006.
- Sales ______ (verb) _______(adverb) from 2007 to 2010.
Test 2
The number of arrows shows the degree of change required
1. Well Mary, sales are ____________ (negative feeling), could you tell us why sales have __________ ↓ ? The board wants an explanation.
2. Sales ________ ↑↑ in January reaching a ________ (top limit) of 6,700 before __________ ↓↓ to 5,800 in just a week!
3. June was a _________ (the figures didn’t really change) month, with sales ____________ (going up and down) ___________ 5 and 6,000.
4. Our twitter followers __________ ↓↓↓ in August because of the outrage, _______ 2000 _______ 500!!!
5. I’m not sure about the data, it seems our reach ________ ↑ to _______ (unsure) 10.5K
6. We are quite __________ (good feeling) about the future, we __________ (to guess the future) sales ____ (preposition) approximately 200k