Describing Trends or Movements in Graphs/Charts

DESCRIBING TRENDS OR
MOVEMENTS IN
GRAPHS/CHARTS
How to describe graphs and charts:
TRENDS AND MOVEMENTS
 upward trend (e.g. increase)
 stability (no change) (e.g. be stable)
 change of directions (e.g. recover)
 downward trend (e.g. fall)
Language:
nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions,
time adverbials, sentence structure
Such language is widely used in
business …
 Britain’s economy grew AT its slowest
annual rate for 12 years in the second
quarter.
 A recent survey has reported the
fastest-ever year-on-year sales decline.
 Germany’s August sales fell for the third
month in a row. (for the third
consecutive month)
Such language is widely used in
business …
 A plunge IN sales was recorded in America.
 Consumer confidence is declining sharply.
 Wal-Mart’s sales increased BY 0.2% TO
$76.8 bn in the second quarter.
 Tesco’s sales were up 14% TO ₤18.8bn.
(sales are up ≠ sales are down)
 rising fuel costs / increasing household debt
(falling...) (decreasing...)
NOUN VERB
 increase  increase
 rise  rise, rose, risen
 growth  grow, grew, grown
 decrease  decrease
 fall  fall, fell, fallen
 decline  decline
 drop  drop, dropped, dropped
 fluctuation  fluctuate
PREPOSITIONS
 to rise from $1m to $2m
 to increase (by) 100%
 an increase of 100%
 to fall from $2m to $1m

 to decrease (by) 50%
 a decrease of 50%
A rise in sales, a fall in profits, ...

Sales are at last year’s level.The price is at €2.5 per
litre.
Translate (Reader):
 povećanje cijene od  An increase in the
15% price of 15%
(A 15% increase in
the price)
 povećati cijenu za
 To increase the
15% price by 15%
 povisiti cijenu na  To increase the
23,000 price to 23,000
 povisiti cijenu za  To increase the
23,000 price by 23,000
 Cijena je na $2.3.  The price is at $2.3.
PODRAVKA MAKES HRK21m PROFIT
Podravka, the Koprivnica-based food
producer, made a net profit 1........
HRK21m last year. The company’s total
income increased 2......... 7.1 per cent
reaching HRK2.4bn in 1997. This year, its
first quarter income went up 3.........
HRK631m, a rise 4......... 11 per cent. Last
year, Podravka’s sales grew 5......... 7.56
per cent 6......... HRK2.3bn. They were
7......... HRK 596.5m in the first quarter of
this year, an increase 8......... 12 per cent.
(HINA, 1998)
PODRAVKA MAKES HRK21m
PROFIT
Podravka, the Koprivnica-based food producer,
made a net profit (1)of HRK21m last year. The
company’s total income increased (2)by7.1 per
cent reaching HRK2.4bn in 1997. This year, its
first quarter income went up (3)to HRK631m, a
rise (4) of 11 per cent. Last year, Podravka’s
sales grew (5) by 7.56 per cent (6) to
HRK2.3bn. They were (7) at HRK 596.5m in
the first quarter of this year, an increase 8of 12
per cent.
(HINA, 1998)
Verbs describing trends
(Study next slide and fill in the chart)
RISE FALL NO CHANGE CHANGE OF
DIRECTION
↗ ↘ →
∩U
Verbs to use:
 Level off  Slump
 Rise  Boom
 Remain constant  Flatten out
 Hold steady  Escalate
 Drop  Stabilize
 Reach a high
 Collapse
 Slip back
 Climb back
 Soar
 Plunge  Rocket
 Decline  Crash
 Fluctuate  Grow
 Reach a low  Fall
 Recover  Bottom out
 Reach a peak/Peak  Pick up
 Falter  Go down
 Go up  Decrease
 Increase  Decline
Intensity
Adjectives and adverbs (MK p.185/186)
e.g.
 to rise suddenly/ a sudden rise in
 to drop sharply / a sharp drop in
 fall slightly / a slight fall in
 to decrease moderately/ a moderate decrease
in ...
Guidelines to describe a chart
(Reader):
 Describe the general trend
e.g. A downward trend is noticed in the retail sales in 2005.
 When did it peak/reach a low?
 Time: In what period...? For how long ....?
e.g. in the period between March and June 2005, in the first
quarter of 2005, in the second half of 2005, for three
consecutive months...
 How intensive/quick was the change?

Back to describing graphs and
charts:
Graph description
(see next slide for analysis)
 In the period between Feb 1999 and Jan
2000, an upward trend was recorded in the
growth rate of retail sales peaking at x% at
the end of the observed period. Having
reached a low towards the end of January
1999, retail sales started rising in
February, slipped back in March and
remained stable at X% throughout April. A
sharp increase to X% is visible in early May
followed by an abrupt drop to X% in June.
Retail sales climbed back to X% in July.
They went up mildly in August and
continued rising in September.
1.Italics: intensity/speed (How fast/intensive is the
change?)
2.Underlined – time adverbials (When?)
3.Red - trend (up/down?, changed direction?)
4.Blue – prepositions
 In the period between Feb 1999 and Jan 2000, an

upward trend was recorded in the growth rate of
retail sales peaking at x% at the end of the observed
period.
Having reached a low towards the end of January
1999, retail sales started rising in February, slipped
back in March and remained stable at X%
throughout April. A sharp increase to X% is visible
in early May followed by an abrupt drop to X% in
June. Retail sales climbed back to X% in July. They
went up mildly in August and continued rising in
September….

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DESCRIBING TRENDS OR

 to fall from $2m to $1m

A rise in sales, a fall in profits, ...

e.g. A downward trend is noticed in the retail sales in 2005.

 When did it peak/reach a low?

 Time: In what period...? For how long ....?

 How intensive/quick was the change?

 In the period between Feb 1999 and Jan 2000, an

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