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 rise growth decrease fall decline drop fluctuation rise, rose, risen grow, grew, grown decrease fall, fell, fallen decline drop, dropped, dropped 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.

Verbs describing trends (Study next slide and fill in the chart) RISE ↗ FALL ↘ NO CHANGE → CHANGE OF DIRECTION ∩ U

Verbs to use: Level off Rise Remain constant Hold steady Drop Reach a high Climb back Plunge Decline Fluctuate Reach a low Recover Reach a peak/Peak Falter Go up Increase Slump Boom Flatten out Escalate Stabilize Collapse Slip back Soar Rocket Crash Grow Fall Bottom out Pick up Go down Decrease 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 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….