CHARTS, GRAPHS AND TRENDS VOCABULARY

Verbs
These verbs are alternatives to the basic rise and fall vocabulary. One benefit of using
them is that sometimes they help you avoid repeating too many numbers. If you have a
strong verb, you dont always have to give the exact figure.

Up verbs

Notes:
Soar and rocket are both very strong words that describe large rises.

Rocket is more sudden. You probably do not need to qualify these verbs with adverbs.
Leap shows a large and sudden rise. Again, you probably do not need to

qualify it with an adverb.

Climb is a relatively neutral verb that can be used with the adverbs below.

Down verbs

Notes:
Plummet is the strongest word here. It means to fall very quickly and a long
way.

Drop and drop are normally used for fairly small decreases
Slip back is used for falls that come after rises
Drop and Dip are also frequently used as nouns: eg a slight dip a sudden

drop

Adjectives and adverbs

This is a selection of some of the most common adjectives and adverbs used for trend
language. Please be careful. This is an area where it is possible to make low-level
mistakes. Make sure that you use adjectives with nouns and adverbs with verbs:
a significant rise correct (adjective/noun)
rose significantly correct (adverb/verb)
a significantly rise wrong wrong wrong
Please also note the spelling of the adverbs. There is a particular problem with the
word dramatically:
dramatically correct
dramaticly wrong
dramaticaly wrong

Adjectives of degree

notes

sudden and sharp can be used of relatively minor changes that happen
quickly

spectacular and dramatic are very strong words only to used to big, big, big
changes

Steady adjectives

Small adjectives

notes

marginal is a particularly useful word for describing very small changes

Other useful adjectives

These adjectives can be used to describes more general trends

notes

overall can be used to describe changes in trend over the whole period: very
useful in introductions and conclusions
upward and downward are adjectives: the adverbs are upwards and
downwards

Vocabulary for the Introduction Part:

Starting

Presentation Type

Verb

Description

The given / The

diagram / table / figure /

shows / represents /

The comparison of .

supplied / The

illustration / graph / figure / depicts / illustrates /

presented / The

chart / flow chart / picture/ presents/ gives / provides / The number of .

showed / The

presentation/ pie chart /

describes / compares/

Information on .

provided

bar graph/ line graph /

shows / figures / gives

Data on .

table data/ data /

data on / gives information The proportion of.

The differences .

information

on

The amount of .
Information on....

Example :
1.

The provided diagram shows data on employment categories in energy producing sectors in
Europe starting from 1925 to 1985.

2.

The given pie chart represent the proportion of male and female employee in 6 broad categories,
divided into manual and non-manual occupations.

3.

The chart gives information on expenditures of 4 European countries on six consumer products
namely Germany, Italy, Britain and France.
Vocabulary for the General trends Part:
In general, In common, As is presented, Generally speaking, As is observed.

Example:
1.

In general the employment opportunities has increased till 1970 and has dropped down
afterward.

2.

As is observed , the figures for imprisonment in the five mentioned countries no overall pattern of
increase or decrease rather shows the considerable fluctuation from country to country.

3.

Generally speaking, USA had far more standard life than all the other 4 mentioned countries.

Vocabulary to show the changes:

Trends

Verb form

Noun Form

Increase

rise / increase / go up / uplift / rocketed / climb /

a rise / an increase / an upward trend / a

upsurge / soar.

growth

Decrease

Steadiness

fall / decrease / decline / plummet / plunge / drop / a rise / an increase / an upward trend / a
reduce

growth

unchanged / level out / remain constant / remain

a fall / a decrease / a reduction / a

steady / plateau / remain the same / remain stable / downward trends /a downward tendency /
remain static

Gradual Increase

a decline/ a drop

an upward trend / an upward tendency / a

------

ceiling trend

Gradual decrease

a down ward trend / a down ward tendency

------

Standability

/ a descending trend

leveled off / remained constant / remained

unchanged / remained stable / prevailed
consistency / plateaued / reached a plateau /
stayed uniform /immutable / leveled out

--------

Examples:
1.

The overall sale of the Company has increased by 20% at the end of the year.

2.

The expenditure of the office remained constant for the last 6 months but the profit rose by almost
25%.

3.

There was a 15% drop in the student enrollment of the University.

4.

The population of the country remained almost the same as it was 2 years ago.

Vocabulary to represent changes in graphs:

Type of

Adverb form

Adjective form

Change
Rapid change dramatically / rapidly / sharply / dramatic / rapid / sharp / quick /
quickly / hurriedly / speedily /

hurried / speedy / swift

swiftly

Moderate

moderately / gradually /

moderate / gradual /

change

progressively / sequentially

Slight change slightly / slowly / mildly /

progressive / sequential

slight / slow / mild / tedious

tediously

Example:
1.

The economic inflation of the country increased sharply by 20% in 2006.

2.

There was a sharp drop in the industrial production in the year 2005.

3.

The demand for new houses dramatically increased in 2004.

Vocabulary to represent frequent changes in graphs:
Type of Change

Verb form

Noun form

Rapid ups and

wave / fluctuate / oscillate / vacillate waves / fluctuations /

downs

/ palpitate

oscillations / vacillations /
palpitations

Example:
1.

The price of the raw materials fluctuated for the first three months.

2.

The graph shows the oscillations of the price of fuel from 1998 to 2002.