Vocabulary for Describing Graph Trends

Word

Part of Speech

Example Sentence

Total
expenditure
verb:
to
increase,
is
increased
from
increasing, has increased,
$33,611m to $39,165m
increased
from 1995 to 1996.
increa
se
noun: an increase of From 1995 to 1996
$5,554m
there was an increase
an increase in spending of in
expenditure
of
$5,554m
$5,554m.
Expenditure on primary
verb:
to
decrease,
is
education decreased
decreasing, has decreased,
from 22.2% to 21.5%
decre decreased
from 1995 to 1996.
ase
noun: a decrease of 0.7% From 1995 to 1996
a decrease in spending of there was a decrease
0.7%
in expenditure of 0.7%.

rise

fall

Total expenditure rose

verb: to rise, is rising, has from
$33,611m
to
risen, rose
$39,165m from 1995 to
1996.
From 1995 to 1996
noun: a rise of $5,554m
there was a rise in
a rise in spending of
expenditure
of
$5,554m
$5,554m.
Expenditure on primary
verb: to fall, is falling, has education
fell
from
fallen, fell
22.2% to 21.5% from
1995 to 1996.
From 1995 to 1996
noun: a fall of 0.7%
there was a fall in
a fall in spending of 0.7%
expenditure of 0.7%.

drop

Expenditure on primary
verb: to drop, is dropping, education
dropped
has dropped, dropped
from 22.2% to 21.5%
from 1995 to 1996.
noun:

drop

of

0.7% From

1995

to

1996

a drop in spending of 0.7%

there was a drop in

expenditure of 0.7%.

After an introductory clause

Spending rose in all
that
includes
some
three years, increasing
analysis; e.g. 'Spending
-ing
from 17.6% to 18%
rose in all three years', an
forms
from 1995 to 1996, and
'_ing' form can be used to
then rising again to
describe
numbers
and
18.2% in 1997-8.
dates.
Practice
Have a look at the table below.
Then, to help you with describing graph trends, decide which word should
go in the gap in the example answer.
Expenditure on Education in Hong Kong 1995 to 1998
Breakdown
spending

of

1995-6

1996-7

1997-8

Total expenditure ($
33,611
million)

39,165

45,315

As % of government
17.6%
budget

18%

18.2%

21.5%
33.2%
36.7%

21.6%
33.5%
35.9%

% spent on

primary
education

secondary
education

tertiary
education

22.2%
33.7%
35.9%

Describing Graph Trends - Gap Fill

Public expenditure on education in Hong Kong (1) _____________
continuously from 1995 to 1998. In academic year 1995-6 it
(2)_________________ HK$33,611 million, (3)______________ to $39,165
million in 1996-7 and $45,315 million in 1997-8. As a percentage of the

governments budget spending on education also increased (4)______

year, from 17.6% to 18% and then to 18.2%.
However, the percentage of expenditure spent on primary, secondary and
tertiary education did not show the same consistent (5)_______. In 1995-6
expenditure on primary education was 22.2% of the education budget,
33.7% (6)_________ on secondary, and 35.9% on tertiary.
In 1996, (7) ____________ of 0.8% in spending on tertiary education was
finanaced by a (8)_________ in spending of 0.7% in primary and 0.5% in
secondary schooling.
In 1997-8 tertiary spending as a percent of the education budget
(9)_________to its 1995-6 level. The percentage spent on primary
education (10)__________ to 21.6% and that on secondary to 33.5%, both
figures being less than 1995-6 levels.
Choose the correct word to fit in the gap

1. increases
increased
increasing

2. was
rose to
reached

3. increased
dropping
rising

4. an increase
increased

increasing

5. rise
rose
rising

6. spent
spending
was spent

7. an increase
increase
was increased

8. increase
drop
dropped

9. dropped
increased
returned

10.

rised

rose
increase

This lesson will hopefully have helped you with the basics of describing
graph trends and some of the different structures you can use.
Remember though this example has only used a few of the words possible
for describing change.
It's important to vary your language so look around the IELTS buddy site,
for example on the model graphs, to see what other language you can
use.
Academic task 1 trend vocabulary
This post looks at some vocabulary for IELTS writing task 1 when you need
to describe a graph or chart that has a time element. I begin by looking at
some of the most common vocabulary you need. Then I give you some
variations and talk about some grammar.
Test yourself first
Before you read on, you may want to test your knowledge first.
The most basic trend vocabulary a few variations
Lets look at this graph and see what words we need to describe it. Put
simply we need language that describes

up (2009 to 2010),

down (2008 to 2009),

up and down (between 2006 and 2009)

no change (2006 and 2007)

the top (2010)

The trend vocabulary I am going to suggest may seem very basic. It does,
however, allow you to say the same thing in up to 6 different ways. Thats
good.
Tip: if you find yourself repeating a word, try changing the form of it from
a verb to a noun
You should also note that, even with this basic language, there are a
variety of grammar problems that cause many candidates problems.
Thats bad.
Up variations

Down variations

Up and down
Sometimes you need to describe a graph that goes up and then down.
Here we have fewer options.

No change

Top

Preposition problem 1 by and to

Prepositions are horrid in English. Have another look at the graph:

Note how these two sentences mean exactly the same:

The rate of unemployment rose to 12% in 2010.
The rate of unemployment rose by 5% in 2010.
Preposition problem 2 in and of
This one is harder. We use in to describe changes in things and of to
describe changes in number or amount. For example,
There was a rise in the rate of unemployment
There was a rise of 5% in the rate of unemployment.
Some more advanced trend vocabulary
This is some useful trend vocabulary for charts and graphs for people
looking to get band 7.0 or over.
Test yourself first
Upwards trends
Downward trends
adjectives and adverbs

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
Verb

Examples

Plummet

It then plummeted to a low of 20%

Sink

After that it sank to 75

Drop

This amount dropped by 30% in the third quarter

of the year

Slip back

Only to slip back to 900 in May

Dip

The number of female doctors dipped in the last

decades

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

upwards and downwards

are

adjectives:

the

adverbs

are