Language functions:

describing trends and change

 Describing trends
TO GO UP A LITTLE
• to go up an upward trend
• to increase an increase
• to rise a rise
• to grow a growth
• to expand an expansion
• to climb a climb
• to improve an improvement
 Describing trends
TO GO DOWN A LITTLE
• to go down a downward trend
• to slip
• to decrease a decrease
• to fall a fall (off)
• to drop a drop
• to decline a decline
• to deteriorate a deterioration
 Describing trends
TO GO UP A LOT
• to surge a surge
an upsurge
• to take off
• to shoot up
• to soar
• to rocket
• to boom
• to jump a jump
• to leap a leap
 Describing trends
TO GO UP A LOT

• to peak / to reach a/ the peak a peak

• to reach a maximum
• to top out
 Describing trends
TO GO DOWN A LOT
• to plummet
• to plunge a plunge
• to slump a slump
• to collapse a collapse
• to crash a crash
• to sink
• to tumble a tumble
 Describing trends
TO GO DOWN A LOT

• To reach a low point

• To hit bottom
• To tough
• To hit a trough
 Describing trends
CHANGE OF DIRECTION (UP)
• to recover a recovery
• to get better an upturn
• to rebound
• to revive
CHANGE OF DIRECTION (DOWN)
• to get worse a downturn
 Describing trends
MOVEMENT
• to undulate an undulation
• to fluctuate a fluctuation
 Describing trends
NO CHANGE
• to remain stable
• to flatten out
• to level off / out a levelling off /out
• to stay at the same level
• to reach a plateau
• to remain constant / stable
• to stagnate
• to stabilise
• to stay the same
 Describing trends
NOTES:
To increase and to expand, to decrease and to drop can
also be used transitively.
•We increased sales
•We expanded our workforce
•We have decreased our costs
•We will drop our prices

To raise, to reduce and to cut can only be used transitively

•We raised our prices
•We reduced salaries
Describing the degree of change
Adjectives

• a dramatic
• a marked
• a considerable
• a sharp
• a steep
• a significant rise / fall
• a substantial
• a moderate
• a slight
Describing the degree of change

Adverbs
• dramatically
• markedly
• considerably
• sharply
to rise / fall • steeply
• significantly
• substantially
• moderately
• slightly
Describing the speed of change
Adjectives
• an abrupt
• a sudden
• a rapid
• a quick rise / fall
• a steady
• a gradual
• a slow
Describing the speed of change
• abruptly
• suddenly
• rapidly
rise / fall
• quickly
• steadily
• gradually
• slowly
Describing the speed of change
Notes: Prepositions

• to rise from … to to fall from …

to ….
• to increase by… % to fall by… %
• a decrease of… %