DESCRIBING TRENDS OR MOVEMENTS IN GRAPHS/CHARTS

How to describe graphs and charts:

Such language is widely used in business …

THERE WAS A dramatic rise IN retail sales in the year before.

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 debt (falling...) (decreasing...)

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

Which NOUNS have verbs in the same form?

increase rise growth decrease fall decline fluctuation recovery drop

NOUN VERB

increase rise growth decrease fall decline drop fluctuation recovery

increase rise, rose, risen

grow, grew, grown

decrease fall, fell, fallen

decline drop, dropped, dropped fluctuate recover

PREPOSITIONS Our revenue rose ... $1m ... $2m It increased (...) 100%. This was an increase ... 100% This was a 100% rise ... our revenue.

Our sales fell ... $120,000 ... $60,000m They decreased (...) 50% This was a decrease ... 50%. This was a 50% fall ... our sales.

Housing prices are ... last year’s level.

PREPOSITIONS Our revenue rose FROM $1m TO $2m It increased (BY) 100%. This was an increase OF 100% This was a 100% rise IN our revenue.

Our sales fell FROM $120,000 TO $60,000m They decreased (BY) 50% This was a decrease OF 50%. This was a 50% fall IN our sales.

Housing prices are AT last year’s level.

PREPOSITIONS Our revenue rose ... $1m ... $2m It increased (...) 100%. This was an increase ... 100% This was a 100% rise ... our revenue.

Our sales fell ... $120,000 ... $60,000m They decreased (...) 50% This was a decrease ... 50%. This was a 50% fall ... our sales.

Housing prices are ... last year’s level.

Translate the following: povećanje cijene od

15%

povećati cijenu za 15%

povisiti cijenu na 23,000

povisiti cijenu za 23,000

Cijena je na $2.3.

An increase in the price of 15%(A 15% increase in the price)

To increase the price by 15%

To increase the price to 23,000

To increase the price by 23,000

The price is at $2.3.

PODRAVKA MAKES HRK21m PROFIT

Podravka, the Koprivnica-based food producer, made

a net profit 1........ HRK21m. 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, 98)

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

increase drop

rise grow

fall

decrease

VERBS Attention! Rise vs. Raise vs. Arise

Rise, rose, risen - irreg.v. (intr.: rise + Ø)

The price has already risen. Prices rose yesterday.Prices are rising.

Raise, raised, raised - reg.v. (trans.:raise+object)

They raised the prices. He has raised his voice. Raise your hand!

Arise, arose, arisen (irreg.v.)

Many problems have arisen. A crisis is arising.

Attention! Rise vs. Raise vs. Arise

1.A crisis is ............2.The price has already ........ . 3. .......... your hand!4. Prices are ............ .5.They ........... the prices. 6.They managed to ....... much capital. 7.Prices .......... yesterday.8.Many problems have ........ .

Use rise/grow/fall/drop and the necesary prepositions (careful with tenses!):

We have just heard that our sales 1…… dramatically.

Have they ever 2… so much? Yes, they 3…. to €2.5 m in 2007, due to a drop 4…. 25% in our January retail services, but already in April they 5…. 6…. 50% so we did not have any problems as they 7… 8… as much as €5m.

Verbs describing trends(Study the next slide and fill in the chart)

RISE

↗FALL

↘NO CHANGE

→CHANGE OF DIRECTION

∩ U

OTHER

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 Go up Increase Plummet

Slump Boom Escalate Stabilize Collapse Slip back Soar Rocket Crash Grow Fall Bottom out Pick up Go down Decrease Decline

ADVERBS & ADJECTIVES Intensity and speed

ADVERBS & ADJECTIVES↓ ↓

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 to decline gradually / a gradual decline to increase slightly / a slight increase to recover steadily / a steady recovery in

Intensity and speedSales rose suddenly in 2003. VERB + ADVERB

to rise suddenly / a sudden rise in ? / a sharp drop in ? / a considerable fall ? / a moderate decrease ? / a gradual decline ? / a slight increase ? / a steady recovery ? / a mild growth

Intensity and speed (ADJ vs. ADV.)

There was a sudden rise in sales in 2003. ADJ.+ NOUN

to rise suddenly / a sudden rise (in sales) to drop sharply / ? to fall considerably/ ? to decrease moderately/ ? to decline gradually / ? to increase slightly / ? to recover steadily / ? To grow mildly/ ?

Fill in the missing words:

Our profits (iznenada) fell in 2011. A (blagi) rise in our sales was

observed in February. A (nagli) fall in sales took place last

month. Sales have been rising (stabilno) since

December. A (stalni) growth in our profits has

attracted investors.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE

a) Our sales fell rapidly in 2008.b) There was a rapid fall in our sales in

2008.c) A rapid fall in our sales was recorded in

2008.

1.a rapid fall (2009) 2. a steady growth (2003)

e.g. a steady growth (2003)

a) Our sales grew steadily in 2003.b) There was a steady growth fall in

our sales in 2003.c) A steady growth in our sales was

recorded in 2003.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE

a) Our sales fell rapidly in 2008.b) There was a rapid fall in our sales in

2008.c) A rapid fall in our sales was recorded in

2008.

1.a rapid fall (2009) 2. a steady growth (2003)3.an abrupt rise (2004) 4.a gradual decline (2009)5.a moderate growth (2007)6.a slight increase (2007)7.a mild drop (2008) 8. a considerable decline (2010)

Sentence structure Rephrase the following sentences:

e.g. Retail sales fell in the second quarter. (v.→ n.)There was a fall in the second quarter retail sales.A fall was recorded/observed in the second quarter retail sales

Britain’s economy grew slowly in the second quarter.There was a slow growth in Britain’s economy in the second quarter. A slow growth was recorded in Britain’s economy in the second quarter.

Shoe imports from China to the EU rose by 300% in the nine months ending in October 2005 compared with the same period 2004. There was a rise of 300% in shoe imports from China...A rise of 300% was observed in shoe imports from China...

Cadburry Schweppes reported a 46% rise in net profit in 2005 (n.→v.)Cadburry Schweppes’s net profit rose by 46% in 2005.

Guidelines to describe a chart/graph (RB): 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? There was a rapid increase in the sales ... Sales fell dramatically ...

1.Overall trend, 2.Specific trends (details:v+n, highs, lows), 3.Intensity & speed (adj +adv) , 4. Time frame 5.Prepositions (in, from…to, at, to, by)

In the period between February and January, 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 at the end of January, 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 of X% in June. Retail sales climbed back to $X in July. They went up mildly in August and continued rising in September….

ASSIGNMENT: Describe the graph using the expressions below (use the previous slides, especially slides 29 & 30). …………