STRUCTURE FOR DESCRIBING TRENDS.

The line graph below gives information in percentage term about cinema attendance of four
age groups in the UK from 1990 to 2010 with a projection to 2015.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.

In this description of the line graph we need to accomplish three tasks: describe trends,
make comparisons and make predictions. However, in this lesson, we only focus on
structures for describing trends.

Look at the line for the 25-34 –year-old-group as well as the periods from 1990 to 1995 and
1995 to 2000. Several structures can be used to describe these two periods.

1. S + Verb + Adv. and S + Verb +

Adv

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old WHO went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40% and then it fell back to the 1990 mark five
years later.

Note: since the two clauses in this sentence have the same subject, we can omit the second
subjects. Thus, we can write:

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old WHO went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40% and (then it) fell back to the 1990 mark
five years later.

2. There to be + a/an Adj. Noun + IN Subject and (there to be) + a/an Adj. Noun
There was a slight increase IN the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to
the cinema between 37% and 40% from 1990 to 1995 and a gentle fall to the 1990 mark
five years later.

Note: ‘followed by’ can be used to to replace ‘and’ in this structure.

 There was a slight increase IN the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who
went to the cinema between 37% and 40% from 1990 to 1995 followed by a gentle fall
to the 1990 mark five years later

3. Subject + experience + a/an Adj. Noun and (Subject experience) a/an Adj. Noun.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema experienced a slight decrease between 37% and 40% followed by a fall to the 1990
mark five years later.

Note: experience = undergo/underwent = witness = see/saw

4. S V Adv. S V Adv. (the same Subject) => V-ing Adv., S V Adv.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40%. Then, this figure fell back to the 1990
mark five years later.

 Increasing slightly between 37% and 40% from 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people
from 25 to 34 years old who went to the cinema fell back to the 1990 mark five years
later.
5. After V-ing Adv., S V Adv. = S V Adv. before V-ing Adv.

Similarly, we can use ‘after’ to structure 4.

 AFTER increasing slightly between 37% and 40% from 1990 to 1995, the proportion of
people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the cinema fell back to the 1990 mark five
years later.
 From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40% BEFORE falling back to the 1990 mark
five years later.

6. S V Adv. S V Adv. (the same subject, but opposite trends).

=> S V Adv. although S V Adv. = S V Adv. despite a/an Adj. Noun.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40% ALTHOUGH it fell back to the 1990 mark
five years later.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40% DESPITE a fall back to the 1990 mark five
years later.
ALTHOUGH the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the cinema
increased slightly between 37% and 40% from 1990 to 1995, it fell back to the 1990 mark
five years later.

Note: ALTHOUGH = THOUGH = EVEN THOUGH, DESPITE = IN SPITE OF

NOTE ON THE USE OF ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

This sentence is in fact the combination of TWO shorter sentences using ADJECTIVE CLAUSE,
thus we CANNOT omit the word ‘WHO’.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old increased slightly
between 37% and 40%. These people went to the cinema.
 From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

NOTE ON THE REDUCTION OF RELATIVE CLAUSE (ADJECTIVE AND

PASSIVE VOICE)

Example 1: From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who went
to the cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

Who went to the cinema = Relative clause in Active voice.

 From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old going to the
cinema increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

Example 2: From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old who were
offered a scholarship increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

Who were offered a scholarship = Relative clause in Passive voice.

From 1990 to 1995, the proportion of people from 25 to 34 years old (who were) offered a
scholarship increased slightly between 37% and 40%.

NOTE ON THE PARAPHRASING OF DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.

There are 4 age groups in this chart: 14-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45 and over. To avoid repetition,
we must be able to express one age group in different ways. Study those examples carefully:

14-24: People from the 14 to 24 years old = people between 14 to 24 years old = people aged
14 to 24 = the 14-24-year-old people = the 14-24-year-olds = people from the youngest age
group.
45 and over: People from 45 years old = people aged 45 and over = people from the oldest
age group = those from the oldest age group.

25-34: People from 25 to 34 years old = …= people form the second youngest age group =
those from the second youngest age group.

35-44: People from 35 to 44 years old =…= people from the second oldest age group = those
from the second oldest age group.

Note: People (men/males, women/females, viewers, members, participants, attendants,

male smokers/ female smokers …)