Describing

Graphs
To describe an increase To describe a decrease

verb noun expressions verb noun expressions

to go up --- an upward trend to go down --- a downward trend
to rise a rise to shoot up (to go to fall a fall to plummet (to go
to increase an increase up very quickly) to decrease a decrease down very quickly)
to drop a drop
to decline a decline
3D
to grow a growth to reduce a reduction
to expand expansion to contract a contraction

To describe frequent change To describe no change Other useful expressions

verb noun verb noun verb noun

to fluctuate a fluctuation a period of . . . to stand at
(between . . . to not change no change to peak (at) a peak
and . . .) to remain stable stability to reach a peak
to remain steady to hit a low point a low point
to remain constant to plateau a plateau
to stay the same to level off

To describe AMOUNT of change: adjective (adverb)

BIG Medium small

substantial (substantially) moderate (moderately) slight (slightly)
significant (significantly) minimal (minimally)
considerable (considerably)
marked (markedly)

To describe SPEED of change: adjective (adverb)

FAST Constant slow

rapid (rapidly) steady (steadily) slow (slowly)
sudden (suddenly) gradual (gradually)
dramatic (dramatically)
sharp (sharply)
steep (steeply)
 DATA REPORT : CHARTS & GRAPHS

Describing change
To describe a line graph correctly, you should use these two basic formulas.

(From ……… to ………), there + (be) + (a/an) + adjective + noun

(From 2001 to 2005), there was a dramatic fall

(in the number of people) / (in the amount of free time)

Subject + verb + adverb (time phrase)

The number of cars fell dramatically (during this period).

 IMPORTANT NOTE: Try to use both sentence types and synonyms.