IELTS Modular

TREND
You don’t need it..
It is not necessary to use ‘trend’ at all when describing trends (= general changes
over time). The following are all trends:

• In general, sales increased dramatically during the period.

• During the period there was a gradual decline in the use of condoms.
• Between January and July sales increased steadily, but they have fallen
dramatically ever since. (2 trends!)

But you insist on using it..

1. Examine these examples and complete the rules using words from the box.

a. Unemployment followed an upward trend.

b. The area of nutmeg cultivation is showing a downward trend continuously.
c. In the EU the trend was upward, while in the US it was downward.
d. What you see here is a bar chart showing an upward trend from 1997 to 2011.
e. Lending continued on an upward trend in May, although at a slower rate
compared with April.
f. Sales increased to 5,000 in May, and this trend continued upward until the end
of the period.

• The noun ‘trend’ collocates with certain verbs (follow, show, experience).

• The noun ‘trend’ is often used together with the words upward and sideward ,
either as adjectives or adverbs.

• The noun ‘trend’ is uncountable , so you need to use an article and/or an ‘s’
with it.

• Most of the time the noun ‘trend’ is used to describe a general, striking, very
obvious change over time, without mentioning specific data.

• Occasionally the noun ‘trend’ can be used in the detail section of your essay to
identify a pattern that applies to a larger part of the graph. Often this involves
use of the words ‘peak’ or ‘continue’.
 IELTS Modular

2. Rewrite the examples (a-f) without using the word ‘trend’.

a. Unemployment followed an upward trend.

e.g. Unemployment increased throughout the period.

b. The area of nutmeg cultivation is showing a downward trend continuously.

The area of nutmeg cultivation is decreasing continuously.

c. In the EU the trend was upward, while in the US it was downward.

In the EU it rose, while in the US it fell.

d. What you see here is a bar chart showing an upward trend from 1997 to 2011.
The bar chart shows an increase from 1997 to 2011.

e. Lending continued on an upward trend in May, although at a slower rate

compared with April.
Lending continued to increase in May, although at a slower rate compared to
April.

f. Sales increased to 5,000 in May, and this trend continued upward until the end
of the period.
Sales increased to 5,000 in May, and continued to increase until the end of
period.