LINE GRAPH

DESCRIBING CHANGES AND TRENDS

Trends Verbs Nouns

rise a rise of
increase an increase of
go growth of
climb an upward trend
grow a doubling in
double a surge
surge
soar
rocket
fall a fall of
decline a decline of
decrease a decrease of
drop a drop of
go a reduction of
plunge a plunge
plummet

do not change a leveling off at

remain/stay
stable/steady/unchanged
maintain the same level
level off at
stabilize at

Position stood at reached/hit a high/peak of

peaked at reached/hit a low of
reached

Constant changes Fluctuated (around) a fluctuation

ADJ AND ADV FOR DEGREE OF CHANGE

Degree Adjective Adverb

Very extensive change dramatic
enormous
tremendous
Extensive change substantial
considerable
significant
remarkable
Average change noticeable
marked
moderate
Small change slight
small
minimal

ADJAND ADV FOR SPEED OF CHANGE

Speed Adjective Adverb

Quick change rapid
quick
sharp
swift
steep
Slow change steady
gradual
slow
Unexpected change sudden
unexpected
abrupt

USEFUL STRUCTURES

1. There + be + (a/an) + adj + N + in

E.g. There was a steep increase in the sales of convenience food in the first quarter of the year.

2. S (time/place) + see/witness/experience + (a/an) + adj + N

3. From…to: Spending on holidays rose over the period from $1000 million to $1200 million
4. With + N +Ving: Spending on holidays rose over the period with the expenditure increasing from
$1000 million to $1200 million
5. Ving: Spending on holidays rose over the period, increasing from $1000 million to $1200 million
6. With + N: Spending on holidays rose over the period with an increase from $1000 million to
$1200 million
 Practice 1: The graph below gives information about car ownership in Britain from 1971 to 2007.

ngi s hu xe nè

The graph shows changes in the number of cars ______per household in Great Britain ______
over a
trên mi h g
period of 36 years.
between
Overall, car ownership in Britain increased ______ 1971 and 2007. In particular, the percentage
of households with two cars rose, while the figure for households without
______ a car fell.
gn nh mt na
almost half of all British households did not have regular use of a car. Around 44% of
In 1971, ______
households had one car, but only about 7% had two cars. It was uncommon for families to own
with around 2% of households falling into this category.
three or more cars, ______
The one-car household was the most common type from the late 1970’sonwards ______, although there
figures
was little change in the ______ for this category. The biggest change was seen in the proportion
of households without a car, which fell steadily over the 36-year period ______
to around 25% in
2007. In contrast, the proportion of two-car families rose steadily, reaching about 26% in 2007,
and the proportion of households with more than two cars rose ______ by around 5%.

Fill the gaps in the essay with the following words:

almost, to, figures, per, between, by, over, with, without, onwards

Practice 2: The graph below gives information about international tourist arrivals in five different
parts of the world.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
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Practice 3: The Graph below shows average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per person in the United
Kingdom, Sweden, Italy and Portugal between 1967 and 2007.

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

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