Trend graphs describe changes over time (e.g. a year, a decade). When describing trends in a report you need to pay careful attention to the use of prepositions:
Sales in the UK increased rapidly between 2007 and 2010.
There was a sharp decline in sales in Japan from 2007 to 2010.
As the above examples indicate, we use the simple past tense when describing trends in the past:
Sales in the UK increased rapidly between 2007 and 2010.
Sales remained stable in China between 2007 and 2010.
Please note that the active voice is normally used:
Sales in the UK increased [not were increased] rapidly between 2007 and 2010.
You can use the present perfect tense if the trend continues up to the present:
Sales in China have steadily increased in the past four years.
You will find the following expressions (adjectives / nouns) useful when you have to describe data in trend graphs:
There was a slight rise (in …)
small increase
gradual decrease
steady decline
significant fall
dramatic drop
sharp
rapid
steep
sudden
These verbs and adverbs can be used to describe upward and downward movement:
(Sales) rose slightly (in …)
increased gradually
decreased steadily
declined significantly
fell dramatically
dropped sharply
rapidly
Most verbs also have noun forms. They are generally the same, for example:
to climb → a climb; to fall → a fall
However, there are some exceptions:
To flatten out → a flattening out; to stabilize → a stabilization
To level off → a levelling off; to fluctuate → a fluctuation
To recover → a recovery; to hold steady → a steady hold
NOTE: The verb form is more frequently used.
Sometimes, we need to give more information about a trend, usually about the degree or speed of change.
e.g. Sales increased slowly during January and then declined steadily until the
end of the financial year.
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