DESCRIBING CHANGES SINGLE GRAPH WRITING TASK 1 Different

DESCRIBING CHANGES (SINGLE GRAPH) WRITING TASK 1

Different types of graphs and tables �Line (single-multiple line) graphs �Tables �Pie charts �Bar charts

A SINGLE LINE GRAPH DESCRIBING THE DIRECTION OF A CHANGE (Verbs) �Rise �Increase �Go up to �Grow �Climb �Boom �Peak �Fall �Decline �Decrease �Dip �Drop �Go down �Reduce �Level out/off �No change �Remain stable �Remain steady �Stay constant �Maintain the same level �Stabilize

Nouns �a rise �an increase �growth �a climb �a boom �(reach) a peak (at) �a fall �a decline �a decrease �a dip �a drop �a reduction �A slump �a leveling out/off �no change

DESCRIBING THE DEGREE OF A CHANGE (ADJ) �Dramatic �Sharp �Huge �Enormous �Steep �Substantial �Considerable �Significant �Marked �Moderate �Slight �Small �Minimal

Adverbs �dramatically �sharply �hugely �enormously �steeply �substantially �considerably �constantly � �Significantly/ noticeably/remarkably �markedly �moderately �Slightly �minimally �steadily � Gradually �Slowly �greatly

DESCRIBING THE SPEED OF A CHANGE �Rapid �Quick �Swift �Sudden �Steady �Gradual �Slow �Sharp �rapidly �quickly �swiftly �suddenly �steadily �gradually �Slowly �Sharply

USEFUL STRUCTURES: �SUBJECT + VERBS (PAST TENSE) +ADVERBS The price The population The rate decreased, fell, declined, went down, dropped � How quickly? gradually/slowly quickly/rapidly � How much? slightly somewhat significantly/substantially dramatically increased, rose, grew, went up remained, stayed steady/constant/stable The price of commodity decreased slightly last week.

There was + A/AN + Adjective + Noun + In + noun There was a Gradual Slow rapid Slight significant substantial dramatic Decrease Fall Decline Drop Increase rise IN prices the population the rate

PREPOSITIONS �WITH NOUNS �increase IN nouns E. g. There has been an increase in population. �Increase OF numbers IN nouns E. g. There has been an increase of 10% in the population. � WITH VERBS �The petrol price decreased BY 10%. (The petrol price now is 90% the old price) �The petrol price decrease TO 80%. (The petrol price now is 80% the old price) �Production went down FROM 5, 000 TO 4, 000 units a month. �Unemployment remained stable AT 2. 5 million.

a. There wild fluctuations in spice exports from Africa over the period. b. There was a gradual fall in the development of new products. c. Research investment has decreased noticeably. d. There was a significant drop in the purchases of tickets last month. e. There was a significant rise in the number of sites on the internet.

f. The sale of mangos decreased suddenly. g. The number of visitors at theme park fluctuated very slightly. h. Sugar imports declined gradually. i. There has been a slow increase in the quality of food in supermarkets. j. There was a remarkable fluctuation in the number of air travellers.

Upward trend verb noun to an increase: pay/price/tax/rent increase by 10%/$100 to$ 1000 in number/va lue notes to become larger in number, amount, price, value, degree, size, strength etc. NOTE! Don’t use increase about the level or standard of something. Use go up or rise. The standard of living has risen. (not increased). The price of cigarettes has increased by 30% in the last two years. The international role of the euro has increased gradually since 1999. The company announced a 5% increase in profits. Large tax increases are expected if there is a change of government.

to rise a rise by 5%/$3/a large amount etc. to rise to the top spirits rise to rise through the ranks a rise in costs/prices/ taxes etc. rent/price rise and fall to increase in number, standard, amount or value; to go upwards (a level) During the period 1969 to 1999, the sales and wages earned by women rose slowly but steadily. The people who rise to the top in politics are usually the most ruthless. Our spirits rose when we heard of the ship’s safe return. She has risen through the ranks. (has made a good career) The polar ice caps will melt and the sea level will rise. The rise and fall of the Roman Empire rising fuel bills

to go up to become higher in price, level or value etc. The price of cigarettes is going up. Do you think interest rates will go up again? After Hurricane Katrina, gasoline and diesel commodity prices went up dramatically in Canada and the U. S.

to climb a climb to increase in number, amount or level; to move to a better position NOTE! Climb is usually used about a number rather than an amount. The dollar/temperature/price of oil has been climbing all week. Madonna’s new record has climbed to number 2 in the US charts. After a fairly steady climb, prices stabilized at around $1. 65 a liter. As microprocessors become faster and memory becomes cheaper, the benefit to cost ratio has climbed significantly.

to grow a growth to grow by 5% a growth rate a growth of interest to become grater in size, number or strength or degree During the 1970’s there was rapid growth in production and consumption. From the 14 th century to the beginning of the 20 th, the climate grew constantly colder. Her confidence/fear grew.

Other verbs show a fast, upward movement. Each one is associated with a particular image (to shoot up like a bullet, to soar like an eagle, to surge like a tidal wave. ) �Sales of Mac computers and i. Pods also shot up 20 percent and 207 percent, respectively. �UK carbon dioxide emissions soared in 2003. �The PC market surged in 2005, and is expected to slow down in 2006 �Two years ago, South Africa's malaria rates suddenly skyrocketed to 50, 000 cases a year from just a few thousand. �Coal production boomed in Wyoming during the 1980 s and 1990 s.

DOWNWARD TREND to decrease a decrease of 20% a decrease in the price to go down to a lower level, or to make something do this From 1990 to 2001, rates of extreme poverty decreased slowly in Latin America. He refused to accept a decrease of 20% to his salary. There has been a decrease in the annual birth rate for the last twenty years. The government announced a 25% decrease in the price of fuel.

to fall to 50. 9% a fall in the rise and fall Sales of new passenger cars in Europe fell 9. 6%. The British pound fell to $1. 7520 from $1. 7850. The rise and fall of the British motorcycle industry to go down to a lower price, level, amount, temperature etc

to become less in level or value to become less in level or The temperature sometimes value goes down to minus thirty. Rental costs have gone down (₤ 50) since last year. Coffee is going down in price. to become less in level or value The temperature sometimes goes down to minus thirty. Rental costs have gone down (₤ 50) since last year. Coffee is going down in price.

do drop to drop by 50% NOTE! not used in progressive tenses to become lower or less in level, temperature, number or strength The temperature has dropped considerably. The violent crime rate dropped by 6. 2 percent. The town’s population is expected to drop in the next decade.

to decline a decline to become lower or less in level, number, size, strength or importance NOTE! to talk about a loss of economic strength: The market has declined. This type of business is a declining sector of the UK. As profitability declines, people would go out of farming. The profit rise came despite a decline in sales.

Some verbs show a fast, downward movement. (to plunge - make a steep dive from a high place, to plummet - fall perpendicularly, to take a nosedive - like an airplane, to slump – to fall in price, value or number, suddenly and by a large amount) �* Temperatures in Moscow plunged overnight to as low as minus 24. �* Sales of new houses plummeted in November by the largest amount in nearly � 12 years. �* On March 15, 2005, General Motors stock took a nosedive. �* Profits slumped by over 50%.

Strategies for improving your IELTS score �Selecting information + describe the whole graph fully + summarise the graph by dividing it into its main parts. �Report structure + introduction + body + conclusion

Introduction + Use two standard opening sentences to introduce your report Sentence one should define what the graph is about; (the date, location, what is being described in the graph) Introductory paragraph： �The line graph depicts/ illustrates/ describes/ indicates/ shows/ gives/ displays/ represents/ reveals + N (the change) in the ____( number/sale) of_______ from______ to____. �- The line graph depicts /illustrates /describes /indicates /shows /gives /displays the information/data about the ____( number/sale)of ______ from______ to _______.

E. g. Sentence two (and possibly three) might sum up the overall trend E. g. It can be clearly seen that there are two basic general trends: upward and downward.

Other expressions �It is clear from the graph/table… �It can be seen from the graph/table… �As the graph/table shows… �As can be seen from the graph/table… �As is shown by the graph/table… �As is illustrates by the graph/table… �From the graph/table, it is clear… Avoid personal pronouns (We, you)

Time expressions �In + year �For + period of time �During + a period of time �From (a point of time) to/until (a point of time) �Between (a point of time) and (a point of time) �Before (a point of time) �After (a point of time) �By (period of time) �At the beginning of (point of time) �At the end of (point of time)

Other useful expressions �(in) the period from… to… �(in) the period between … and… �In the first/last three months of the year �Over the period…to… �Over the next years/decades/quarter of a century �Over a ten year period �Throughout the 19 th century �From that time on �Then �After that �In the 1980 s

Expressions of measurement �The amount/quantity of + Uncountable nouns �The number of + Countable nouns Uncountable nouns (amount) Amount (quantity) Number The whole of the All of the A great deal of Many/ a lot of (a lot of)

Verbs related to numbers �Constitute �Make up �Comprise �Account for �Be �Include �Stand at �Consist of �reach

Expressing approximation �just under � just over �well under � well over �Roughly � nearly �approximately �Around �about

Compare (Similarity) • • In relation to… Compared with… Similarly, …in the same way Both…and… Also Likewise, Just as A, B… �Equally �… in a similar way �Like A, B… • …the same • As well as… • …too • As…as… • One half/ two-thirds of…

Contrast �But �However �Nevertheless �Yet �On the other hand �Unlike �While �In contrast to �By contrast �Instead of �Except for �Whereas �Although �As opposed to

Other structures to compare �Comparatives: S + Be + adj(er) + than + O. S + Be + more (adj) + than + O. �Superlatives: S + Be + the Adj(est)… S + Be + the most Adj. . �Slightly + more + N �Almost as many + N+ as + N

Body �Describing the graph in detail + decide on the most clear and logical order + present information in chronological order + write up the information (most probably) from earliest to latest

Conclusion �Your report may end with one or two sentences which summarise your report to draw a relevant conclusion.

Grammar and vocabulary �Avoiding repetition E. g. of repetition “The number of cases of X disease started at 50 in 1965 and then went up to 200 in 1970 and then went up to 500 in 1980 and then went down to zero in 1990. ”