9ST14 FOR DATA COMMENTARY

Describing changes

We need to describe changes when we refer to graphs, figures, and diagrams. Generally
speaking, we should include three items in describing changes, as follows:
-Verbs/Nouns to clarify the change and its direction
-Adjectives/Adverbs to clarify the amount of change (speed and size)
-Expressions to show results/reasons/consequences to clarify what the change
under discussion means/says/suggests/shows.

Examples:

Format 1: Adverb + Verb + Reason

Apple's sales significantly increased due to the launch of the iPhone 4.
-Verb to show the change and its direction: increased
-Size/amount of the change: significantly
-Why it happened/what it shows: the launch of the iPhone 4 has been a success.

The same example can be written based on the following format:

Format 2: Adjective + Noun + Reason
There was a significant increase in Apple's sales due to the launch of the iPhone 4.

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Language for Describing Changes

(The list is not exhaustive)

Verbs & nouns

UP Verbs: rise, increase, grow, improve, surge
UP Nouns: a/an rise, increase, growth, improvement, surge, upward/rising/increasing
trend
DOWN Verbs: fall, decrease, drop, decline, dip, reduce
DOWN Nouns: a/an fall, decrease, drop, decline, dip, reduction,
downward/falling/decreasing trend
NO CHANGE Verbs: remain stable/constant, stay at the same level, stay the same,
stabilize, level off
FREQUENT CHANGE Verbs: fluctuate, wax and wane
FREQUENT CHANGE Nouns: a fluctuation, a fluctuating pattern, a waxing and waning
AT THE TOP Verbs: reach a peak, reach its highest point
AT THE BOTTOM Verbs: reach a low point, reach its lowest point

Adjectives
Considerable, sharp, significant, moderate, slight, sudden, rapid, steady, gradual, slow,
steep, linear, marked, noticeable, remarkable, substantial

Adverbs
Considerably, sharply, significantly, moderately, slightly, suddenly, rapidly, steadily,
gradually, slowly, steeply, linearly, markedly, noticeably, remarkably, substantially

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Prepositions
-a rise from ......% to.......% over a period of time (e.g., a rise from 20% to 40% over
the last 20 years)
-a rise by.. % in a period of time (e.g., a rise by 10% in three years)
-an increase by ....... % in .. (e.g., an increase by 40% in 2010)
-an increase of ........ % in something (e.g., an increase of 30% in recycling)
-an increase in the number of.. (e.g., an increase in the number of people)
-a reduction of% in something (e.g., a reduction of 10% in energy costs)
-a drop of..% between .. and.. (e.g., a drop of 20% between 2000 and 2008)
-a decreasing trend fromto. (e.g., a decreasing trend from July to October)

Expressions to show reasons, consequences, and results

Due to, as a result of, a consequence of, because of, to cause, to stem from, to be caused
by, to be the reason for, to result in, to explain, to suggest, to show, to indicate, to lead to,
to contribute to, to account for, to be responsible for, to be attributed to, consequently,
thus, so, therefore, as a result.

NOTE: Do not forget about hedging (i.e., cautious language) when using the words and
phrases listed above.

Examples:
..is probably due to.
appears to stem from..
would seem to be a consequence of..

For language to describe changes, you may also want to check the following sources:
Describing Trends http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/describing-trends/
Describing Quantities http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/describing-quantities/