Vocabulary to describe charts, graphs and data in English I Business expressions and phrasal verbs

Summary

This video teaches essential English vocabulary for discussing changes in data, focusing on expressions for increases, decreases, and fluctuations. Key verbs like 'increase,' 'grow,' 'rise,' 'shoot up,' and 'soar' are explored, alongside their synonyms and related terms. The script also covers phrases like 'to peak,' 'to dip,' 'to plummet,' and 'to fluctuate,' offering real-world examples, such as changes in food prices and phone sales. The lesson encourages learners to practice with additional resources to enhance their fluency in discussing statistical trends and changes in a natural, engaging way.

Takeaways

• 😀 Three main verbs to express an increase in something are 'to increase', 'to grow', and 'to rise'.
• 😀 To express a peak or highest point on a graph, use the word 'peak', which can be both a verb and a noun.
• 😀 Other ways to talk about a peak include 'to reach a high point'.
• 😀 A large increase can be expressed with the phrasal verb 'to shoot up'. Example: 'Sales shot up this quarter by 33%.'
• 😀 The verb 'to soar' is used to describe a significant rise, often rapidly or dramatically. Example: 'The price of raw materials soared after the pandemic.'
• 😀 'To surge' refers to a sudden, powerful increase, commonly used for short-term spikes. Example: 'Website traffic surged after the product launch.'
• 😀 To describe a decrease, verbs like 'to decrease', 'to drop', and 'to fall' are commonly used.
• 😀 'To decline' refers to a gradual decrease that doesn't usually recover. Example: 'Birth rates have been declining for decades.'
• 😀 'To dip' means a small temporary decrease that is expected to recover. Example: 'Sales dipped in August.'
• 😀 Dramatic decreases can be expressed with verbs like 'to plummet' and 'to plunge', both indicating sharp drops. Example: 'Sales plummeted after the company failed to meet CO2 emission standards.'
• 😀 The expressions 'to go into free fall' and 'to go into a tailspin' refer to significant declines in markets or currencies. Example: 'The Ruble went into free fall after the war started.'

Q & A

What are the three main verbs used to express the increase of something?

The three main verbs are 'to increase,' 'to grow,' and 'to rise.'

Can you give an example of using 'to grow' in context?

'We’ve grown our product range by 50% in the last 12 months.'

What is the meaning of the word 'peak' in the context of a graph?

'Peak' refers to the highest point of a graph and can be both a noun and a verb.

What are some alternative ways to express a peak, other than using 'peak' itself?

You can also use 'reach a high point,' as in 'sales reached a high point in June.'

What does the phrasal verb 'to shoot up' mean in the context of an increase?

'To shoot up' means to experience a large increase, such as 'sales have shot up this quarter by 33%.'

How is the verb 'to soar' used in data context?

'To soar' means to fly rapidly into the air and is used to describe large increases, such as 'the price of raw materials soared after the pandemic.'

What does the word 'surge' describe when used in data contexts?

'Surge' describes a sudden, large, and temporary increase, such as 'website traffic surged when the company released a new product.'

What is the difference between 'to decrease,' 'to drop,' and 'to fall'?

These verbs all express a decrease, but 'to drop' and 'to fall' generally refer to a sudden or noticeable decrease, while 'to decrease' is more general.

What does the verb 'to decline' signify?

'To decline' means a gradual decrease, often used in negative contexts, such as 'birth rates have been declining in the Western world for 30 years.'

What does the phrase 'to go into free fall' refer to in data analysis?

'To go into free fall' refers to a dramatic and often uncontrollable decrease in the value of something, like currency or stocks.