WRITING TASK

Practice sheet
Level out= a leveling out
Remain steady
Remain stable= a period of stability
Not change= no change
Stay constant
Maintain the same level
Stand steady
Fluctuate= a fluctuation
Oscillate= an oscillation
Be volatile= a period of volatility

Dramatic(ally)
STRONG
Sharp(ly)
Enormous(ly)
Precipitous(ly)
(only for a falling
value)
Steep(ly)
Substantial(ly)
Noticeabl(e/y)
Clear(ly)
Considerabl(e/y)
Significant(ly)
Rapid(ly)
Moderate(ly)
Gradual(ly)
Slight(ly)
Minimal(ly) WEAK
Example sentences with Formula:

1) GM car sales increased significantly from

$5,000 to $105,000 between 1960 and 2010.
F: Sub+verb+adverb

2) There was a significant increase of

$100,000 in GM car sales, from $5,000 to
$105,000, between 1960 and 2010.
F: Sub+adjective+noun

3) GM car sales saw a significant growth in

GM car sales, from $5,000 to $105,000,
between 1960 and 2010.
F: Sub+adjective+noun

4) GM car sales registered a signficant rise

between 1960 and 2010.
F: Sub+verb+adjective+noun
5) GM car sales reached a peak at $105,000
in 2010.
F: Sub+verb+adjective+noun

6) GM car sales had an enormous climb of

$105,000 between 1960 and 2010.
F: Sub+verb+adjective+noun

Time expressions:
· "From 1960 to 2010"

· "During the period spanning 1960 to 2010"

· "In the years between 1960 and 2010"

· "Throughout the period from 1960 to 2010"

Exercise:1
Ex-1:
1) A car sales went down substantially from
$105,000 to $5,000 over the course of 1960
to 2010.
2) There was an enormous dip of $100,000 in
A car sales, from $105.000 to $5,000
throughout the period from 1960 to 2010.
3) There was a considerable reduction of
$100,000 in A car sales, from a high of
$105,000 to a low of $5,000 in the years
between 1960 and 2010.
4) A car sales declined dramatically, falling
from $105,000 to $5,000 during the period
spanning 1960 to 2010.
Time expressions:
1. "For a period of 5 years"
2. "Over the course of 5 years"

1. "Over the next 10 years"

2. "For a decade" (if referring to 10 years)
3. "Over a 10-year period"

Ex-2:
1) B car sales increased steeply from a low of
$5,000 to a high of $105,000 over a period of
15 years.
2) B car sales hit a sharp boom of $100,000,
increasing from $5,000 to $105,000 over the
course of 1960 to 1975.
3) There was a steep rise of $100,000 in B
car sales, going up from $5,000 to $105,000
over a 15-year period.
4) B car sales rose sharply, climbing from
$5,000 to $105,000 over a span of 15 years
5) There was a substantial growth of
$100,000 in B car sales, from a low of $5,000
to a high of $105,000 over the course of 15
years

Ex-3:
1) C car sales declined moderately, falling
from $50,000 to $25,000 throughout the
period from 1960 to 2010.
2) There was a significant fall of $25,000 in C
car sales, decreasing from $50,000 to
$25,000 during the period spanning 1960 to
2010.
3) C car sales faced a slight reduction,
decreasing from $50,000 to $25,000 in the
years between 1960 and 2010.
4) C car sales saw a moderate decrease of
$25,000, from $50,000 to $25,000 during the
period spanning 1960 to 2010.

Ex-4:
1) D net users oscillated noticeably
throughout the period from 1960 to 2010.
2) D net users were considerably volatile,
starting from $85,000 and ending at $25,000
in the years between 1960 and 2010.
3) There was a substantial fluctuation in D
net users over the course of 50 years.
4) D net users experienced a significant
oscillation, from $85,000 to $25,000 over a
50-year period.
5) D net users saw an enormous period of
volatility, starting from $85,000 ending at
$25,000 over the course of 50 years.

Ex-5:
1) E net users increased slightly from 45,000
to 50,000 throughout the period from 1960 to
2010.
2) There was a minimal rise of 5,000 in E net
users, growing from 45,000 to 50,000 over
the 50-year period.
3) E net users saw a slight increase starting
from 45,000 and ending at 50,000 during the
period spanning 1960 to 2010.

Ex-6:
1) G cases of polio went down gradually from
a high of 105,000 to a low of 45,000 over the
course of 50 years.
2) There was a gradual decrease of 60,000 in
G cases of polio, falling from 105,000 to
45,000 between 1960 and 2010.
3) G cases of polio showed a moderate
reduction of 60,000, starting from 105,000
and ending at 45,000 throughout the period
from 1960 to 2010.

Ex-7:
1) H cases of polio leveled out, starting from
1960 and ending at 2010.
2) There was no change in H cases of polio
during the period spanning 1960 to 2010.
3) H cases of polio experienced a noticeable
period of stability of 50,000 over the course
of 50 years.
4) H cases of polio stayed constant between
1960 and 2010.
5) H cases of polio maintained the same level
over the 50-year period.
6) H cases of polio remained steady over the
50 years
7) H cases of polio stood steady over the 50
years.

Ex-8:
1) J radio listeners leveled out from 1980 to
2000, in spite of slight dip in 2010. A number
of J radio listeners is expected to stand
steady from 2020 to 2030.
2) There was a period of stability in J radio
listeners between 1980 and 2010 until a
slight dip in 2010. However it is predicted
that the number of J radio listeners will
maintain the same level as before over the
next 10 years.
3) J radio listeners showed no change from
1980 to 2000 after that there was a
moderate dip in 2010. In spite of decline in
that year, it is expected to stay constant from
2020 to 2030.

Connecting trends
Ex-0:
1) GM car sales increased gradually to
$24,000 in 1980, and then it continued its
upward trend in the next four years to reach
a peak at $105,000 in 2010. (addition
structure)
2) There was a sharp increase in GM car sales
between 1960 and 1990 until it reached a
high of almost $95,000; however, sales
began to decrease swiftly to under $65,000
in 2010. (contrast structure)

Ex-1:
1) A net users leveled off dramatically from
105,000 to 25,000 between 1960 and 1990,
and then it continued falling down under
25,000.
2) There was a sharp decline of 80,000 users
in A net from 1960 to 1990, thereafter it
continued its downward trend in the next 2
years.
3) A net users experienced a substantial
reduction of 80,000 users during the period
spanning 1960 to 1990, after that it
continued decreasing over the next 2 years.

Ex-2:
1) B net users rose steeply from 20,000 to
105,000 in the years between 1960 and
1980. Despite the significant growth for the
20-year period, it started maintaining the
same level over the next 30 years.
2) There was a enormous peak at 105,000
users in B net, increasing from 20,000 to
105,000 throughout the period from 1960 to
1980, and then it didn’t change over the next
20 years.
3) B net users showed a considerable boom
from 20,000 to 105,000 between 1960 and
1980, after that there was a noticeable
period of stability over the next 20-year
period.

Extra ex:
1) XYZ radio station saw a sharp decline from
105 to 20 listeners between 1955 and 1960.
However thereafter there was a partial
growth of 25 followers.

Using the right prepositions

1) IN:
(N) Increase+IN (when we do not specify a
number)
IN+month
IN+year
IN+the x quarter
Ex:
1. There was an increase in the number of
emergency kits sold in 2012.
2. There has been a increase in the
consumption of sugar this decade.

1. 500 units were sold in December.

2. The number of accidents doubled in 2017.
3. Profits increased in the second quarter.

2) OF:
(N)Increase+OF (when we specify a number)
1. There was an increase of 70% in sales of
emergency kits sold in 2012.
2. There was a 70% increase in sales of
emergency kits sold in 2012. (we can change
the position of figure)

3) FROM and TO:

(V)Increase+FROM x TO y
Ex:
Sales increased from 100 to 130 units.

Start End
point point
of the of the
trend trend

4) BY (the amount of change between two

periods of time or values.)
(V)Increase+BY (amount)
Ex:
Sales increased (by) 30 units (BY is optional
and when it comes with verbs we use BY if
noun OF)

5) Difference between BY and T O

1. It declined by 5%. (Means that the number
minused with 5%)
2. It declined to 5%. (Means that the number
drop to 5% position.)

6) BETWEEN x AND y (for a range of time

x=start time y=end time)
Ex:
1. Prices rose sharply between 1973 and
1980.
7) SINCE+start time (… and continues until
now and always used with perfect tense)
Ex:
1. Property prices in Auckland have increased
significantly since 2011.

8) AT
Start+AT (before a number)
Begin+AT (before a number)
End+AT (before a number)
Peak+AT (before a number)
Remain steady+AT (before a number)
Ex:
1. Initial prices started at $300 per unit.
2. Production began at 70 units per day in
March.
 3. Production ended at 90 units per day in
August.
4. Crime peaked at 200 incidents per night in
April.
5. Over the last decade, the population of the
town has remained steady at around 10,000
inhabitants.

9) OVER/DURING+time period
Ex:
1. Sales increased over/during the next three
months.
Describing numbers, percentages & fractions

A) We could describe
the table using
numbers, fractions, or
percentages.

Ex:
1. The number went up by 600 from 1,200 to
1,800. (Number)
2. The number went up by one third from
1,200 to 1,800. (Fraction)
3. Th number went up by 50% from 1,200 to
1,800. (Percentage)
B) We could
describe the table
using the words
double, treble,
quadruple, -fold
and times.

Ex:
1. The number doubled between 1992 and
1994.
2. The number trebled between 1994 and
1996.
3. Th number quadrupled from 1996 to 1998.
4. There was a two-fold increase between
1992 and 1994.
5. The number went up six times between
1992 and 1996.
6. The figure in 1996 was six fold the 1992
figure.
7. The figure for 1996 was six times higher
than that of 1992.
8. The figure for 1998 was four times greater
than that of 1996.

C) We could describe the table using

fractions.

Ex:
1. Between 1992 and 1994, the figure fell by
one fifth.
2. Between 1994 and 1996, the figure
dropped by half.
3. The figure in 1998 was one tenth the 1992
total.

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