In(5) over(2) by(2) of(2) to(1)

Exercise 4. Put in order.

1. I a, steady, since, increase, have, June, have

2. Increase, has, sudden, in, a there, demand, been

3. In, we, drop, productivity, substantial, had, a

4. was, slight, od, per, fall, cent, 0,5, it

5. been, year, a, over, the, has, there, last, gradual, decline

6. we, drop, seen, have, in, sharp, a, demand

7. There, theft, in, enormous, was, increase, in

Describing change - giving figures

When talk about changes, we often show graphs. We don't need to give precise figures but we do need to comment on them, interpret them and point out relevant facts. Let's look at some language to do this.

Exercise 1. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

Let’s look from this graph

As you can see region of one million

An upward last six months

Slight fluctuations

It finished up at surge in demand

Just our target

With sales in the under fifty per cent

There has been a trend

Over the roughly ten million

We finished well below at the figures more closely

Exercise 2. Reorganize the text.

Look at the

Fluctuations, there is a strong upward

Figures more closely as you can

Soar over the next five years. Sales finished

Up at approximately ten million which is a substantial

See from this graph showing smoothie sales despite

Trend and we predict that sales will

Increase on the previous financial

Year

Exercise 3. Complete the paragraph.

Look at the_________ more closely. As you can see from this ________showing smoothie sales, despite________ fluctuations there is a strong upward __________ and we predict that sales will ______ over the next five years Sales finished_______ at approximately ten million which is __________ increase on the _________ financial.

Exercise 4. Reorganize the text.

three per cent to just

performance is good with total sales in the

roughly ten per cent of our business. However there is a slight downward

under one million.

surge in online sales. In fact they now represent

region of ten million. After a rather slow

trend in retail outlet sales. Here we saw a drop of about

Our overall

start we are now seeing a

Exercise 5. Complete the paragraph.

Our ________ performance is good with total sales in the ______of around ten million. After a rather _______start, we are now seeing a _____in online sales .In fact they now represent ________ten per cent of our business.

However, there is a slight________ trend in retail outlet sales. Here we saw a ______ of _______ three per cent to _____nine million.

Commenting on visuals

When we are giving lots of information, we often use visuals to give an overview. However, we often need to highlight only one or two key points or figures and then comment on them. Here's some language to help you.

Exercise 1.Put in order.

More, let’s, it, at, detail, in, look

To, I’d your area, focus, attention, like, one

To, your, number, this, I, to, draw, attention, want

This, like, I’d, to, out, figure, point

About, figures, think, these, mean, let’s, what

Refer, figures, UK, only, these, to, sales

More, at, look, closely, it, we, if

Exercise 2. Match the parts to complete the sentences.

I’d like to how we estimated this particular figure

We should focus our attention the sales in the UK only.

I must draw your attention all these figures more closely

I’d like to point about what these figures mean.

We should think out the importance of this number.

This figure refers on one particular area.

I should mention to this part of the graph.

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences with the words below.

Let,s _________ now on what these figures mean for the future.

I’d like us to ________our attention to this part of the graph.

I’d like to ______ out the small difference in these figures.

This figure doesn’t_________ any adjustment for fluctuations in exchange rates.

We need to ______about how we can improve this figure.

I should __________the significance of these numbers.

I’d like to _________ your attention to this figure.

This figure _______only to returns during the last quarter.

Now let’s _______in more detail at the underlying trend.