ielts 4.5-5.5 writing lesson 7

II. How to write

2. Language to describe changes

a. Verbs and adverbs

In paragraphs 3 and 4, you will need to have a good range of grammar

and vocabulary to describe the changes in the graph, including the use of

verbs and adverbs, e.g. The income of Lovely Loaves rose slightly.

Match

Match the following

go up grow improve increase rise

double jump rocket shoot up

soar surge

decline decrease drop fall go down

halve plummet plunge

• go up grow improve increase rise

• double jump rocket shoot up

  soar surge

• decline decrease drop fall go down

• halve plummet plunge

Match

Match the following

level off remain stable

fluctuate

hit/reach a peak

bottom out

• level off remain stable

• fluctuate

• hit/reach a peak

• bottom out

Movement

Verb

decline

decrease

drop

fall

go down

Movement

Verb

halve

plummet

plunge

2. Language to describe changes

a. Verbs and adverbs

Verbs that describe big increases or decreases, like soared

or plummeted, don't need an adverb, because we already

know that they describe a large change. However, other

verbs need an adverb, to tell the reader what kind of

increase or decrease you are talking about.

Drag and Drop

Which of the adverbs describe:

a big change? ​

Placeholder

a small change? ​

Placeholder

a medium-size change? ​

Placeholder

a fast change? ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

dramatically

slightly, marginally, negligibly

significantly, considerably

sharply, rapidly

Drag and Drop

Which of the adverbs describe?

a slow change? ​

Placeholder

a comment by the writer? ​

Placeholder

a consistent increase or decrease? ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

gradually

remarkably, strikingly

steadily

Drag and Drop

Look again at the graph and complete these sentences with a suitable verb and adverb.

The income of Bernie's Buns ​

Placeholder

between 2006 and 2008.

The amount of money earned by Robbie's Bakery ​

Placeholder

between 2008 and 2010.

Earnings of Lovely Loaves ​

Placeholder

between 2004 and 2005.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

rose considerably

went up slightly

fell sharply

II. How to write

2. Language to describe changes

b. Adjectives and nouns

You can also describe changes using adjectives and nouns. Most of the vocabulary is the

same, but you need to learn the adjective and noun forms.

There was a considerable rise in the income of Robbie's Bakery.

The income of Robbie's Bakery saw/experienced/witnessed a considerable rise.

Match

Match the verb with its noun

• fell

• levelled off

• declined

• soared

• plummeted

a fall

a levelling off

a decline

a soar

a plummet

• a fall

• a levelling off

• a decline

• a soar

• a plummet

Match

Match the verb with its noun

• increased

• dropped

• fluctuated

• decreased

• plunged

an increase

a drop

a fluctuation

a decrease

a plunged

• an increase

• a drop

• a fluctuation

• a decrease

• a plunged

Match

Match the verb with its noun

• dipped

• recovered

• jumped

• surged

• grew

a dip

a recover

a jumped

a surged

a growth

• a dip

• a recover

• a jumped

• a surged

• a growth

PRACTICE 9 Write the adjectival form of these adverbs. Check your spelling in a dictionary.

1. dramatically dramatic

2. steadily

3. considerably

4. negligibly

5. remarkably

II. How to write

2. Language to describe changes

c. Prepositions
● With started and finished, use at

Example: Income started at £55,000.

● With increases or decreases, use (from)…to

Example: There was a sharp rise (from £40,000) to £70,000.

● With remained stable and levelled off, use at

Example: Income remained stable at £65,000.

II. How to write

2. Language to describe changes

c. Prepositions
● With peaked, use at

Example: Income remained stable at £120,000.

● To describe how much something increases or decreases, use by with verb and of with noun

Example: The figure went up by around £30,000.

There was a slight increase of £30,000.

● To describe the range of fluctuation, use between…and

Example: Earnings fluctuated between £80,000 and £90,000.

II. How to write

3. Structures to

describe changes

The graph shows data about the annual earnings

of three bakeries in London, 2000-2010.

Summarize the information by selecting and

reporting

the

main

features,

and

make

comparisons where relevant.

Structure 1. [Time period], [X] + verb + adverb +

to/by

From 2005 to 2007, the income of Robbie’s

Bakery increased gradually by £12,000.

Structure 2. [Time period], there was a/an +

adjective + noun + to/of [number]+ in + [X]

Between 2005 and 2007, there was a gradual

increase of £12,000 in the income of Robbie’s

Bakery.

Structure 3. [Time period] + saw/witnessed/experienced + a/an +

adjective + noun + to/of [number] + in + [X]

The period from 2005 to 2007 saw a gradual increase of £12,000 in the

income of Robbie’s Bakery.

Try to use academic phrases for describing future trends to make your writing

more interesting. For example:

Structure 1. [X] is/are expected/estimated/predicted to + verb + adverb

The number of students of Spanish is expected to rise significantly.

Structure 2. It is expected/estimated/predicted that [X] will + verb + adverb

It is estimated that the number of students of Spanish will rise significantly.

Open Ended

Write a sentence with an adjective and noun to describe each of these changes in the graph above.

Robbie's Bakery, 2007-2008

Open Ended

Write a sentence with an adjective and noun to describe each of these changes in the graph above.

Bernie's Buns, 2001-2002

Open Ended

Write a sentence with an adjective and noun to describe each of these changes in the graph above.

Lovely Loaves, 2004-2005

Drag and Drop

1.Sales of DVDs in the UK rose sharply between 2001 and 2004. 

   There was a ​

Placeholder

in sales of DVDs in the UK between 2001 and 2004. 



1.Chocolate production in Colombia saw a significant fall. 

   Chocolate production in Colombia ​

Placeholder

1.There was a steady growth in average incomes in Europe between 1998 and 2004. 

   Average incomes in Europe ​

Placeholder

between 1998 and 2004. 

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

sharp rise

fell significantly

grew steadily

II. How to write

4. Joining two changes together

In paragraphs 3 and 4, you need to join changes

together into longer sentences.

Income remained stable between 2000 and 2004, and

then there was a steady rise in the next two years.

There are lots of ways you can join two ideas together

in an interesting way.

…., after that + clause

…., after which + clause

…., (but) this was followed by + N

Following this, …

At this point, …

Next, …

Subsequently, …