Describing a chart in English
The words for charts, verbs and adverbs of change, prepositions before a figure, approximations, reading numbers the English way and the plan of a commentary.
- 29 cards
- 5 topics
- Free
The outline, topic by topic
Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.
- Concepts
- Questions
- Sort and link
- The numbers
- The curves
A few cards from the deck
To level off: what is it?
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To become stable after a rise or a fall: the curve turns almost flat.
Like “to remain stable”, but “level off” implies a movement came before. It can be followed by “at”: “levelled off at 40”.
Which sentence says that the rate is now 5%?
- The rate fell to 5%.
- The rate fell by 5%.
- The rate fell at 5%.
- The rate fell from 5%.
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The rate fell to 5%.
“To” gives the level reached. “By 5%” says how much it dropped, with no level. “Fall at” is not used and “from 5%” gives the starting point.
“Revenue rose … 5%” gives the size of the rise; “revenue rose … 50 million” gives the level reached; “from 40 to 50” shows start and end.
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“Revenue rose by 5%” gives the size of the rise; “revenue rose to 50 million” gives the level reached; “from 40 to 50” shows start and end.
Rise by = how much; rise to = how far; stand at = be at a level. Confusing “by” and “to” gives a wrong figure.