Course 4 - Describing trends

I. Language focus (source: Brieger, N and J,Comfort. Language Reference

for Business English, Prentice Hall International, 1992)
1. Past Tense Simple
A. Form
1. Positive form
Last year I/you/he/she/it/we/they worke in !ersonnel.
2. Negative form
At that time I/you/he/she/it/we/they i not/in"t know the forecast.
3. Interrogative form
#i I/you/he/she/it/we/they fill in the form correctly$
B. %ses
We se t!e "ast sim"le to tal# a$ot activities in t!e "ast.
1. %o indicate an activit& at a s"ecific time in t!e "ast'
Last week the AB& 'rou! took o(er our com!any.
2. %o as# (!en an activit& !a""ened'
)hen i the new *# start$
+,-E.
1. )nce (e !ave e*"licitl& mentioned a s"ecific time in t!e "ast, all t!e follo(ing
activities are nderstood to !a""en (it!in t!at time frame, i.e. in t!e "ast'
Last year we a!!ointe a new sales irector. After he took u! his !ost, he starte to
change the sales regions.
2. %&"ical "ast time mar#ers inclde'
yesteray
. . . ago
last . . .
on / ay/ate, e.g. on *onay, on 01 2anuary
in / month/year e.g. in 2uly, in 1345
at that time
3. Alreay and recently
In +merican ,nglis! alreay is sed (it! t!e "ast sim"le'
)e alreay finishe the figures.
In Britis! ,nglis! t!e "resent "erfect is sed'
)e ha(e alreay finishe the figures.
Recently is sed (it! $ot! t!e "ast sim"le and t!e "resent "erfect'
I met him recently. -at a s"ecific time in t!e recent "ast)
I ha(en"t seen him recently. -in t!e "eriod of time from t!e recent "ast till toda&)
2. Present Perfect Simple
A. Form
%!e "resent "erfect sim"le com"rises t(o "arts' has/ha(e / 65
1. Positive form
I/you/we/they ha(e/"(e finishe the !ro7ect.
8e/she/it has/"s finishe the !ro7ect.
2. Negative form
I/you/we/they ha(e not/ha(en"t / 65
8e/she/it has not/hasn"t / 65
3. Interrogative form
8a(e I/you/we/they / 65
8as he/she/it / 65
B. %ses
In meaning, t!e "resent "erfect sim"le $elongs to t!e "resent tenses. %!is is
$ecase in t!e varios ses $elo(, t!e meaning is al(a&s lin#ed to t!e "resent
rat!er t!an t!e "ast.
1. %o indicate an activit& at some non.s"ecific time in t!e "ast (it! an im"act or reslt
in t!e "resent or ftre'
)e ha(e com!lete the feasi9ility stuy. -"resent reslt / std& is no( finis!ed0
ftre im"act / (e are read& to "roceed to t!e ne*t stage)
cf. )e com!lete the feasi9ility stuy last week. -s"ecific time in t!e "ast)
)e ha(e raise our !rices. -"resent reslt / !ig!er "rices)
cf. )e raise our !rices at the 9eginning of the year. -s"ecific time in t!e "ast)
2. %o indicate an activit& (it!in a "eriod of time (!ic! is not &et finis!ed, i.e.
nfinis!ed time'
.ales ha(e increase this year. -t!e &ear is not &et finis!ed)
.ales increase last year. -last &ear is finis!ed)
3. %o indicate an activit& (!ic! started in t!e "ast and contines to t!e "resent'
.o far/%! to now we ha(e teste three new a!!lications. -in t!e "eriod $et(een t!en
and no()
8e has worke as o!erations manager since 1343. -!e started in 1919 and !e is still
o"erations manager toda&)
-he com!any has 9een 9ase here for fi(e years. -it moved !ere five &ears ago and
is still !ere toda&)
+,-E.
1. +s t!e activit& in Cl !a""ened at a non.s"ecific time in t!e "ast, no time mar#er is
sed.
2. In C2, t&"ical time mar#ers are'
this morning/week/month/year
toay now
2ust and 7ust now are considered as "resent time mar#ers, so t!e& are sed (it! t!e
"resent "erfect or ot!er "resent tense'
We ha(e 7ust signe t!e contract.
%!e deliver& has 7ust now arri(e.
Recently can also $e sed (it! t!e "resent "erfect -see also Past %ense 2im"le)'
Recently t!ere !ave $een man& c!anges in t!e de"artment.
Alreay and yet $ot! "rovide a frame of nfinis!ed time0 t!e time frame starts at an
ns"ecified "oint in t!e "ast and contines to t!e "resent. Alreay is t&"icall& sed in
"ositive sentences0 yet in negative and interrogative sentences'
8a(e you chosen an advertising agenc& yet3 -$et(een t!en and no()
We ha(e alreay a!!ointe someone for t!e "ost, -$et(een t!en and no()
3. In C3, t&"ical time mar#ers are'
since -sed to indicate t!e starting "oint) for -sed to indicate t!e "eriod)
He has worke in t!is de"artment since 1919. -starting "oint)
He has worke in t!is de"artment for five &ears, -"eriod)
II. Describing trends (source: Brieger, N and J,Comfort. Language
Reference for Business English, Prentice Hall International, 1992)
%rends are c!anges or movements. %!ese c!anges are normall& in nmerical items,
e.g. costs, "rodction volmes or nem"lo&ment. %!ere are t!ree $asic trends'
u!war, ownwar and no change (sta9le:. 4or eac! of t!ese t!ere are a nm$er of
ver$s and nons to e*"ress t!e movement. We can divide t!ese ver$s into transitive
and intransitive. +fter a transitive ver$ (e mst "t an o$5ect'
)e ha(e raised our !rices in line with inflation.
+fter an intransitive ver$ (e cannot "t a direct o$5ect.
,ur !rices have risen in line with inflation.
1.
-ransiti(e (er9 Intransiti(e (er9 +oun
Increase Increase increase
6aise 6ise 6ise
"t7"s!7ste"
"
go7 $e "
8ro( 8ro(t!
,*tend ,*tension
,*"and ,*"and ,*"ansion
Boom $oom -dramatic
rise)
1. %!e &en is forecast to increase in vale over t!e ne*t &ear.
2. %arom increased t!e nm$er of "assengers it carried last &ear $& 19:.
3. %!e Bndes$an# "t " its rate $& 1:.
9. %!ere are fears t!at im"ort "rice rises (ill "s! " inflation.
;. We (ill $e ste""ing " "rodction to meet increased demand.
<. 2eaman gre( ra"idl&, $ecoming one of t!e largest advertisers in t!e Ne(
=or# area.
>. In t!e "ast 12 mont!s, t!e la$or force !as gro(n $& onl& <<?,???.
1. C!ina@s slm"ing econom& recorded Aero gro(t! in indstrial ot"t dring
t!e first Barter, alt!og! some signs of recover& (ere seen in Carc!.
9. Car manfactring, an area (it! large "rofit margins, s!o(ed strong gro(t!.
1?. +t >: economic gro(t! a &ear, t!e econom& (old do$le in siAe in less t!an
a decade.
11. %!e lease !as $een e*tended for five &ears.
12. %!e $siness (as gro(ing ver& ra"idl& and e*"anding a$road.
13. %!e C!ancellor is "redicting t!at t!e econom& (ill e*"and at 3: a &ear.
19. Western car ma#ers !o"e to e*"and into t!e ne( consmer mar#ets of
eastern ,ro"e.
1;. 2ince t!e 191?s torism !as $oomed !ere.7 $siness is $ooming.
2.
-ransiti(e
(er9
Intransiti(e
(er9
+oun
Decrease Decrease decrease
4all 4all
Dro" Dro" Dro"
"t7"s! do(n go7$e do(n
Decline Decline
Ct Ct
6edce 6edction
Colla"se colla"se -dramatic
fall)
2lm" 2lm" -dramatic fall)
1. Net(or# television vie(ing contines to decrease.
2. %!e $an# decreased its dividend to 1; cents from 31.2; cents a s!are.
3. %!e airline !as $een !rt $& !ig! fel costs and decreasing "assenger traffic.
9. 2ales of ne( "assenger cars in ,ro"e fell $& 9.<:.
;. Ja"anese com"anies !ave tried to ma#e " for a fall in domestic demand $&
increasing sales overseas.
<. =esterda& sa( a s!ar" dro" in stoc# "rices.
>. %!e dollar dro""ed against t!e Ja"anese &en toda&.
1. +s "rofita$ilit& declines, "eo"le (old go ot of farming.
9. %!e "rofit rise came des"ite a decline in sales.
1?. Carston is to ct its (or#force $& a t!ird.
11. %!e "rice cts are aimed at ma#ing Com"aB more com"etitive (it! lo(er PC
costs.
12. Prices !ave $een redced $& 2? :.
13. )r (inter sales inclde man& "rice redctions.
19. We can ma#e a redction if &o $& in $l#.
1;. %!ere !as $een a slm" in sales t!is mont!.
1<. 2ecrities firms@ "rofits !ave slm"ed in recent &ears.
3.
-ransiti(e (er9 Intransiti(e
(er9
+oun
#ee"7 !old E sta$le7
constant
remain sta$le 2ta$ilit
&
maintain E -at t!e same
level)
sta& constant 2ta$ilit
&
9. )t!er e*"ressions sed to descri$e trends.
To stand at.
We se t!is "!rase to focs on a "articlar "oint, $efore (e mention t!e trends of
movements.
In the first year sales in our region stoo at 1;3,;;; units.
To reach a peak of
In the si<th year sales in our region reache a !eak of 0=,;;; units.
We can descri$e a trend $& loo#ing at'
t!e difference $et(een t!e t(o levels
t!e end "oint
1. Describing the difference:
-his year sales ha(e increase 9y 1; !er cent.
-his year there has 9een an increase in sales of 1; !er cent.
Notice t!e "re"ositions. We se Fto increase 9y> -(it! t!e ver$) and Fan increase
of> -(it! t!e non).
2. Describing the end point'
-his year !rofits ha(e risen to ?0m.
-his year there has 9een a rise in !rofits of ?0m.
Notice t!e "re"ositions. We se Fto rise to> -(it! t!e ver$) and Fa rise to>-(it! t!e
non).
%rends are c!anges. 2ometimes (e need to give more information a$ot t!e
c!ange, as follo(s'
6a( material costs !ave fallen slightly. -We modif& a ver$ (it! an adver$)
%!ere !as $een a ra!i increase in or e*"enses. -(e modif& a non (it! an
ad5ective)
!6emem$er t!at most adver$s are derived from ad5ectives $& adding @lyA ad5ectives
ending in @ic add @ally'
efinite @ efinitely,
useful @ usefully,
!roucti(e @ !roucti(ely,
ramatic @ ramatically, etc.
)t!er ad5ectives and adver$s sed to descri$e t!e degree or s"eed of c!ange are'
ramatic(ally:, (ast(ly:, huge(ly:, su9stantial(ly:, consiera9le/ consiera9ly,
significant(ly:, moerate(ly:, slight(ly:, ra!i(ly:, Buick(ly:, graual(ly:, slow(ly:, etc.
. Practice
Read the following texts and identify all words and expressions used to
describe trends. What grammar tenses are most often used
1.
+ %!is gra"! s!o(s t!e sales reslts for last &ear. Can ever&$od& see it )G3
8ood. Per!a"s &o cold rn t!rog! t!e figres for s, Hester3
B =es of corse. ,r ... as &o can see, (e !ad a Biet start to t!e &ear. 2ales
remained stead& at <,??? nits in Janar& and 4e$rar&.
C W!en did t!e s"ring sales cam"aign $egin3
B In Carc!. =o can see t!at sales increased slig!tl& to >,??? t!en and t!e& (ent
" $& anot!er 1,??? nits in +"ril to stand at 1,??? nits.
C W!& did (e !ave t!at trog! in Jne3
B +!, t!at (as de to increased com"etition. )r com"etitors lanc!ed a rival
"rodct in Ca& and sales fell to ;,??? nits. %!e& decreased $& anot!er t!osand
nits in Jne. Bt (e increased or disconts to t!e (!olesalers and sales rose
steadil&, $ac# to ;,??? nits in Jl& and t!en <,??? nits in +gst. %!e dramatic
rise came in t!e ne*t t(o mont!s. 2ales increased from 1?,??? nits in 2e"tem$er
to 13,??? nits in )cto$er.
+ Was t!at $ecase of t!e C!ristmas orders3
B %!atIs rig!t. +nd sales (ent do(n $& <,??? nits in Novem$er (!en t!e
C!ristmas orders sto""ed. %!e& sta&ed at >,??? ntil t!e end of t!e &ear. ,r ... +re
t!ere an& Bestions3
C =es. Ho( do t!ese figres com"are (it! t!e "revios &earIs3
B Jer& (ell. IIve got last &earIs gra"! !ere. ,r ... =o can see t!at t!ere (as a
slig!t im"rovement in Janar& and 4e$rar& $t t!e figres for +"ril ... -sorce'
Hollett, J. Business ,97ecti(es, )*ford Kniversit& Press, 1991)
0.
Inflation fell dramaticall& in t!e KG at t!e start of t!e eig!ties. It (as nearl& 2?: in
191? $t do(n to 3.9: $& 191<. Knem"lo&ment, on t!e ot!er !and, increased
s!ar"l&. It reac!ed t!ree million in t!e mid.eig!ties and t!en $egan to fall. B&
1911, it (as do(n to arond t(o million.
Consmer s"ending rose dramaticall& in t!e 191?s. P$lic s"ending increased $&
onl& 12: $t consmer s"ending increased $& nearl& 9?:. + large amont of t!is
e*tra s"ending (ent on foreign goods. %!is reslted in an increase in im"orts. +t
t!e same time, a ct$ac# in Nort! 2ea oil e*"orts and a !ig! sterling e*c!ange rate
led to a fall in e*"orts. %!ere (as a small sr"ls of ?.2 $illion "onds in t!e
$alance of trade in 191<. %!is c!anged to a deficit of 2.9 $illion in 191>. %!e deficit
gre( and $& 1919 it (as over 2? $illion "onds.
%!e government too# action. %!e& increased interest rates s!ar"l&, to sto" t!e rise in
consmer s"ending. +s a reslt, t!e mortgage rate do$led. It (ent from arond 1:
in s"ring 1911 to 1;.;: in s"ring 199?. %!e !ig! interest and mortgage rates led to
an increase in inflation. It rose to arond 9: in 199?. -sorce' Hollett, J. Business
,97ecti(es, )*ford Kniversit& Press, 1991)
5.
%C retail sales rise as sho!!ers 9uy winter clothing
Demand for (inter clot!ing and sc!ool niforms !el"ed to increase retail sales in
2e"tem$er, official figres s!o(.
2ales volmes (ere " ?.<: last mont!, according to t!e )ffice for National
2tatistics -)N2), com"ared (it! a ?.1: fall in +gst.
%!e sales decrease in +gst !ad $een $lamed on "eo"le "tting off s!o""ing to
(atc! t!e )l&m"ics.
Com"ared (it! 2e"tem$er 2?11, t!e &ear.on.&ear figres s!o( sales " 2.;:.
%!e )N2 estimates t!at "rices in t!e s!o"s rose $& 1.3: in 2e"tem$er from +gst,
(it! t!e cost of te*tiles, clot!ing and foot(ear increasing.
L2ales (ere $oosted as consmers "t off "rc!ases of sc!ool niforms ntil earl&
2e"tem$er and t!at ne( (inter collections !ad increased sales,L t!e )N2 said.
In t!e mont!s $et(een Jl& and 2e"tem$er, retail sales (ere 1: !ig!er t!an in t!e
"revios t!ree mont!s, "osting t!e strongest Barterl& rise since t!e second Barter
of 2?1?.
Natalie Berg, retail anal&st at Planet 6etail, said t!e im"rovement (as indicative of
$roader consmer recover&. 2!e told t!e BBC t!at $etter (eat!er in 2e"tem$er L!ad
got t!e consmers otL.
Bt s!e (arned t!at an e*"ected rise food and energ& "rices over coming mont!s
(old contine to sBeeAe consmer s"ending.
6oss Wal#er, economist at 6o&al Ban# of 2cotland, said' L+lt!og! retail services
form a relativel& small s!are of 8DP, I t!in# it s!o(s t!at consmer activit& !as
normalised after t!ose second Barter distortions.
LWeIre more confident after t!ese figres t!at (eIll get t!e sort of Barterl& gro(t!
figre (e (ant.L
%!e retail sector !as endred tog! times (it! JJB 2"orts, Peacoc#s, Blac#s
Heisre, Clinton Cards and 8ame 8ro" all going into administration in "ast 12
mont!s. -sorce' !tt"'77(((.$$c.com7ne(s7$siness.19919391)
=.
'ermany slashes its forecast for 0;15 '#D growth
%!e 8erman government !as slas!ed its forecast for economic gro(t! in 2?13 from
1.<: to 1:.
LWe are still tal#ing a$ot 1: gro(t! for 2?13, so t!ereIs no tal# a$ot a crisis for
8erman&,L said ,conom& Cinister P!ili"" 6oesler.
%!e econom& ministr& also raised its forecast for 2?12 to ?.1: from t!e ?.>: it
"redicted in +"ril.
%!e ct $rings t!e government in line (it! t!e gro" of for t!in# tan#s, (!ic! ct
t!eir forecasts last (ee#.
L8erman& is navigating storm& (aters $ecase of t!e ,ro"ean sovereign de$t crisis
and an economic (ea#ening in emerging nations in +sia and Hatin +merica,L Cr
6oesler said in a statement.
%!e "redicted levels of gro(t! in gross domestic "rodct -8DP) for t!e ne*t t(o
&ears (old mar# a $ig slo(do(n from t!e "revios t(o &ears.
8erman 8DP gre( 9.2: in 2?1? and 3: in 2?11.
8erman& !as $enefited from t!e (ea#er ero, ma#ing its e*"orts more com"etitive
otside t!e eroAone.
L+lt!og! gro(t! of 1: is (ea# in a$solte terms, it still leaves 8erman&
ot"erforming t!e rest of t!e ero area,L James +s!le&, ,ro"ean economist at 6BC
Ca"ital Car#ets, told BBC Ne(s.
LWe (old e*"ect t!e ero area as a (!ole to contract $& arond ?.9: t!is &ear and
gro( onl& $& arond ?.9: ne*t &ear.L
E.
%C unem!loyment falls to 0.E5 million
%!e nm$er of "eo"le ot of (or# in t!e KG !as contined to decline.
Knem"lo&ment fell $& ;?,??? to 2.;3m in t!e t!ree mont!s to +gst, ta#ing t!e
5o$less rate do(n to >.9: from 1.1:.
%!e nm$er of "eo"le in em"lo&ment rose to a record of almost 3? million, t!e )ffice
for National 2tatistics said.
%!e government said it (as "ositive ne(s, $t Ha$or !ig!lig!ted t!e gro(ing
nm$ers of "eo"le in tem"orar& or "art.time (or# $ecase t!e& cold not get fll.
time, "ermanent 5o$s.
%!e )N2 figres s!o( t!at some 1.;> million "eo"le claimed Jo$see#erIs +llo(ance
in 2e"tem$er, a fall of 9,??? on t!e "revios mont!.
+ com$ination of more 5o$s $eing created and more "eo"le entering t!e (or#force
"s!ed t!e a$solte nm$er of "eo"le in em"lo&ment to 29.< million, t!e !ig!est
since t!ese records $egan in 19>1.
%!e "ercentage of "eo"le in (or# rose to >1.3:, t!e $est rate since +"ril 2??9.
-sorce' !tt"'77(((.$$c.com7ne(s7$siness.199>;>19)
.elfFassessment tests
1. %!e forms of t!e ver$ Mgro(N are
a. gro(, gre(, gre( $. gro(, gro(n, gre( c. gro(, gre(, gro(n d. gro(, gro(,
gro(n
2. %!e forms of t!e ver$ MfallN are
a. fall, fell, fallen $. fall, felt, felt c. fall, fle(, flo(n d. fall, fell, fell
3. %!e sentence MPrinci"alii nostrii rivali a reds "retrile in JanarieN is translated
into ,nglis! as
a. )r main com"etitors increased "rices in Janar&. $. )r main com"etitors raised
"rices in Janar&. c. )r main com"etitors ct "rices in Janar&. d. )r main
com"etitors "t " "rices in Janar&.
9. %!e sentence MPrinci"alii nostrii rivali a marit "retrile in JanarieN is translated
into ,nglis! as
a. )r main com"etitors increased "rices in Janar&. $. )r main com"etitors
decreased "rices in Janar&. c. )r main com"etitors ct "rices in Janar&. d. )r
main com"etitors redced "rices in Janar&.
;. %!e forms of t!e ver$ MctN are
a. ct, ct, ct $. ct, ct, ctten c. ct, ctted, ctted d. ct, ctted, ctten
<. %!e forms of t!e ver$ MriseN are
a. rise, rose, risen $. rise, rose, rose c. rise, raise, raised d. rise, rised, rised
>. %!e sentence M2oma5l a cresct c 1?: in 2??9N is translated into ,nglis! as
a. Knem"lo&ment decreased $& 1?: in 2??9. $. Knem"lo&ment increased $& 1?: in
2??9. c. Knem"lo&ment increased (it! 1?: in 2??9. d. Knem"lo&ment increased to
1?: in 2??9.
1. %!e sentence MPIB.l 6omaniei a scaAt "ternic in 2??9N is translated into
,nglis! as
a. 6omaniaIs 8DP fell s!ar"l& in 2??9. $. 6omaniaIs 8DP fell slig!tl& in 2??9. c.
6omaniaIs 8DP (ent " dramaticall& in 2??9. d. 6omaniaIs 8DP increased s!ar"l&
in 2??9.
9. %!e sentence M,*"ortrile a cresct sor in 2??9N is translated into ,nglis! as
a. ,*"orts increased dramaticall& in 2??9. $. ,*"orts decreased dramaticall& in 2??9.
c. ,*"orts increased slig!tl& in 2??9. d. ,*"orts decreased slig!tl& in 2??9.
1?. %!e sentence MJanAarile a cresct "ana la 1?.??? de nitati in Decem$rieN is
translated into ,nglis! as
a. 2ales increased $& 1?,??? nits in Decem$er. $. 2ales increased from 1?,???
nits in Decem$er. c. 2ales increased (it! 1?,??? nits in Decem$er. d. 2ales
increased to 1?,??? nits in Decem$er.
!ibliography:
1. Brieger, N and Comfort, J' Language Reference for Business English, Prentice
Hall International, 1992
2. Hollett, J' Business ,97ecti(es, )*ford Kniversit& Press, 1991
3. Bantas, +, Nastasesc, J' #ictionar economic engleG @ roman/ roman @
engleG, ,ditra Niclesc, 2??1
=. Longman Business English #ictionary, Pearson ,dcation Himited, 2???
E. !tt"'77(((.$$c.com7ne(s7$siness