Lesson

Numbers, Statistics & Trends

Numerical and statistical vocabulary

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

Numbers, Statistics & Trends

This lesson introduces key vocabulary used to describe numerical information, statistical results, and trends in business reports. You will learn words for quantities, comparisons, and the language used to describe increases, decreases, and patterns over time.

  • Understand common nouns (percentage, rate, proportion) and verbs (increase, decrease, fluctuate).
  • Learn adjectives and expressions to describe trends (steady, sharp, marginal, plateau).
  • Practice using these words in business contexts: reports, meetings, and presentations.

Table

Common Terms and Examples

Term Meaning Business Example
percentage a part of a whole expressed as a number out of 100 The percentage of satisfied customers rose to 82%.
rate a measure, often per unit of time or population The churn rate decreased from 4% to 2% last quarter.
proportion a relative share or fraction of a total A large proportion of our revenue comes from online sales.
trend a general direction in which something is developing The trend shows steady growth in mobile orders.
fluctuate to change level, strength, or value frequently Exchange rates fluctuated throughout the quarter.
peak the highest point Website traffic peaked during the product launch.
plateau a period of little or no change after growth Sales hit a plateau after the initial surge.
decline / decrease to become smaller or less Profit margins declined due to higher costs.

Tip

How to choose verbs for trends

Use specific verbs to describe different kinds of change:

  • Use increase/rise/grow for upward movement (The sales increased by 12%).
  • Use decrease/fall/decline for downward movement (Profits declined last month).
  • Use fluctuate for irregular changes (Demand fluctuated).
  • Use peak for the highest point and plateau for stable levels after growth.

Match the verb to the speed and regularity of the change.

Example

Examples in context

The percentage of returning customers increased by 15% last year.

Our conversion rate has steadily improved since the campaign.

Website visits peaked during the Monday morning promotion.

Sales fluctuated in the second quarter due to supply delays.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for these universal errors when reporting numbers and trends:

  • Incorrect prepositions: say 'percentage of sales', not 'percentage sales'.
  • Confusing countable vs uncountable: 'a number of issues' vs 'the number of issues'.
  • Using vague verbs: prefer specific verbs (rose/declined/spiked) over vague ones (went up/down).
  • Mixing up absolute numbers and percentages without clarification.

Be precise with prepositions, quantifiers, and the type of measurement you report.

Quiz

Choose the correct sentence:

Hint: Think about the correct preposition used with 'percentage'.

Quiz

Complete: The company's profits _____ by 4% this year.

Hint: Choose a past-tense verb that means 'went down'.

Quiz

Which sentence describes a temporary change rather than a long-term trend?

Hint: Look for words that indicate sudden change and recovery.

Key Points

Vocabulary

percentage

noun CEFR B1 //pərˈsɛntɪdʒ//

a portion of a whole expressed as a number out of 100

The percentage of overdue invoices dropped to 5%.

Vocabulary

rate

noun CEFR B1 //reɪt//

a measured amount or frequency, often per unit of time

The vacancy rate fell to 2% after the recruitment drive.

Vocabulary

proportion

noun CEFR B2 //prəˈpɔːrʃən//

a part or share of a whole expressed relative to the whole

A high proportion of clients prefer the premium plan.

Vocabulary

trend

noun CEFR B1 //trɛnd//

a general direction in which something is developing or changing

The trend indicates growing demand for remote services.

Vocabulary

fluctuate

verb CEFR B2 //ˈflʌktʃueɪt//

to change frequently in level, strength, or value

Market prices fluctuated during the economic uncertainty.

Vocabulary

peak

noun/verb CEFR B1 //piːk//

the highest point (noun); to reach the highest point (verb)

Customer interest peaked after the new features were announced.

Vocabulary

plateau

noun/verb CEFR B2 //plæˈtoʊ//

a period of little or no change after a time of activity or progress

After rapid growth, the user base plateaued at 50,000.

Vocabulary

survey

noun/verb CEFR B1 //ˈsɜːrveɪ//

a set of questions to collect information from a group; to ask these questions

The customer satisfaction survey showed a 90% approval rating.