Preposition in Graphs and Trends

1) increase/ rise/ decrease/ fall + IN... when we do NOT specify a number
    (noun)

2) increase/ rise/ decrease/ fall  + OF...when we specify a number
    (noun)

                                                                  (NO specific number)

e.g: There has been an increase in the number of students here this semester.

e.g: There has been an increase of  500 students here this semester.

                                                                  (specific number)

e.g: There was a 70% increase in sales of emergency kits sold in 2012.

e.g: There was an increase of 70% in sales of emergency kits sold in 2012.

3) increase/ decrease + FROM X (the first amount) TO Y (the final amount).
    (verb)

4) increase/ decrease + BY (amount).
    (verb)

e.g:Sales increase from 100 to 130 units. 

So, sales increase by 30 units. 

BY+ the amount of change between two periods of time or values.

BY is optional before a percentage. 

e.g: Sales increased by 30%.V

e.g: Sales increased 30%. V

5) decline + BY    VS.     decline + TO 
    (verb)                            (verb)

BY is used to show the different between the two numbers.
To is used to show the end point.



*Sometimes we don't use the "from" part as that number has already been mentioned in a previous part.


6) IN + Month
    IN + Year
    IN+ the(first, second, etc.) QUARTER
    (A quarter is a period of 3 months of the year)
   
   
   BETWEEN X AND Y   
   (For a range of time , X=start time, Y=end time)

   SINCE + START TIME
                   (...and continues until now)

e.g: IN April 

e.g: IN 2017

e.g: Profits increased IN the second quarter. 

e.g: Wedding dress can cost between $1000 and $2000. 

e.g: We fall in love since 2015. 

See our lesson about the difference between FOR and SINCE.


7) Start + AT
    Begin + AT
    End + AT

    Finish + AT

e.g: Initial prices started at $300 per unit.

e.g: Production began at 70 units per day in March.

e.g: Production ended at 90 units per day in August.

    Peak + AT

e.g: Crime peaked at 200 incidents per night in April. 

    Remain constant or steady+ AT

e.g: Over the last decade, the population of the town has remained steady at around 10,000 inhabitants

    Over / During + Time period 

e.g: Sales increased over the next three months.

   = Sales increased during the next three months. 

 

There was a drop of 6 (units).
NOUN + OF

It dropped by 6 (units).
VERB + BY