By Rachel Mitchell Text Copyright 2018 by Rachel Mitchell

Significantly [Adverb] (in a large or important way to be worthy of attention).
Overall, the birth rate in China varied more significantly than in the US.
The percentage of couples who were married remained significantly higher than the other categories.
Steadily [Adverb] (in an even and regular way).
Although the consumption of coffee increased significantly to 120 tons in 2002, this fell steadily to just over 70 tons in 2005.
The percentage of commuters who used public transports increased steadily over the 10 years.
Consistently [Adverb] (always in the same way).
Overall, it is clear that the figures for all four indicators were consistently higher in Canada and Japan.
Sharply [Adverb] (quickly, suddenly and by a large amount).
Prices rose sharply for fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly after 1989. The money spent on books rose sharply from $40 million in 2001 to $72
million in 2005.
The graph shows that the number of vehicles on the road is expected to continue to increase sharply.
In the following decade, the American birth rate fell sharply to below 5%.
By contrast/ In contrast [Adverb] (these can be used to describe opposite/different trend).
In contrast, 10 years later, the birth rate in America decreased suddenly by over 15%, falling to approximately 3% in 2005.
By contrast, around 100 grams of beef was eaten, compared to about 60 grams of lamb in 2006.
Respectively = in turn.
The figures for lamb and beef were lower, at under 100 grams and exactly 80 grams respectively.
The spending figures for Italy and the UK were similar in 2005, at $60 million and $65 million, respectively.
The proportion = the percentage.
The line graph illustrates the proportion of people in four different age groups who went to the cinema in Great Britain from 1984 to 2000.
The chart illustrates the proportion of boys and girls who participated in various sports in New Zealand in 2002.
Figure [Noun] (a number representing a particular amount).
In the 1940s, the figure for the UK increased dramatically to exactly 20%, which was its highest point during the 50-year period.
The spending on chicken, beef, and lamb fell, while there was a steady increase in the figure for fish.
Slightly [Adverb] (a little; not considerably).
Approximately 10% of boys played badminton – the figure which was only slightly higher than girls for this sport.
At midday, the temperature increased almost 40 degrees before slightly decreasing in the afternoon.