fluctuate

IELTS use

Describe unstable trends in line graphs, tables, or charts without saying 'go up and down'.

Examples

1. The price of oil fluctuated significantly throughout the year.
2. The number of tourists fluctuated between 2,000 and 4,000 per month.

Collocations

fluctuate wildly

Stock prices fluctuated wildly during the economic crisis.

fluctuate between

Temperatures fluctuated between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius.

fluctuate over time

The data shows that the rate fluctuated over time.

Word family

Noun

fluctuation

Verb

fluctuate

Adjective

fluctuating

Paraphrases

• vary irregularly: Used when describing unstable patterns.
• rise and fall: More general and less formal for describing changes.

Common mistakes

• The number fluctuated up and down. to The number fluctuated.. 'Fluctuate' already means moving up and down; 'up and down' is redundant.
• It fluctuated very much. to It fluctuated significantly / considerably / wildly.. Use precise adverbs to modify 'fluctuate'.