IELTS Grammar: fall or reduce?

 These two words are the opposites of 'rise' and 'raise' (see last week's grammar lesson):

• something falls (e.g. the price fell)
• somebody reduces something (e.g. the company reduced the price)

You will probably use 'fall' to describe numbers on a graph or chart for IELTS Writing Task 1:

• In 2008, the number of customers fell. (verb, past)
• There was a sharp fall in Internet usage. (noun)

'Reduce' and 'reduction' are probably more useful for Writing Task 2:

• We need to reduce the amount of pollution from exhaust fumes. (verb)
• Recycling leads to a reduction in waste. (noun)