Describing Graphs and Charts

Describing Graphs and Charts

Describing Graphs and Charts

How to describe graphs and charts?

Do not copy information from the question paper, use your own words. Make sure that you describe the most important information and that your figures are accurate. Paraphrase the information in the question. Avoid repeating the same words and phrases and try to vary the sentence structures you use. Give an overview of the most important trends or patterns.

When describing trends of graphs and charts, it is best to use:

- the simple past to talk about 'finished time, e.g. in 1950, last year.

- the present perfect to talk about 'unfinished time, e.g. since 1950, ever, this year

- a future tense to talk about future time, e.g. in 2030, next year

We often use the following expression when talking about future or predicted data, because the simple future is a little too certain:

... are/is                                            (un)likely

... are/is               predicted             to

... are/is               expected              to

For example: Between 1950 and 2030, the proportion of the world's population is expected to double.

to

OR we use a verb such as predict and a future tense.

For example: It is predicted that the proportion of the world's population will double by 2030.

To emphasise a difference, you can use: many, much, far, and significantly.

English Grammar and Composition

The amount of waste material being recycled In 2011 was much more than In 1985.

For small differences you can use: slightly or nearly as ... as.

The percentage of garbage being recycled in 1970 was slightly higher than In 1960.

How to describe ber dagrams:

When you first see a bar chart, ask yourself the following questions:

1) What do the numbers on the vertical/horizontal axis measures?

2) How is the Information grouped on the other axis?

9) What do the different shades of the bars show?

4) When was the data collected?

The answers will give you the essential Information for understanding It. Make sure you know which units are being used to measure quantities.

Example 1

The chart below gives Information about science qualifications held by people in two countries. Summarise the Information by selecting and reporting the main features, and male comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words

 

Model answer

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of people who has a science qualification in Singapore and Malaysia. A prominent feature about both the countries is that a significantly low percentage of people have science qualifications at the Master's and Bachelor's level. Less than 5% of people hold a qualification in science at Master's degree level in both Singapore and Malaysia.

There is a significant difference in the percentage of people with science qualifications at Bachelor level. While this number is 20% in Singapore, it is a only 10% in Malaysia. The percentage of people doing science at school leaving exams is slightly higher in Malaysia than in Singapore. 35% of people in Malaysia have a science qualification at this level, whereas in Singapore it is 30%. Finally, more than half of the people in both countries have no science qualification at all.

Example 2

The diagrams below give information on transport and car use in Edmonton. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Tips for comparing information in graphs or charts

When you describe two figures, ask yourself the following:

1) What do both figures relate to?

2) What kind of relationship is evident? (a similarity, a difference, a cause and effect relationship or some other type of relationship)

3) Which aspects of each figure should be highlighted?

4) Should I describe the figures in separate paragraphs, or should I

compare different aspects of the figures within a series of paragraph?

Model answer

The table shows the reason why people in Edmonton use their cars in the city and the pie chart explains what type of transport people prefer to use most of the time.

Looking at the pie chart first, it is clear that the car is the most popular means of transport in this city. 45% of the people say that they prefer to commute by car. The second most popular form of transport is the LRT, while buses and taxis are the main means of transport for the rest of the people.

The table gives more detailed information about why people use their cars. Surprisingly, 55% of the people need to commute to work by car. Cars are also used a lot for taking children to school or business purposes. Only 15% of drivers are doing their shopping and, similarly, 15% need to travel by car for leisure.

Overall, people in Edmonton make good use of alternative methods of transport but there is a heavy dependence on cars for work.

Note: There are sometimes two or three pie charts that you must compare. The pie charts may represent different years and show trends over time. You need to describe the changes and similarities / differences between the pie charts.

Example 3

The graph below shows the number of books read by men and women at Bumaby Publi Ubrary from 2011 to 2014. Describe the graph In your own language.

Model answer

The graph gives information about the number of books people read in Burnaby Public Library between 2011 and 2014.

As can be seen from the graph, there were different trends for men and women. The number of books read by men Increased steadily between 2011 and 2012, from about 3000 to 4000. After that, the number rose dramatically to 14000 in 2014. This was the highest figure in the given period.

Women started off reading more books than men, but thelr numbers followed a different pattem. Between 2011 and 2012, there was an Increase from 3000 to 3500 in 2012, and 8000 in 2015. Then there was a gradual rise to 10000 books in 2013. However, in 2014, the numbers fell back to 8000 again.

Overall, there was a strong upward trend in the number of books read by men. Although women read more books than men from 2011 to 2013, their reading fell to below the level of men in 2014.

Example 4

The table below shows the result of a survey that arkad 6800 Scottish adults (aged 16 years and over) whether they had taken part in different cultural actvities in the past 12 month Describe the chart by reporting the man feetures. Make comparisons where relevant.

Model answer

The table shows details of participation in a variety of cultural activities over a year, according to the age of the participants. Overall, any performance, which includes dancing, singing, playing musical instruments and acting, had the highest level of participation, with 22% of respondents participating in the previous 12 months. By contrast, computer based activities had the lowest level of participation (6 percent). People aged between 45 and 74 years old were most likely to undertake any activity to do with crafts (22 percent), while performances were more likely to be participated in by those aged 16 to 24 (35 percent). The differences between age groups were particularly marked in the case of visual arts and writing categories, where participation rates were around three times higher for younger people than for the older ones. It is clear from the evidence that age plays a significant role in the popularity of the cultural activities listed.

Writing a Cover Letter

Source- 

English Grammar and Composition | Classes Nine-Ten | NCATB, BD