Using Graphs in Texts

Describing Graphs

by Arirofl time

Review​

Read the questions and answer quickly.​ You'll have a minute.

Open Ended

Write the names of the four most important types of charts or graphs.

Open Ended

Which verbs and nouns are used to describe UPWARD trends?

Open Ended

Which verbs and nouns are used to describe the SAME trend?

Open Ended

Which verbs and nouns are used to describe a DOWNWARD trend?

Structure​

How do you plan your answer?​

​What is important to include?

​Steps:

​Tell the examiner what is in the graph. (facts)

​

• Introduction

• Overview of information

• Detailed information about relevant trends

• Wrap-up (if you have time)

​Step 1

• Start by saying what the charts show. In an exam, change the words in the question to write the first sentence of your answer, e.g. This graph shows, These charts show = This graph illustrates, ​These charts illustrate.​

The graph illustrates trends in music buying habits between 2011 and 2018. It presents three different methods: streaming, downloading and buying CDs.

​Step 2

• ​Provide an overview of the key features of the information.

​Overall, both downloads and physical sales of music have steadily declined. However, there has been a significant rise in people streaming music since 2013.

​Step 3

• ​Describe the patterns or trends in more detail. However, only select the most important ones.

• Use precise vocabulary like steadily declined and a sharp increase to describe trends

• Use linking words and a range of vocabulary to describe what you see in the charts.

​Step 3

• In 2011, the majority of music sales were of CDs, at 55% of all sales. In contrast, streaming was not common at all at only 5%. As sales of CDs began to fall, downloads started to rise. They increased steadily and downloads reached physical sales in mid-2013.

​Step 3

• During the same period, streaming doubled to 10% but then it started to grow more dramatically. Downloads peaked in 2014 at about 43% of sales but decreased to 30% by 2018, at the same time physical sales shrank to 25%.

​Step 4

• Provide a conclusion. Say what happened to the data overall.

​In the end, Streaming overtook both of them and accounted for just over 40% of sales in 2018.

​Grade

​Be careful to use the correct tenses to describe the time periods shown.

You are going to be graded on vocabulary, grammar, coherence, pronunciation and your ability to meet the task requirements.

​Consumer spending on fast foods in Britain.