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Useful Language For Chart Descriptions

This document provides guidance on describing charts and graphs in English. It outlines key terms for describing trends over time using line graphs, including verbs like "increase" and "decrease" and adverbs like "dramatically" and "slightly". It also gives vocabulary for describing static data using tables, pie charts or bar charts, such as adjectives like "higher" and "lower". Finally, it lists useful phrases for introducing and interpreting different types of charts.

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Maripinky
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225 views

Useful Language For Chart Descriptions

This document provides guidance on describing charts and graphs in English. It outlines key terms for describing trends over time using line graphs, including verbs like "increase" and "decrease" and adverbs like "dramatically" and "slightly". It also gives vocabulary for describing static data using tables, pie charts or bar charts, such as adjectives like "higher" and "lower". Finally, it lists useful phrases for introducing and interpreting different types of charts.

Uploaded by

Maripinky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DESCRIBING CHARTS IN ENGLISH

• CHANGE OVER TIME (TRENDS)

This is usually presented as a line graph.

You will be shown data that changes over days, months or years.

For vocabulary, you need interesting adjectives, adverbs and verbs


that mean “increase/decrease + a lot/a little“.

• STATIC

This is usually presented as a table. It can also be a pie chart or bar chart.

You will be shown data for one point in time, usually one year.

For vocabulary, you need interesting adjectives and adverbs that mean "higher/lower",
and “the highest/lowest“ (comparative and superlative). Also different ways of
paraphrasing percentages and statistics and the language of approximation

USEFUL PHRASES TO DESCRIBE OR INTERPRET A CHART

Introducing

THE TOPIC THE CHART


I’d like you to look at … This chart/graph shows…
Let me show you … The chart/graph outlines…
Let’s have a look at … This table lists…
Let’s turn to… This chart/graph represents…
To illustrate my point let’s look at… According to the chart/graph,
As you can see from these… The graph compares...
If you look at … you’ll see/notice/understand… These graphs compare...
Interpreting the data

CHANGE OVER TIME (TRENDS)


VERBS ADVERBS NOUNS (a/an) ADJECTIVES
to go up dramatically an increase dramatic
to increase considerably D a rise considerable D
to grow significantly E a surge significant E
to rise sharply an improvement sharp
to soar substancially
G substantial
G
to rocket/skyrocket moderately R moderate R
to explode slightly E slight E
to improve E E
to double
to triple/treble
to quadruple
to go down abruptly a decrease abrupt
to decrease suddently S a fall sudden S
to drop rapidly P a drop rapid P
to fall quickly a decline quick
to decline steadily
E steady
E
to plummet slowly E slow E
to collapse gradually D gradual D
to halve
to stay/remain the same stabilization stable
to stay/ remain stable/constant/steady stagnation constant
to stabilize fluctuation steady
to level out/off oscillation unchanged
to stagnate/stop growing
to fluctuate/oscillate
OTHER VERBS PREPOSITIONS

to outnumber a rise FROM x TO y


to reach a peak to increase BY 5 %
to reach its/their highest point an increase OF 5 % IN
to reach/hit a low (point) to remain stable AT 10%
to hit/reach its/their lowest point to drop BY half

STATIC
NOUNS PARAPHRASING APPROXIMATION AND PROPORTION
PERCENTAGES
the (total) number of 80% Four fifths around 22% Just over a fifth
the proportion of 75% Three quarters around 18% Just under a fifth
the amount of 70% Seven out of ten around 23% Slightly less than a quarter
the figure for 53% Just over half around 42% More than two fifths
40% Two fifths 48% Approximately half
35% Just over a third 19% Around a fifth
VERBS
30% Just under a third around 70% A large number of
25% One quarter around 70% A large proportion of
to number 20% A fifth around 80% A significant proportion of
to outnumber 15% Less than a fifth around 5% to 10% A small minority of
to total 10% One in ten 5% to 10% A small number / amount of
to amount to around 2% An insignificant amount of

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