How to Effectively Describe a
Graph
EFL SMARTblog
Warm up Videos:
Video 1:
Comment on one striking piece of s
tatistics from this video
Tutorial (describing charts and
graphs)
Discuss the Following Questions:
Why are visuals used in scientific papers?
What visuals do researchers in your major commonly use
to show data? Why?
Match the beginnings and endings of the following
sentences about setting data in tables and charts:
1. Tables, graphs, charts, etc are
necessary
a. Be consistent with them
2. Visual summaries allow
b. Reduced in size in a paper
3. Deciding how to present data
visually makes you
c. Show trends; tables to show
exact numbers.
4. Visuals need to be clear even
when
d. The reader to check the data
for themselves.
5. Graphs should be used to
e. Think carefully about what
your results mean
6. Too much information in a
visual
f. To avoid filling up the text with
lists of numbers
7. Use standard symbols and
g. Will confuse the reader
Answer Keys
What language to use in describing a graph?
VERB + ADVERB
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
EFL SMARTblog
What language to use in describing a graph?
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
VERB + ADVERB
alter
decline
decrease
double
drop
exceed
fall
fluctuate
halve
hover
increase
level out
peak
plummet
reduce
rise
rocket
stabilize
triple
approximately
dramatically
gradually
rapidly
slightly
An
downward
gradual
huge
sharp
slight
stable
subsequent
upward
decline
decrease
drop
fall
increase
peak
period
rise
trend
steadily
Look at the graphs on
the following pages
and use the vocabulary
to describe them.
EFL SMARTblog
What language to use in describing a graph?
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
VERB + ADVERB
alter
decline
decrease
double
drop
exceed
fall
fluctuate
halve
hover
increase
level out
peak
plummet
reduce
rise
rocket
stabilize
triple
approximately
dramatically
gradually
rapidly
slightly
An
downward
gradual
huge
sharp
slight
stable
subsequent
upward
steadily
EFL SMARTblog
decline
decrease
drop
fall
increase
peak
period
rise
trend
What language to use in describing a graph?
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
VERB + ADVERB
alter
decline
decrease
double
drop
exceed
fall
fluctuate
halve
hover
increase
level out
peak
plummet
reduce
rise
rocket
stabilize
triple
approximately
dramatically
gradually
rapidly
slightly
An
downward
gradual
huge
sharp
slight
stable
subsequent
upward
steadily
EFL SMARTblog
decline
decrease
drop
fall
increase
peak
period
rise
trend
Describe what you see on the graph below:
EFL SMARTblog
Describe what you see on the graph below:
EFL SMARTblog
IELTS Task 1 Language - Graphs
Describe what you see on the graph
EFL SMARTblog
Describe what you see on the graph
EFL SMARTblog
Attempt to answer the following questions based on the
graphs shown:
[Link] percentage of boys prefer to
study reading online?
a. Eighty per cent
b. Approximately 80%
[Link] percentage of boys prefer
to study writing online?
a. Ten per cent
b. Slightly more than 10%
[Link] percentage of girls prefer to
study listening online?
a. Approximately 75%
b. Between 60% and 70%
4. What percentage of girls prefer to
study speaking online?
a. slightly less than 60%
b. about 40%
5. What percentage of boys prefer to
study vocabulary online?
a. Almost 90%
b. Slightly more than 80%
[Link] many computers and software
items were sold to teenagers during the
month?
a. 306
b.1030
c. 903
2. What was the total number of
items sold to teenagers during the
month?
a.1030
b. 903
c. 369
3. What was the total number of
digital cameras sold?
a.172
b. 628
c.1030
4. How many digital cameras were
sold to adults aged 50 and over?
a.652
b.628
c.188
5. How many items were sold to
adults aged 1849?
1385
903
3067
[Link] many tusks were found in
1996?
a.40
b.43
c.30
[Link] many skulls were found
in 1996?
a.20
b.21
c.23
[Link] what year was the smallest
number of skulls found?
a.1996
b.1998
c.2000
[Link] which two years did the
number of mandibles found
remain the same?
a.1996 and 1998
b.1998 and 2000
c.2000 and 2002
[Link] which year was the largest
number of scapulae found?
a.1996
b.1998
c.2000
The pie chart below shows the leading causes of insomnia, in percentages, as reported by a
group of people between the ages of 20 and 40. They were interviewed in April 2004.
Use the information in the pie chart to answer the questions. Select the best answer.
1:What does the information on this chart
represent?
a. People and insomnia (sleeplessness)
b. Factors influencing insomnia
2:What is the most common cause of insomnia for
this group?
a. Stress
b. Drinks with caffeine
3:What is the least common cause of insomnia for
this group?
a. Ill health
b. Medication
4:Which two factors were reported as leading
causes of insomnia by an identical percentage of
people?
a. ill health and medication
b. depression and environmental factors
5:Which two factors were reported by almost the
same percentage of people?
a. ill health and medication
b. environmental factors and ill health
