Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Scribd
Upload
61 views

Line Graphs Represent How Data Has Changed Over Time. This Type of Charts Is Especially Useful

Line graphs represent how data changes over time and are useful for demonstrating trends. Pie charts visualize how a whole is divided into parts by representing each category as a segment of the pie. Diagrams illustrate how separate parts work and overlap at connecting points. When describing graphs, it is important to name the visual elements, such as axes and lines, and use verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to convey trends and relationships shown by the data.

Uploaded by

Veronica Fernandez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
61 views

Line Graphs Represent How Data Has Changed Over Time. This Type of Charts Is Especially Useful

Line graphs represent how data changes over time and are useful for demonstrating trends. Pie charts visualize how a whole is divided into parts by representing each category as a segment of the pie. Diagrams illustrate how separate parts work and overlap at connecting points. When describing graphs, it is important to name the visual elements, such as axes and lines, and use verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to convey trends and relationships shown by the data.

Uploaded by

Veronica Fernandez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

Line graphs 

represent how data has changed over time. This type of charts is especially useful
when you want to demonstrate trends or numbers that are connected. For example, how sales vary
within one year. In this case, financial vocabulary will come in handy. Besides, line graphs can
show dependencies between two objects during a particular period.

Pie charts are designed to visualize how a whole is divided into various parts. Each segment of the
pie is a particular category within the total data set. In this way, it represents a percentage
distribution.
Diagram is a plan, drawing, or outline created to illustrate how separate parts work and overlap at
the connecting points.

How to begin a description


Once you create a fascinating graph for your presentation, it is time to know how to describe
graphs, charts, and diagrams. To catch your audience’s attention from the very beginning, you can
use the following phrases for introduction:
 Let me show you this bar graph…
 Let’s turn to this diagram…
 I’d like you to look at this map…
 If you look at this graph, you will notice…
 Let’s have a look at this pie chart…
 If you look at this line chart, you will understand…
 To illustrate my point, let’s look at some charts…

How to describe diagrams and other visuals: naming the parts


To describe diagrams or any other type of graphs as clearly as possible, you should name
each visual element. For example:
 The vertical axis shows…
 The horizontal axis represents…
 This curve illustrates…
 The solid line shows…
 The shaded area describes…
 This colored segment is for…
 The red bar…
 How to describe bar graphs
Bar graphs transform the data into separate bars or columns. Generally, this type of visuals have
categories on the x-axis and the numbers on the y-axis. So, you can compare statistical data between
different groups.
The bar graphs show which category is the largest and which is the smallest one. Each group should
be independent so that the changes in one do not influence others. The bars or columns can be
drawn either vertically or horizontally, as it doesn’t make any difference.
The words used to describe bar chart are pretty similar to ones used for the line charts. Let’s have a
look at the exam question to IELTS writing test, as it’s one of the major English-language tests for
non-native English speakers in the world:3
And here is an excellent example of writing about bar graphs prepared by the British Council as an
answer to this exam question. You can also use the following vocabulary to talk about bar charts
used in your presentation:

How to describe line graphs


Now, when you know how to describe bar charts, what about line graphs? This type of charts
converts information into points on a grid that is connected with a line to represent trends, changes,
or relationship between objects, numbers, dates, etc. These lines show movement over time affected
by the increase or decrease in the key factors.
To express the movement of the line, you should use appropriate verbs, adjectives, and
adverbsdepending on the kind of action you need to show. For this, you should use the following
vocabulary:
Verbs: rise, increase, grow, go up to, climb, boom, peak, fall, decline, decrease, drop, dip, go down,
reduce, level up, remain stable, no change, remain steady, stay constant, stay, maintain the same
level, crash, collapse, plunge, plummet.
Adjectives: sharp, rapid, huge, dramatic, substantial, considerable, significant, slight, small,
minimal, massive.
Adverbs: dramatically, rapidly, hugely, massive, sharply, steeply, considerably, substantially,
significantly, slightly, minimally, markedly.
There is also a list of adverbs to describe the speed of a change: rapidly, quickly, swiftly, suddenly,
steadily, gradually, slowly.
Want to expand your business vocabulary to create winning presentations? Read our new
article “50 Essential Business Presentation Phrases for Better Performance.”
To help you understand how you can use these words in your presentation speech, pay attention to
the sample of a line chart with the exam question for IELTS:
The appropriate vocabulary below will help you understand how to describe such charts:

How to describe pie charts


The pie chart is primarily used to illustrate how different parts make up a whole. The best way to
present your data in a pie chart is to compare the categories with each other. The following
comparison words can be used interchangeably:
 to compare
 compared to
 as opposed to
 versus
 more than
 the majority of
 only a small monitory
 greater than
 less than
Here we have an example of a pie chart that represents how internet users aged 16+ prefer to
browse the web:
This example demonstrates the best way to summarize data by selecting and reporting the main
features:

You might also like