Lesson 1: Line Graphs & Bar Charts
(a) Describing line graphs
A line graph is a type of chart which displays information as a series of data points connected by lines.
Below is an example of a Task 1 line graph.
The graph below shows the household recycling rates in three different countries between 2005
and 2015.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
1. Analyze the task and the graph, and make sure you understand everything. Also, read the title of the
graph and look at what the vertical and horizontal axes show. Usually the vertical axis shows figures and
the horizontal axis is a timeline.
2. Once you’ve understood the task, start writing your introduction by simply paraphrasing the question.
Do not forget to exclude the word ‘below’ because there will be no graph below when you’re writing your
task. Moreover, if the question starts like ‘The graph below shows …..’, remember to mention what type of
graph it is. If it’s a line graph, add the word ‘line’.
Here is an example of how you could write your introduction by paraphrasing the question:
The line graph illustrates the household recycling rates in the UK, France and Germany from 2005
to 2015.
3. The next step is to write an overview of the graph. In this paragraph, you should NOT provide any
figures. Instead you should describe the features of the graph that are immediately noticeable. Normally an
overview paragraph consists of one complex sentence or two sentences. Also, it is a good idea to start this
paragraph with a cohesive device such as ‘Overall, …..’ or ‘Clearly, …..’, ‘It is clear from the graph that ….’,
etc.
Here is how you could write an overview of the graph given:
Overall, the recycling rates of the UK and Germany showed a steady but significant rise over the
period, while the percentage of recycled waste in France experienced a downward trend.
As you can see, the paragraph is about the two most obvious features of the graph; the figures for the UK
and Germany increased, while France had a decrease.
4. It is now time to begin writing the body paragraphs. Generally, it’s important to find a logical way to
divide the body of our report into two or three paragraphs. In our example, we have three countries, and
we can either include each of them in a separate body paragraph or write two paragraphs, one about the
upward lines (UK and Germany) and the other about the downward line (France). The second way would
seem better.
5. Now you should identify and select the main trends (periods of increase, decrease, and stability), key
figures (highs, lows, and other notable figures.) and make comparisons where possible (about starting
points and ends, where lines cross, where lines go in opposite directions, etc.).
So, we could write our two body paragraphs as follows:
In 2005, the recycling rates for the UK and Germany were nearly 35% and 20% respectively.
Germany's rate increased sharply throughout the period, exceeding France's rate in 2009 and
reaching almost 60% at the end of the period. In the meantime, the percentage of recycled waste in
the UK grew to 40% in 2007, and then remained steady until 2009. During 2009-2011, it experienced
a rapid surge to more than 50% and continued with a gradual increase to 60% in 2015.
In 2005, the figure for France (50%) was the highest among these three countries. However, it
dramatically declined to 30% in 2013. Then, there was a growth of 10% in 2015, but France's
recycling rate was the lowest at the end of the period.
COHESIVE DEVICES:
The line graph illustrates the household recycling rates in the UK, France and Germany from 2005 to
2015.
Overall, the recycling rates of the UK and Germany showed a steady but significant rise over the period,
while the percentage of recycled waste in France experienced a downward trend.
In 2005, the recycling rates for the UK and Germany were nearly 35% and 20% respectively. Germany's
rate increased sharply throughout the period, exceeding France's rate in 2009 and reaching almost 60% at
the end of the period. In the meantime, the percentage of recycled waste in the UK grew to 40% in 2007,
and then remained steady until 2009. During 2009-2011, it experienced a rapid surge to more than 50%
and continued with a gradual increase to 60% in 2015.
In 2005, the figure for France (50%) was the highest among these three countries. However, it
dramatically declined to 30% in 2013. Then, there was a growth of 10% in 2015, but France's recycling
rate was the lowest at the end of the period.
DESCRIBING FUTURE PREDICTIONS
Most of the time, line graphs depict changes in the past, and thus we use the past simple tense to
describe these changes. However, some graphs may describe not only changes in past periods, but also
the present situation and future predictions. When this is the case, we may have to use the past simple,
present perfect, present simple, and future tenses where necessary. For example:
The percentage of immigrants in Austria was the lowest (6%) in 2000. However, this proportion
has risen to 8% (now), and experts predict that immigrants will make up around 12% in 2030.
In order to talk about predictions, it is best to use the following structures:
It is likely that immigrants will make up around 12% in 2030.
Immigrants are likely/set to make up around 12% in 2030.
It is predicted/expected/anticipated that immigrants will make up around 12% in 2030.
Immigrants are predicted/expected/anticipated to make up around 12% in 2030.
Also, it is sometimes necessary to use the past perfect and future perfect tenses. This is an option when
we want to show what had already happened before a particular time (using the preposition ‘by’) in the
past or what will happen before a particular time (using the preposition ‘by’) in the future.
For example:
In 2007, the unemployment rate was around 4%. By 2010, however, this proportion had risen to a
worrying 15%.
It is predicted that by 2030 in China, car production will have increased.
PRACTICE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task:
The graph below shows the numbers of overseas visitors who went to three different areas in a
European country between 1987 and 2007.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons
where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Here are the steps you should follow:
1. Analyze the task and the graph
2. Write your introduction by paraphrasing the question. Look at the vertical axis: it says ‘thousands’, so
you should add ‘000 to the figures the axis shows. Also, add the following sentence to your introduction:
‘Units are measured in thousands.’
3. Write the overview paragraph after identifying and selecting TWO or THREE general features.
4. Decide on how to divide the data into TWO or THREE body paragraphs in a logical way.
5. Select the main trends and key figures, and make comparisons where possible
6. Write the body paragraphs.
(b) Describing bar charts
A bar chart is a graph that uses columns with heights or lengths proportional to the values they represent.
Below is an example of a Task 1 bar chart which we’re going to describe:
The chart below gives information about different modes of transport used to travel to and from
work in a European city in 1960, 1980 and 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
To describe this bar chart, we will follow exactly the same steps as we did to describe the line graph.
1. Analyzing the task and the graph, we can see that there are 4 means of transportation being
described in terms of the percentage of users in 3 different years (1960, 1980, and 2000).
2. Now we should write our introduction by paraphrasing the question:
The bar chart compares 4 different means of transportation in a European city in terms of total
commuter percentage during the period from 1960 to 2000.
3. Our second paragraph is going to be an overview of the graph. Again, we should only select and
report only TWO or THREE most obvious features, with no figures. Looking at the graph, we can notice
that car use had an upward trend, bikes and going on foot became less and less popular, and bus use
went up and down. So we’re going to report these three main features:
It is clear from the graph that the use of car as a means of transport increased dramatically over
the period shown, whereas the figures for cycling and walking dropped considerably. Bus use, on
the other hand, fluctuated.
4. Now let’s try to group the data into TWO or THREE paragraphs in a logical way.
In this example, we have two ways of grouping:
1) According to fuel- and non-fuel-based options (car and bus; bike and foot);
2) According to increasing and decreasing trends
The second way is often better, so let’s divide the data into THREE paragraphs (according to growth,
decline, and fluctuation):
Our three body paragraph would look like this:
In 1960, the motor car was the least preferred method of transport accounting for only about 7% of
all commuters; however, car use grew dramatically to finally reach about 23% in 1980 and then to
37% in 2000. This was a massive 5-fold increase in use.
In complete contrast to this, the popularity of walking, which had been the most popular means of
transport with 35% of the population in 1960, fell to 10% in 2000. Similarly, bicycle use also
experienced a significant drop from a high of about 27% in 1960 to just 7% in 2000.
In the meantime, bus use was more erratic being popular with almost 20% of the population in 1960
and rising to a peak of about 27% in 1980, before falling back to about 18% in 2000.
COHESIVE DEVICES:
The bar chart compares 4 different means of transportation in a European city in terms of total commuter
percentage during the period from 1960 to 2000.
It is clear from the graph that the use of car as a means of transport increased dramatically over the
period shown, whereas the figures for cycling and walking dropped considerably. Bus use, on the other
hand, fluctuated.
In 1960, the motor car was the least preferred method of transport accounting for only about 7% of all
commuters; however, car use grew dramatically to finally reach about 23% in 1980 and then to 37% in
2000. This was a massive 5-fold increase in use.
In complete contrast to this, the popularity of walking, which had been the most popular means of
transport with 35% of the population in 1960, fell to 10% in 2000. Similarly, bicycle use also experienced a
significant drop from a high of about 27% in 1960 to just 7% in 2000.
In the meantime, bus use was more erratic being popular with almost 20% of the population in 1960 and
rising to a peak of about 27% in 1980, before falling back to about 18% in 2000.
DESCRIBING PERIODS
More often than not, graphs depict changes that over a period, and this is highlighted in the question.
Since we need to paraphrase the question, it is important to know how to paraphrase time periods in
different ways. Look at the samples below.
The graph compares annual car sales between 2000 and 2015.
The graph compares annual car sales over a 15-year period.
The graph compares annual car sales over a period of 15 years.
The graph compares annual car sales from 2000 to 2015.
The graph compares annual car sales in 2000 and 2015.
The graph compares annual car sales in the years 2000 and 2015.
The graph compares annual car sales in two years: 2000 and 2015.
PRACTICE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The chart shows components of GDP in the UK from 1992 to 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Here are the steps you should follow:
1. Analyze the task and the graph.
2. Write your introduction by paraphrasing the question. See if there is any further information you can
add to your introduction from the graph.
3. Write the overview paragraph after identifying and selecting TWO or THREE general features.
4. Decide on how to divide the data into TWO or THREE body paragraphs in a logical way.
5. Select the main trends and key figures, and make comparisons where possible.
6. Write the body paragraphs
