Data Interpretation std 12 gseb

Table	Bar Chart
Pie Chart	Line Graph

To begin with, let’s take a quick look at the main differences and similarities among tables, graphs and charts. While tables present information about different categories mainly in columns and rows, bar charts present the information in two axes: the values are given along one axis and each bar represents what is being measured along the other axis. It is often possible to turn tables into charts, but sometimes the categories are too different to do this. A pie chart is another way of presenting information, but here each segment is a percentage of a whole. Together they represent 100%. Last but not least, line graphs show how data change over time.

When approaching the Academic version of Writing Task 1, it’s important that you introduce the visual data by using one of the following phrases or collocations:

• According to the table/ graph/chart…
• The table/graph/chart shows…
• The table/graph/chart illustrates…
• Looking at the table/chart/graph, it can be seen that…
• The table/graph/chart provides information about…

After introducing the visual data, you will be expected to describe the main trends presented in the table, graph and/or chart. Below are different phrases and collocations that you can use to describe a variety of trends:

 

a significant increase  a considerable growth  to increase dramatically  to rise sharply  to show an upward trend	a sharp fall  a significant drop  to decline sharply  to show a downward trend  to hit the lowest point	to reach a peak/high  at its peak  all-time peak  to rise towards its peak  past its peak

 

a considerable variation a slight fluctuation to vary considerably to show some fluctuation	a period of stability to remain stable to remain constant	to reach a plateau to level off to flatten out

Now, let’s take a look at some collocations and phrases used more specifically to talk about percentages and values being compared with each other, both of which are common features of tables and charts:

Percentages	Comparisons
a large/small percentage an estimated percentage a significant percentage an average percentage the highest/lowest percentage just under/over __% (per cent) a __% (per cent) increase/decrease in… Click here for Source Article	there are considerable differences in… to be slightly higher/lower than… to be significantly higher/lower than… two/three/four times higher/lower than… to be closely followed by… to remain the highest/lowest