1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 5 10 15 20 25 FOR IELTS HOW TO DESCRIBE A LINE GRAPH © All text and images. Material cannot be reproduced without permission. Ben Worthington, IELTSPodcast.com Ltd
Nov 07, 2014
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Sainsbury's
Tesco
Asda
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FOR IELTS
HOW TO DESCRIBE A
LINE GRAPH© All text and images. Material cannot be reproduced without permission. Ben Worthington, IELTSPodcast.com Ltd
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● How to write a description of a line graph on exam day.
● Group the information, choose the content. ● Introduction ● Summary ● 5 Tips
PART 1: HOW TO DESCRIBEA LINE GRAPH
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PART 2: WHAT YOU NEED TO DESCRIBE A LINE GRAPH
● Active – Passive
● Adverbs
● Verbs
● Nouns
● Phrases for the introduction.
● Phrases for summaries.
● Phrases for change.
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1. GROUP THE INFORMATION ● Decide what will be in each paragraph
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Sainsbury's
Tesco
Asda
Morrisons
Co-op
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UK Supermarket Sales between 2001-09 in £ Million
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1. GROUP THE INFORMATION
● Main body paragraph 1: Sainsbury's and Tesco broadly similar, Tesco outperformed Sainsbury's, large spike in in 2002.
● Main body paragraph 2: Asda and Morrison's grew, but not as much, levelled off around 2004, then grew steadily again. Co-op unique; climbed, stabilised, then sank.
● Decide what will be in each paragraph
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1. PLAN THE REPORTMy rough report plan:
● Main body paragraph 1: Sainsbury's and Tesco broadly similar, Tesco outperformed Sainsbury's, large spike in 2002.
● Main body paragraph 2: Asda and Morrison's grew, but not as much, levelled off around 2004, then grew steadily again. Co-op unique; climbed, stabilised, then sank.
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1. INTRODUCTIONS● Use a sentence which describes the graph and the
general idea. ● From the line graph it is clear that the majority of
the UK supermarkets saw sales grow over the ten year period.
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Sainsbury's
Tesco
Asda
Morrisons
Co-op
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1. SUMMARY
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Sainsbury's
Tesco
Asda
Morrisons
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● Explain the general idea of the graph (again!) but with a little more detail.
● Overall it is clear that Tesco and Sainsbury's increased sales the most, followed by Asda and Morrision's, the Co-op undoubtedly performed the worst.
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1. PROCESS● Step 1: Identify the information, group it, build your
body paragraph 1 and 2, write a rough plan.● Step 2: Write introduction (describe briefly what is
the graph and the general idea).● Step 3: Write body paragraphs (FOLLOW the plan
written before). ● Step 4: Write summary, include the maximum and
the minimums, and the exceptions.
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5 TIPS
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● Your opinion is not necessary● Make sure the subject and verb agree● Avoid basic words like BIG, SMALL, GOOD,● A topic sentence is not necessary in the
introduction,● In the final paragraph use 'Overall...' -don't use 'To
conclude...'.
PART 2: WHAT YOU NEED TO DESCRIBE A LINE GRAPH
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ACTIVE TO PASSIVESales crashed to new levels
The sales rose quickly
Employment fell drastically
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ACTIVE TO PASSIVESales crashed to new levels
There was a crash to new levels in sales
The sales rose quickly
There was a quick rise in the sales
Employment fell drastically
There was a drastic fall in employment
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PASSIVE TO ACTIVEThere was an incredible decrease in output
In 2010 there was a plunge in turnover
After the crisis there was a crash in profit
Last year there were two rises in annual income
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PASSIVE TO ACTIVEThere was an incredible decrease in outputOutput decreased incredibly
In 2010 there was a plunge in turnoverTurnover plunged in 2010
After the crisis there was a crash in profitProfit crashed after the crisis
Last year there were two rises in annual incomeAnnual income rose twice last year © All text and images. Material cannot be reproduced without permission. Ben Worthington, IELTSPodcast.com Ltd
ADVERBSIt is clear the trend is downward...
It is evident that sales dropped in the first quarter...
It is surprising that sales rose after a steady decline...
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ADVERBSIt is clear the trend is downward...
Clearly the trend is downward...
It is evident that sales dropped in the first quarter...
Evidently sales in the first quarter dropped ..
It is surprising that sales rose after a steady decline...
*Surprisingly sales rose after a steady decline...
*USE WITH CAUTION (Don't place your opinion.)
TIME EXPESSIONSOver the period _________ to ________
Over a five year period...
Throughout the 1980s...
The period from 1944 to 1999 witnessed...
...after that...
USEFUL VERBSplunge stabilize rocket
crash remain stable soar
tumble remain constant surge
sink level off leap
fall
drop fluctuate
decline
PHRASES TO USE FOR THE INTRODUCTION
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● From the graph it is clear...
● As can be seen from the line graph...
● As is shown by the table...
● As is illustrated by the pie chart...
EXERCISE
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MATCH THE DESCRIPTIONS TO THE DRAWINGS
1. The investment levels rose suddenly.
2. The sales of our products fell slightly in the final quarter.
3. The Research and Development budget has stabilized over the past few years.
4. At the end of the first year, sales stood at 50 per cent of the present level.
5. The price reached a peak before falling a little and then maintaining the same level.
6. There has been a steady increase in costs over several years.
7. The sudden collapse in share prices came shortly after June.
8. The value of the shares has shown a steady decline.
EXERCISE
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