Exam samples
Types
- Pie chart
- Bar chart
- Area chart
- Graph / Line chart
Tips
- As a rule of thumb, one should be able to fully reconstruct the graph from just reading the description
- This means: don't be afraid of copying the title, or being overly precise/specific
- Describe what the chart shows
- This chart shows / illustrates / indicates / presents data on...
- Provide an overview of the key features
- Overall, xyz increased, while abc staggered
- Use the rest of the body to describe trends in more detail
- Do so in an organized manner
- Use linking words and an appropriate and wide vocab
- Beware of using the correct tenses for each time period
Vocab
- group x Represent y
- magnitude x rose steadily, starting at
a and reaching b by date
- This chart shows / illustrates / represents / compares
Describing trends
Nouns
- Increase vs. decrease
- Rise vs. fall
- Climb
- Growth
Adjectives
- Steady/ rapid
- Large/ small
- Quick/ slow
- Slight
- Sudden
Verbs
- Increase vs. decrease
- Rise vs. fall ( past simple : Rose / fell )
- Go up vs. go down
- Climb / jump
- Plummet / plunge
- Reach / reach a peak / reach the highest level
- Grow ( past simple : grew )
- Drop
- Continue to + verb
- Stay / remain/ stall + the same/ equal/ constant/ stable/ unchanged = level off
Adverbs
- Steadily
- Slightly (a bit- not much)
- Abruptly / dramatically / sharply / considerably / substantially / significantly
- Rapidly/ quickly vs. Slowly
- Moderately / gradually