Writing about a bar chart

Look at the bar chart, question and sample answer and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Preparation

Look at the chart below and circle the best answer to these questions.

1. How many years does the chart show information for?

    a. one   b. two   c. three

2. Who does the chart show information for?

    a. men only   b. women only   c. both men and women

3. How many men studied engineering in Australian universities in 2012?

    a. 6,000   b. 12,000   c. 14,000

1. Check your understanding: true or false

    Circle True or False for these sentences.

1. The bar chart shows the different numbers of male and female engineering students in three separate years.   True   False
2. The number of male students rose at first.   True   False
3. The number of male students stayed the same between the second two years.   True   False
4. The number of female students went up constantly.   True   False
5. The number of women rose constantly until there were as many women as men.   True   False

2. Check your writing: picture matching – describing changes in bar charts.

    Write the descriptions in the boxes below the bar charts.

a steady rise             no change             a slight fall             a sharp rise                               a steady fall                     a sharp fall                     a slight rise

3. Check your writing: matching – useful language

    Match the words and phrases with their purpose in the box.

Introducing your analysis                   Talking about numbers going up       Talking about numbers staying the same           Summarising the main trend           Talking about numbers going down         Expressing a contrast

1. ______________________________ The bar chart illustrates ...
2. ______________________________ Overall, ...
3. ______________________________ In contrast ... / However, ... / While ...
4. ______________________________ ... rose / increased / grew (VERBS) ... a rise / an increase / an upward trend (NOUNS)
5. ______________________________ ... fell / dropped / decreased (VERBS) ... a fall / a drop / a decrease / a downward trend (NOUNS)
6. ______________________________ ... remained steady / stabilised / stayed level

4. Check your writing: gap fill – prepositions

    Complete the sentences with a preposition.

1. The bar chart illustrates numbers _______________ male and female engineering students in 1992, 2002 and 2012.
2. The number of male students fell quite significantly _______________ 1992 and 2002.
3. The number of female students was half the number of male students _______________ 2012.
4. _______________ contrast, the number of female students rose constantly.
5. Between 2002 and 2012, the number of female engineering students rose _______________ 4,000 _______________ 6,000.

Vocabulary Box                    Write any new words you have learnt in this lesson

KEY

Preparation
1. c 2. c 3. B

1. Check your understanding: true or false
    1. True 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False

2. Check your writing: picture matching – describing changes in bar charts a sharp rise a slight rise a steady rise no change a sharp fall a slight fall a steady fall

3. Check your writing: matching – useful language

1. Introducing your analysis
2. Summarising the main trend
3. Expressing a contrast
4. Talking about numbers going up
5. Talking about numbers going down
6. Talking about numbers staying the same

4. Check your writing: gap fill – prepositions

    1. of 2. between 3. in 4. In 5. from / to