Line Graph

1. Features:
- This type usually has a time frame for the described things. It can be over years, months, or
days.
- In writing, you can use a range of tenses. If the time frame is in the past, you use past tenses. If
it describes both the past and predicted future, use the present perfect and past tense. Overall,
it depends on the time frame to determine what tenses you should use in your writing.
Example of a line graph:
The graph below shows the consumption of three spreads from 1981 to 2007.

2. How to read line graphs effectively

- Based on the vertical and horizontal axis, determine the main information of the line graph.
- Determine the main subject being described.
- Determine the units used in the graph.
- Count how many lines there are.

Writing Structure
1. Introduction
Before writing an introduction, you have to determine the following information:
● Main object being described
● The unit being used
● The time frame/period if given
● Number of lines presented
● Tenses to use
Then, using your own words and structures to paraphrase the topic. You should limit up to two
sentences for this part. The suggested structures are below as you follow this file.
2. Overview
In this part, you should answer the following questions:
● What is the general trend for all lines?
● Which line has the most special/biggest change, the highest/lowest figure?
The recommended length is up to 2 sentences. In case you write only one overview sentence, it
should be written continuously with the introduction part.
3. Body paragraphs
There should be two paragraphs in this part. You can divide the information by time frame or trend.
a) Dividing by time frame
Dividing by time frame means making comparisons between objects within the same period. For
example, if your first paragraph is from 2001 to 2006, then it must only include information being
presented from 2001 to 2006. Any figures that are out of this duration will make your paragraph
unstructured and decrease the cohesion & coherence criteria point. To make it easy, your first
paragraph will include the beginning until the midpoint time and the second one will be the rest.
b) Dividing by trend
Dividing by trend means making comparisons between objects that have similar trends. This method
is often used with the graph having a lot of lines that cannot be written specifically in your writing.
You can group lines upward-trend in the first paragraph and the second one is for fluctuated lines. It
depends on the given topic to figure out what the paragraphs are about.

Vocabulary and Sentence Structures

a) Graph with the time frame
➢ As / Whereas/ While X verb, Y verb (at the same time).
➢ Clause, followed by + Noun Phrase.
+ , followed by… = , which is/was followed by…

Ex 1: There was a dramatic growth in the number of factories in Japan to 120.000 in 2010, followed by
a sharp decrease to 1,000 in 2015.

Ex 2: There was a considerable increase to 1500 in the number of children doing athletics in 2010,
followed by a gradual decrease to 1200 in 2015.

➢ Clause, prior to/before/after Verb-ing

Ex: The number of factories in Japan experienced an increase to 120,000 in 2010, before hitting a free
fall to 1,000 in 2015.
➢ In comparison to/with X, which verb, Y verb.
Ex: In comparison with the number of factories in Japan, which witnessed a dramatic increase to
120,000 in 2010, the quantity in Korea plummeted to 12,000 at this time.
➢ X verb, Verb-ing, (which verb)
Ex: The number of factories in Japan went through a period of dramatic increase to 120,000 in 2010,
exceeding the number in Korea, which had only 12,000.

➢ The Gap Between + Subject + Narrows As People Get Older

Ex: The gap between the amount of time spent on watching TV and being online narrows as people
get older.

➢ The same/ opposite pattern can be seen for…

Ex: Just over one-fifth of single parents were living in poverty, whereas only 12% of parents living
with a partner were classed as poor. The same pattern can be seen for people with no children.

➢ Starting/Standing at + figure in graph + year, S+ V + adv

➢ S + V + adv, Ving, and then V
➢ For most of the period, S + V
➢ S + V, but later + V
➢ Respective/respectively
➢ Increase, grow, go up, rise rapidly, shot up (and their nouns)
➢ Soar/leap/climb to a new peak
➢ Hit a peak/reach a high/reach a peak
➢ A twofold/threefold increase = doubled/ tripled/ quadrupled
➢ Rise by figure = a figure rise is recorded
➢ Go into a free fall, dip
➢ Suffer/ experience/see/ record/ witness/ show a steep/ sharp decline/decrease/ fall
➢ There is a/an adj + Noun
Sample Writing

Topic: The line graph shows thefts per thousand vehicles in four countries between 1990 and 1999.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
The line graph compares the number of cars stolen for every 1000 vehicles in four countries from 1990
to 1999. Overall, it can be seen that car thefts were far higher in Great Britain than in the other three
counties throughout the whole time frame.

To begin, car thefts in Sweden, France, and Canada followed a fairly similar pattern over the first five
years, all remaining at between 5 and 10 per thousand. The general trend though for France and
Canada was a decline in the number of vehicles stolen over the period, with both at around 6 in 1999.
In contrast, Sweden experienced an upward trend, starting the period at approximately 8, and
finishing at just under 15.

Interestingly, car thefts in Great Britain started at 18 per thousand, which far exceeded that of the
other countries. It then fluctuated over the next nine years, reaching a peak of 20 thefts per 1000 in
1996, and ending the period slightly lower than where it began, at approximately 17 per thousand.

*The following words can be used in other writing tasks 1 too!

Trend Verbs Nouns

● Rise (rose-risen) [to/by] ● A rise [of]

↗ ● Increase [to/by]
● Go (went-gone) [to/by]
● Climb [to/by]
● An increase [of]
● A growth [of]
● An upward trend
● Grow (grew-grown) [to/by] ● A doubling in + noun
● Double ● A trebling in + noun
● treble/triple ● A boom
● Boom ● A surge
● Surge
● Soar
● Rocket [to/by]

● Fall (fell-fallen) [to/by] ● A fall [of]

↘ ● Decline [to/by]
● Decrease [to/by]
● Dip (dipped) [to/by]
● A decline [of]
● A decrease [of]
● A drop [of]
● Drop (dropped) [to/by] ● A reduction
● Go (went-gone) down [to/by] ● A slump
● Plummet [to/by] ● A plunge
● Plunge [to/by] ● A plummet
 ● Dive [to/by]
● Deteriorate
● Slump [to/by]

● Do (did) not change ● No change

→ ● remain/stay +
stable/steady/static/unchanged
[at]
● Maintain the same level

Position ● Stood at/was ● A levelling off [at]

● Level (levelled) off [at] ● A plateau [at]
● Plateau (plateaued) [at] ● Reached a high/peak of
● Level (levelled) out [at] ● Reached a low of
● Stabilise [at]
● Peaked [at]
● Reached

Constant ● Fluctuated [around] ● A fluctuation

change