STATIC CHARTS

I. Pre-writing

1. Definition and Characteristics

* Definition

Static charts contain data points belonging to either a single time frame (such as one year, one
month etc.) - or no time reference at all.

* Characteristics:

- No time progression: Unlike dynamic charts, which show data over multiple time periods,
static charts do not display change over time. In case there is no time reference, the present
simple tense should be used while the given time is in the past, simple past tenses should be
applied.

- Comparison Focused: Since there is no change over time, the language used in describing
static charts is focused on comparing the values presented. You will use vocabulary that
highlights similarities, differences, proportions, and rankings.

- Data representation: Static charts can come in various formats like bar charts, pie charts, or
tables. Each format is suited for highlighting different aspects of the data.
(Adapted from IELTS Podcast (n.d.). Dynamic and static charts and the language of overviews. Retrieved from
https://www.ieltspodcast.com/academic-task-1/dynamic-static-charts/)

* An example of a static bar chart:

The chart below provides information about student accommodation at one US university in
2013.
 (Source: Rogers, B., & Kenny, N. (2016). The Complete Guide to IELTS: Students book: Band 5.5-7+. National Geographic
Learning, Cengage Learning.)

* An example of a static pie chart:

The pie charts show the first place Germans and Nigerians go to in order to access the news in a
typical week.

(Source: Archer, G. (2019). Mindset for IELTS Level 3 Student’s Book. Cambridge University Press.)
*An example of a static table:

The table below shows the results of a survey that asked 6800 Scottish adults (aged 16 years and
over) whether they had taken part in different cultural activities in the past 12 months.

(Source: Writing Task 1 table sample: The elements for a high score for IELTS. IELTS buddy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22,
2023, from https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/writing-task-1-table-sample.html)

2. Structure of a static chart report

A. Introduction Explain in your own words what the chart shows

(1-2 sentences) (paraphrase the question)
You should include:
Type of the chart - What the chart shows - Time period (if provided)
B. Overview Describe the main features of the chart
(1-2 sentences) - Answer the question:
+ Which categories account for the highest and lowest
percentages/numbers?
+ Which categories show the most significant difference?
- Group the special features of the chart
(e.g. highest – lowest percentages; similarities – differences, etc.)
C. Body 1 Describe (and compare) data, starting with the most important
(2-3 sentences) features
(e.g., the categories with the highest percentages, the second highest
percentages, similarities...)
- This part includes more detailed information about the data in the
chart
- Give evidence to support the key features
D. Body 2 Describe (and compare) the remaining data – but not everything
(2-3 sentences) (e.g., the categories with the lowest percentages, the second lowest
percentages, similarities....)
*Notes:
- Do not discuss specific data in the overview.

- If you do NOT give any overview, you will get below Band 5 for the Task Achievement criterion
on the IELTS test.

- You do not have to describe every single detail in the body paragraphs. Focus on the biggest or
most important features instead.

3. Useful language

A. Introduction

TYPE OF
VERB NOUN PHRASE TIME
CHART
The [type of illustrate(s) the number of + countable in 2010.
chart] compare(s) noun/noun phrase in the year 2015.
highlight(s) the amount of + uncountable
give(s) noun/noun phrase
information how many/how much + clause
about the various + noun/noun phrase
the percentage/proportion of +
noun/noun phrase
Examples:

- The bar chart illustrates how many graduate and undergraduate students at a US university
lived in different types of accommodation in 2010.

- The provided pie charts compare the various channels utilized by individuals in Germany and
Nigeria to stay informed about current affairs on a weekly basis.

- The table gives information about the proportion of Scottish people taking part in a variety of
cultural activities in a year, according to the age of the participants.
B. Overview
a significant difference between A and B.
Overall,/Generally, there is a wide disparity in + the number of/ the
amount of + N.

Examples:

Overall, there is a wide disparity in the number of people from the four age groups participating
in each cultural activity.
* In some reports, you need to give contrasting information in the overview. You can use
the language below:

It is noticeable/evident S + V + O. However,/ In contrast,/ On the S1 + V1 + O1

that other hand,/ Meanwhile,
As can be seen from the S + V + O, while/ whereas S1 + V1 + O1
graph,

Examples:

- It is evident that a university dormitory was the main choice of undergraduate students. In
contrast, graduate students tended to pick a shared apartment.

- As can be seen from the graph, reading newspapers is the most popular way of receiving news
in Germany, while watching TV is the preferred method in Nigeria.

C. Body

DATA LANGUAGE OF APPROXIMATION

The population grew by around a thousand people in that
970 people around
decade.
44% According to the chart, about 45% of all people surveyed
about
believe in UFOS.
298,000 units Roughly 300,000 units were manufactured in factory A in
roughly
2005.
4030 people Approximately 4,000 more people attended this year's
approximately
parade.
0.002
almost The vacancy rate for hotel rooms is almost zero in August.

86% Nearly 90% of people in the country agreed with this

nearly
decision.
2.545 billion Just over 2.5 billion people worldwide own digital
just over
people cameras.
298 days just under This state has just under 300 days of sunshine a year.

FRACTION/ PERCENTAGE
 75 percent/ three quarters / three out of four

50 percent / a half / one half / one out of two / one in two

a third / one third / one out of three / one in three

25 percent/a quarter / one out of four / one in four

10 percent/ a tenth / one tenth / one out of ten / one in ten

VERBS TO DESCRIBE PERCENTAGES/ FRACTIONS

account for Cultural purchases accounted for 17% of people aged from 25 to 44.
make up People following news on TV make up about two-thirds of the total number
of Nigerians.
represent Computer-based activities represented a tiny fraction of 6% of people from
the oldest group.
The majority of people in Germany read news in printed newspapers,
constitute
constituting almost half of the population.

(Source: Rogers, B., & Kenny, N. (2016). The Complete Guide to IELTS: Students book: Band 5.5-7+. National Geographic
Learning, Cengage Learning )

COMPARISON
Comparatives S1 + be + more/fewer/less + than + S2.
S1 + V + more/fewer/less + N + than + S2.
*Note:
We usually use ‘fewer’ with countable, plural nouns. We use ‘less’ with
uncountable nouns.
Examples:
- The number of undergraduate students was more than the number of
graduate students.
- Shared apartments had more graduate residents than owned apartments.
Superlatives S + be + the + Adj-est (with short adjectives).
most + Adj (with long adjectives).
S + V + the + Adj-est (with short adjectives) + N.
most + Adj (with long adjectives).
Examples:
- The number of undergraduate students living in university dormitories was
the highest.
- Of all types of accommodation, married student housing had the fewest
number of undergraduates with roughly 200 people.
Describing the S + be + the second/third + Adj-est (with short adjectives).
order (second/ most + Adj (with long adjectives).
third... rank) Examples:
- The rate of undergraduates living in shared apartments was the second
largest among all types of accommodation.
Equality S1 + be + similar to/ the same as/ equal to + S2
Examples:
- The number of graduates residing in owned apartments was almost the
same as those living in married student housing.
Comparisons S1 + V/ be + twice/ three times/ four times… + as many (+N) as/ as much
with data as (+N) /greater than + S2
*Notes: “Many” is used for countable plural nouns, while “much” is used
for uncountable nouns.
Examples:
- The number of undergraduate students living in shared apartments was
three times greater than the number of graduate students.
- Dormitories had three times as many undergraduate students as
shared houses.
COMPLEX SENTENCES FOR COMPARISON
Reduced relative clauses
 1. We can use “followed by” to describe the number of B which comes after the number of
A.
E.g.: Dormitories were the most popular choice among undergraduates, with 4800
people. Shared apartments were the second most popular choice with 4200 people.
=> Dormitories were the most popular choice among undergraduates, with 4800 people,
followed by shared apartments, which were chosen by 4200 people.
2. Using “that” to replace “the number of” / “the percentage of”
E.g.: The number of undergraduate students living in shared apartments was three times
greater than the number of graduate students.
=> The number of undergraduate students living in shared apartments was three times greater
than that of graduate students.

4. Analyze a sample task

Task 1: Look at the chart below. Use information from the chart to answer the questions

The charts below show how people of different age groups access the news in 26 countries
in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main feature, and make comparisons
where relevant.

(Source: Rogers, L., & Walker, S. (2017a). Expert IELTS 5 Students’ Resource Book with Key. Pearson Longman.)
1. What basic information do the pie charts provide?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the time period? What verb tenses are required?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the unit of measurement?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

4. What are the highest/ lowest percentages in each chart?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

5. Are there any similarities/ differences in the charts?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. How do you organize the body paragraphs?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Task 2: Use the language in I. PRE-WRITING, 3. USEFUL LANGUAGE to complete the

description about the bar chart above.

two-thirds followed by twice more popular

12% accounting for significant difference while

The pie charts compare the various methods of accessing news among young adults aged 16 to
24 and people over 55 in 26 nations across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Overall, there is a (1)________ in how the two age groups access news. The majority of younger
people get their news online, (2)________ the older generation prefers television as their primary
source.

It is clear that roughly (3)________ of individuals aged 16 to 24 obtain news from the internet
and social media, which is the most popular method among this age group, (4) ________ TV at
25%. Conversely, TV is the most important source of news for the older generation, with 55% of
them using it, which is (5)________ as much as the percentage of internet users.

Turning to the two most traditional ways of accessing news, printed newspapers and magazines
still hold some importance for both age groups. However, they are (6)________ with older
people. (7)________ of those over 55 consider printed newspapers and magazines as their main
source of information, compared to only 6% of 16- to 24-year-olds. Radio is the least popular
method used for staying updated with news for both age groups, (8)________ tiny fractions of
5% and 8%, respectively.

(207 words)

5. Brainstorm and outline

Look at the bar chart below (SB, p.201) and do the following tasks.

The chart below gives information about the purpose of visits to five cities in the UK in 2013.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main feature, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The purpose of visits to five cities in the UK in 2013

Task 3. Analyze the charts by answering the following questions. Answer in your own
words.
1. What does the bar chart show?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2. What do the different shades of the bars represent?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. When was the data collected? What tense should we use?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

4. What do the vertical and horizontal axes show in the graph?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

5. What are the most remarkable features of the graph?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6. Which city attracted the most visitors for...?

a. holidays

b. business

c. visiting friends or relatives

d. miscellaneous purposes

7. Which two cities had relatively similar portions of the four purposes?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

8. Which cities showed extreme differences among these 4 purposes?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

9. How do you organize your ideas?

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Task 4. Look at the chart above and the useful language. Write sentences with the given
words and phrases. You can make necessary changes to make the sentences correct.
1. Holiday/ most popular purpose/ visitors /Edinburgh/ approximately 70%/ respondents / choose
this option.

Holiday was the most popular purpose among visitors to Edinburgh, with approximately 70
percent of respondents choosing this option.

2. In terms of visits for miscellaneous purposes/ Edinburgh ~2%/ while / other places/ <20%,/
making visits to Edinburgh/ for this purpose/ the lowest

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

3. London and Liverpool/ have / largest percentage/ visitors/ holiday / 20% and 32%,/
respectively.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

4. number/ visitors/ Birmingham/ for business purposes/ 50%,/ which/ more than twice/ that /
other purposes.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

5. Business/ the most common reason/ visiting Manchester/ over 30%,/ followed by visiting
friends and family and holidays,/ ~ 26% and 21%,/ respectively.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Task 5. Complete the outline for the charts based on the ideas in Task 4 and the useful
language in Pre-writing.

Paragraph 1: _____________________________________________________
Introduction _____________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: _____________________________________________________
Overview _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________
Paragraph 3: Body 1
_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________
Paragraph 4: Body 2
_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________