Scribd
Upload
200 views

Interpreting Graphs

The document discusses interpreting graphs and describes key elements for analyzing and describing trends shown in graphs. It provides examples of common graph types like line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts. It also gives vocabulary for describing trends, such as verbs and nouns to express movement, and adjectives and adverbs for describing the degree and speed of change. Sample descriptions are provided to demonstrate how to analyze and discuss trends based on a hypothetical graph about disease cases over time.

Uploaded by

Jesuss Ruiiz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
200 views

Interpreting Graphs

The document discusses interpreting graphs and describes key elements for analyzing and describing trends shown in graphs. It provides examples of common graph types like line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts. It also gives vocabulary for describing trends, such as verbs and nouns to express movement, and adjectives and adverbs for describing the degree and speed of change. Sample descriptions are provided to demonstrate how to analyze and discuss trends based on a hypothetical graph about disease cases over time.

Uploaded by

Jesuss Ruiiz
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 20

INTERPRETING GRAPHS

Graphics are used to demonstrate logical and numerical relationships, to clarify, emphasize, summarize, and organize information.

They are important in technical communication because visual elements are more effective than a verbal description.

TYPES OF GRAPHS
Line Graphs Bar graph

TYPES OF GRAPHS
Pie graph Organizationl chart

DESCRIBING TRENDS

Trends are changes or movements. These changes are normally expressed in numeric items, for example, population, production volumes or unemployment. There are three basic trends:

EXPRESSING MOVEMENT
For each trend there are a number of verbs and nouns to express the movement. We can use a verb of change, for example: Unemployment levels fell slowly.

Or we can use a related noun, for example: There was a fall in unemployment levels

DESCRIBING THE FIRST TREND

Verbs: Rose (to) Increased (to) Went up (to) Climbed (to) Boomed

Nouns: A rise An increase Growth An upward trend A boom (a dramatic rise)

DESCRIBING THE SECOND TREND

Verbs: Fell (to) Declined (to) Decreased (to) Dipped (to) Dropped (to) Went down (to) Reduced (to)

Nouns: A decrease A decline A fall A drop dramatic fall A reduction

DESCRIBING THE THIRD TREND

Verbs: Levelled out (at) Did not change Remained stable (at) Remained steady (at) Stayed constant (at) Maintained the same level

Nouns: A levelling out No change

VOCABULARY TO DESCRIBE GRAPHS


Verbs: Fluctuated (around) Peaked (at) Stood at (we use this phrase to focus on a particular point, before we mention the movement, for example: In the first year, unemployment stood at Nouns: A fluctuation Reached a peak (of) Reached at

DESCRIBING THE DEGREE OF CHANGE


Adjectives: Dramatic sharp substantial Considerable significant slight Adverbs: dramatically Sharply Substantially Considerably Significantly Markedly Moderately slightly

DESCRIBING THE SPEED OF CHANGE


Adjectives: rapid quick swift sudden steady gradual slow Adverbs: rapidly quickly Swiftly suddenly Steadily Gradually slowly

SAMPLE

SAMPLE ANSWER
The graph shows the number of cases of X disease in Someland between the years 1960 and 1995. As an overall trend, it is clear that the number of cases of the disease increased fairly rapidly until the mid seventies, remained constant for around a decade at 500 cases before dropping to zero in the late 80s. In 1960, the number of cases stood at approximately 100. That number rose steadily to 200 by 1969 and then more sharply to 500 in 1977. At this point the number of cases remained stable until 1984 before plummeting to zero by 1988. From 1988 to 1995 Someland was free of the disease. In conclusion, the graph shows that the disease was increasingly prevalent until the 1980s when it was eradicated from Someland.

NOW, PRACTICE
There has been a ____________ in production over the year.

Production started climbing steadily but flattened _______ at a level of around 70. Since then, it _______________ .

Production ________ more and more ________ over the first three quarters but then _____________ . Since then, it has quickly dropped.

FIRST OBSERVE THE GRAPH THEN CONTINUE PRACTISING:


Read the report and then focus on the highlighted words in the description to find phrases from the text which mean 1. went up and down frequently: 2. did not change (2 phrases): 3. went up a little: 4. went up very quickly (2 phrases): 5. arrived at its highest point: 6. went up noticeably over a period: 7. went down (2 phrases): 8. went down gradually over a period:

The line graph shows figures for unemployment in the UK workforce between May 2003 and July 2006. It is clear from the chart that the rate of unemployment fluctuated a great deal during this time. At the beginning of the period, unemployment stood at 5.1 per cent. A few months later the figure had risen slightly to 5.2 per cent. Unemployment then remained stable until September 2003. From this point on there was a steady downward trend and by January 2004 the rate had fallen to 4.9 per cent. It stayed at this level until May the same year, but from May to July there was another small drop of 1 per cent. There were no further changes in the level of unemployment until March the following year. From March to May 2005, there was a small increase of 1 per cent, but this did not last long and the figure had fallen back to 4.8 per cent by July. From September 2005 onwards, however, there was a marked upward trend in the rate of unemployment in the UK. From September 2005 to November the same year, the figure shot up from 4.8 to 5.2 per cent. The rate remained stable for a few months, but then rose sharply again, and had reached a peak of 5.7 per cent by

KEY ANSWERS:
went up and down a lot: fluctuated a great deal did not change (2 phrases): remained stable, stayed at this level

went up a little: there was a small increase


went up very quickly (2 phrases): the figure shot up, rose sharply arrived at its highest point: reached a peak went up noticeably over a period: there was a marked upward trend went down (2 phrases): had fallen to, there was another small drop went down gradually over a period: there was a steady downward trend

You might also like