BA External Degree 2019/2020 -19th Batch

Department of English Language Teaching

University of Ruhuna

Academic Writing Skills in English: (ELG31513)

Lesson 04 – Part II

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 Interpreting Data – Part II
Activity 1
What kind of movement do the verbs in the box describe? Match them to the symbols (1-11)
below and compare your answers with a partner. (You will need to use some verbs more than
once.)

decline increase double level off decrease peak

gain rocket fall ripple fluctuate rise
drop plummet halve recover improve jump

Which of the verbs in Activity 1 also have noun forms? What are they?

e.g. to increase – an increase

Describing Trends – Language Review

1) Prepositions
• Profits rose from 5% to 30%.
• Sales rose by 20% over the holiday period.
• This represents a decrease of 16.4% from the first quarter.
• The average retail gasoline price stood at $4.11 a gallon yesterday.

2) Different verb forms

• The figures indicate a positive trend. (present simple)
• The unemployment rate is rising. (present continuous)
• During the previous summer, the market share fell significantly. (past simple)
• In 2024, orders from Brazil have levelled off. (present perfect)

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Activity 2

Look at the graphs below, which show sales over time. Complete the sentences with the
appropriate prepositions.

1. Sales have increased ......... €5m............. €7m.

2. Sales have increased. ...........€2m.
3. There has been an increase .............€2m in our sales.
4. Sales now stand ............. €7m.
5. Sales reached a peak ............ €7m in July.
6. Sales reached a low point ........... €lm in April.

Write two more sentences about each of these graphs, describing other key trends or
observations you notice.

How to Describe Trends in Graphs – Structuring Paragraphs

Below given are the steps to describe graphs and charts. Note that paragraph 1 can also be
broken into two paragraphs (one for the introduction and the other for the overview).
• Paragraph 1 – Introduction
(In the introduction, briefly describe what the graph/chart represents. The overview
should summarize the main trends or patterns without going into specific details.)
• Paragraph 2 – First main feature
(Discuss the first significant trend or feature, such as the highest or lowest points, or
any key changes over time.)
• Paragraph 3 – Second main feature
(Describe another important trend or feature, such as comparisons or other notable
patterns in the data.)
• Paragraph 4 (optional) – Conclusion
(If needed, provide a brief summary or final remarks, highlighting key insights or
trends identified in the graph or chart.)

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Line Graphs
Line graphs can be used to show how something changes over time. They have an x-axis
(horizontal) and a y-axis (vertical). Typically, the x-axis represents the time period, while the
y-axis shows values related to the measured data. Line graphs can be used when you are plotting
data that have peaks (ups) and troughs (downs). In other words, they can show trends.

Parts of a Line Graph Single Line Graph Multiple Line Graph

Study the following example description. Before you start reading the description, identify
the parts of the line graph and its trends and tendencies.

Introduction
The graph illustrates the number of cases of X disease in Someland between 1960 and 1995. It
is clear from the graph that the disease’s prevalence increased rapidly in the early years,
plateaued for almost a decade, and was eventually eradicated by the late 1980s.

First main feature

In 1960, the number of cases stood at approximately 100. Over the next decade, the number
increased steadily, reaching 200 by 1969. The rise became sharper, reaching 500 cases by 1977.
This marked the peak of the disease’s prevalence in Someland.

Second main feature

From 1977 onwards, the number of cases remained constant at 500 until 1984. After 1984,
however, the number dropped significantly, falling to zero by 1988. Between 1988 and 1995,
no cases of the disease were reported.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the graph highlights the disease’s rapid increase in the early years, a period of
stability in the mid-1970s, followed by a significant decline and eventual eradication by the
late 1980s.

Activity 3
Summarize the information in the chart by selecting and reporting the main features. Make
comparisons where relevant. Use about 150 words.

Bar Graphs
Bar graphs are similar to line graphs. They have two axes and are useful when you want to
show how something has changed over the years (days or weeks), especially where there are
really big changes. They are also very useful if you want to compare things by showing their
differences or similarities.
Parts of a Bar Graph

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Here is an example of a bar graph analysis. (By British Council)
The bar graph below shows the number of men and women studying engineering at
Australian universities.
Summarize the information in the graph by selecting and reporting the main features. Make
comparisons where relevant.

The bar graph illustrates the number of men and women studying engineering at Australian
universities between the years 1992 and 2012 at 10-year intervals.

It can be seen that the number of male students fell slightly from 14,000 in 1992 to 12,000 in
2002, and then remained level through the following decade. The number of female students is
relatively low, starting at 2,000 in 1992. However, while the number of men decreased, the
number of women increased. Female students grew steadily by 2,000 each decade. This led to
a rise in the total number of engineering students from 16,000 to 18,000 in this period.

Men continue to make up the majority of students. However, the proportion of female students
increased sharply in this period. In 1992, there was one woman to every seven men, but by
2012, this had narrowed to one woman to every two men.

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Overall, we can see a clear upward trend in the number of female engineering students in
Australian universities, while the number of male students seems to have levelled off.

Activity 4

Given below is a bar graph that depicts the number of four specific school supplies used
by the students in a school. Read the bar graph and analyse it in about 150 words.

Pie Charts/Circle Graphs

Pie charts are used to show parts of a whole and to represent these at a set point in time. They
do not show variations in the data over time. However, each of the parts may be shown as
percentage.
Explore the following sentences to expand your vocabulary and refine your ability to describe
pie charts. These examples demonstrate how to describe sections and use comparisons
effectively.
Describing Sections
• The chart is divided into four sections: housing, transportation, food, and healthcare.
• The largest segment is “Food and Beverages”, which constitutes 45% of total expenditure.
• The smallest portion accounts for “Entertainment”, making up only 5% of the chart.
• The majority of the chart is occupied by “Renewable Energy”, at 60%.
• A significant proportion of the budget, 35%, is allocated to education.
• Transportation and healthcare take an equal share of 20% each.
• 25% of the chart is allocated to “Education”.
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• “Food and Beverages” makes up/comprises/constitutes 30% of the total.
• “Utilities” represent nearly/almost/about 10% of the budget.
• “Renewable Energy” accounts for just over/just under 50% of the chart.
• Less than a quarter/a third of the budget is spent on “Entertainment”.
• More than half of the expenditure goes to “Salaries”.

Comparing Data
• “Rent” is larger than “Utilities”, accounting for 35% compared to 15%.
• “Entertainment” is smaller than “Food”, at 10% compared to 40%.
• “Marketing expenses” are twice as large as “Logistics costs”, at 20% compared to 10%.
• There is a significant difference between “Renewable Energy” (50%) and “Fossil Fuels”
(20%).
• There is a slight difference between “Savings” (15%) and “Investments” (13%).
• “Salaries” are nearly equal to “Operational Costs”, at 25% and 23%, respectively.
• “Transport” is similar to “Healthcare”, both around 18%.
• “Research and Development” is the same size as “Marketing”, each at 20%.

Here is an example of a pie chart analysis.

The pie chart illustrates the percentage of people using different devices for accessing the
internet, with categories including smartphones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and other
devices. Smartphones and laptops dominate usage, while desktops, tablets, and other devices
account for smaller shares.

The most significant trend is the strong preference for smartphones, with 33% of participants
selecting them as their primary device for internet access. Laptops follow closely at 30%,

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showing that these two portable devices are almost equally popular and dominate user
preferences.

In contrast, less portable devices like tablets and desktop computers are less favored, with 19%
and 14% of the preferences, respectively. A small proportion, only 4%, use other devices for
internet access.

In summary, the chart reveals a clear preference for portable devices such as smartphones and
laptops, while desktop computers and other devices have seen a decline in popularity.

Activity 5

The pie chart below represents the distribution of different vehicle types on a busy road in Sri
Lanka during peak hours. Summarize the information by making relevant comparisons in at
least 150 words.

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