INTERPRETING

TABLES &
CHARTS

Kaushalya Gunarathne
Department of Science for Technology
Faculty of technology
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
 OBJECTIVES
01 02
To provide students with an To enable students to read
understanding of varied and understand data
styles of data representation representation

03 04

To instill the knowledge of To enable students to

wide range of vocabulary interpret data depicted
suitable for describing and though visual
interpreting data representations

2
LINE UP
01 02
Pre-Activity Introduction-Graphs
& Charts

03 04
Interpretation of Data Phrases &
Collocations

3
PRE-ACTIVITY
https://jamboard.google.com/d/1T4IGVn-
dOW7xJ-
w46xa4M2dpdAXPOaiYGOtHreSeAiU/edit?usp
=sharing
• Answer the questions

• Observe whether the chart provided has

similar patterns

• Describe the chart provided

4
INTRODUCTION

We use tables and charts to represent

numerical/statistical data, in a
comprehensible manner.

There are many different types of tables and

graphs.

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TYPES OF
TABLES &
CHARTS

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TABLE

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

7
PIE CHART

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

8
BAR GRAPH

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

9
LINE GRAPH

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

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AREA CHART

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

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INTERPRETING
PHASE 1

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INTERPRETING-WHAT
TO LOOK FOR?
• Title

• Labels

• Legend

• Axis labels

• Information

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FEATURES OF A BAR CHART

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Source: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=90853&section=3.1
INTERPRETING
PHASE 2

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 DESCRIBE INTERPRET
• Perform (a dramatic role or piece
of music) in a way that conveys
one's understanding of the
• Give a detailed account in words creator's ideas.
of.

• Understand (an action, mood, or

way of behaving) as having a
particular meaning.

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=describe&oq=describe&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l5j69i60l2.2533j0j7&sourceid=chrome
16
&ie=UTF-8#dobs=interpret
STRUCTURING THE
INTERPRETATION
STEP 01

Introduce the table

or chart

STEP 02

Provide an overview

STEP 03

Provide details
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EXAMPLE

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Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
STEP 01

INTRODUCE THE CHART OR THE TABLE

• State what is depicted in the provided chart or

table

• Paraphrasing the title is also an option

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INTRODUCE THIS CHART

20
Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
 INTRODUCE THIS CHART
“The line graph compares the
fast food consumption of
teenagers in Australia between
1975 and 2000, a period of 25
years.”

Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
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STEP 02

PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW

• Provide an insight as to what the overall picture is

• State the main trend(s) in the graph

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PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW TO THIS CHART

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Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
 PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW TO THIS CHART
“Overall, the consumption of
fish and chips declined over the
period, whereas the amount of
pizza and hamburgers that
were eaten increased.”

Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
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STEP 03

PROVIDE DETAILS

• Provide specific details

• Observe the patterns and group the data

according to the patterns
e.g.: similarities and differences

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PROVIDE DETAILS OF THIS CHART

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Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
 PROVIDE DETAILS OF THIS CHART
“In 1975, the most popular fast
food with Australian teenagers
was fish and chips, being eaten
100 times a year. This was far
higher than Pizza and
hamburgers, which were
consumed approximately 5 times
a year. However, apart from a
brief rise again from 1980 to
1985, the consumption of fish
and chips gradually declined
over the 25 year timescale to
finish at just under 40.”

Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
27
PROVIDE DETAILS OF THIS CHART
“In sharp contrast to this,
teenagers ate the other two fast
foods at much higher levels.
Pizza consumption increased
gradually until it overtook the
consumption of fish and chips in
1990. It then levelled off from
1995 to 2000. The biggest rise
was seen in hamburgers as the
occasions they were eaten
increased sharply throughout
the 1970’s and 1980’s, exceeding
that of fish and chips in 1985. It
finished at the same level that
fish and chips began, with
consumption at 100 times a Source: https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html
year.” 28
•For 'Describing trends', refer; https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/describing-
trends-business
•
•For 'Describing a bar
chart', refer; https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/intermediate-
b1/describing-a-bar-chart
•
•For'Describing charts', refer; https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/inte
rmediate-b1/describing-charts
•
•For 'a summary of a line
graph', refer; https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/upper-intermediate-
b2/a-summary-of-a-line-graph
•
•For 'Describing a
table', refer; https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-
c1/describing-a-table

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 PHRASES &
COLLOCATIONS

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COLLOCATIONS &
PHRASES FOR
INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCING THE CHART

According to the table/ graph/chart…

The table/graph/chart shows…

The table/graph/chart illustrates…

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INTRODUCING THE CHART CONT.

Looking at the table/chart/graph, it can be seen

that…

The table/graph/chart provides information

about…

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COLLOCATIONS &
PHRASES TO
DESCRIBE MAIN
TRENDS

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DESCRIBING MAIN TRENDS

INCREASE DECREASE UPWARD MOBILITY

• a significant increase • a sharp fall • to reach a peak/high
• a considerable growth • a significant drop • at its peak
• to increase dramatically • to decline sharply • all-time peak
• to rise sharply • to show a downward trend • to rise towards its peak
• to show an upward trend • to hit the lowest point • past its peak

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DESCRIBING MAIN TRENDS CONT.

FLUCTUATE STEADY LEVEL OFF

• a considerable variation • a period of stability • to reach a plateau
• a slight fluctuation • to remain stable • to level off
• to vary considerably • to remain constant • to flatten out
• to show some fluctuation

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COLLOCATIONS &
PHRASES TO STATE
PERCENTAGES

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• a large/small percentage

• an estimated percentage

• a significant percentage

• an average percentage

• the highest/lowest percentage

• just under/over __% (per cent)

• a __% (per cent) increase/decrease in…

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HOW TO DESCRIBE TRENDS

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COLLOCATIONS &
PHRASES TO STATE
COMPARISONS

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• there are considerable differences in…

• to be slightly higher/lower than…

• to be significantly higher/lower than…

• two/three/four times higher/lower than…

• to be closely followed by…

• to remain the highest/lowest

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QUIZ

HTTPS://WWW.OXFORDONLINEENGLISH.COM/DESCRIBING-
TRENDS-BUSINESS

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 REFERENCES
https://www.oxfordonlineenglish.com/describing-trends-business

https://study.com/academy/lesson/understanding-data-presented-in-tables-graphs.html

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=90853&section=3.1

https://ieltsamericas.com/writing-task-1-phrases-and-collocations-for-describing-tables-graphs-and-charts/

https://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1.html

https://ielts-up.com/writing/ielts-describing-graphs.html

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THANK YOU