DESCRIBING BUSINESS TRENDS

Ex1: Write the names of these graphic representations

…1…Pie chart ………………………………. …2… line graph………………………………..

3………flow chart………………………. …4……bar charts……………………………………..

Ex 2 : Uses of graphs and charts

percentages comparisons hierarchical time

1-Line graphs show specific variation in data, often on a time line.

2-Bar charts illustrate comparisons in trends.
3-Pie charts show percentages or distribution of a whole piece of data.

4-Flow charts illustrate organisation of information according to a hierachical structure.

1
 Ex 3: Decide which type of graphic representation would be best used for showing:

1 changes in the number of people under 20 in a country between 1995 and 2005

line graph

2 the percentage of undergraduates and graduate students in a particular university pire

chart

3 the number of men and women who worked in information technology between 1998 and 2006
Bar chart

Ex 4: The sentences below, taken from a presentation, were used to describe the graph on
the right. Put them in the correct order

6 a - In June, however, the programme’s

market share plunged to 6%.
7 b- Over the next three months, the figures
kept rising steadily and reached record levels each
month: 11% in July, 12% in August, and 14% in
September.
1 c- This line graph shows variations in the
market share of Lifestyle Today for the first six
months after it was launched in April 2017.
4 d- This drastic decline has a simple cause.
We lost a large part of our audience to live
transmissions of two major sporting events:
Wimbledon and the Confederations Cup.
2 e- As you can see, we started off with a
rather low market share of about 7%.
5 f- Fortunately, this was only a temporary
setback.
3 g- Audience ratings improved significantly,
climbing to 10% in May.
Ex 4: Look at the following sentences and decide which graph goes best with the
descriptions

Ex 5: Use the expressions below to describe variations in the graph

Ex 6: Fill out the table with phrases showing [ direction + level of change ]

Ex: Fill out the table with verbs describing direction of change

Ex : Fill out the table with adjectives describing different degrees / levels of change

Fast change Small/Slow change Large change Regular change

Ex 7: Correct the wrong information in the description of each graph

1 The numbers grew slowly and after leveling out, they dropped dramatically.

2 Prices fell substantially and then fluctuated.

3 After a slow rise, there was a steady decline.

4 The value dropped and then leveled off for a while before soaring again.

Ex 7: Complete the descriptions for each graph

a) The price , before

and then maintaining the same level.
b) The sales of our products in the final quarter.
c) The value of the shares has shown a .
d) Over the first year, sales (have) 50 per cent of the present level.
e) The investment level (has) .
f) There has been a in costs over several years.
g) The in share prices has surprised everyone.
h) The budget (has) over the past few years.

Ex: Complete the descriptions about the graphs

1 Interest rates for a time and then

till they and reached a peak.

2 there was a in profits, which then

till they and hit a low.
 3

3 we saw a in spending, which

for a time, then .

4 sales figures , then and then

Ex 8: Complete the paragraph to describe the graph about a company’s profits.

 This graph shows ………………………………………………………………………….
In the first five weeks, …………………….. by half a million. Profits even
……………………………..to reach 3 million. However, these figures
…………………………..between weeks 8 and 11 and fell back to the value of
…………………….. . Luckily, profits ………………………….. again and
…………………………..at 3.5 million in week 15. After this period, on the other hand, profits
………………………………….. . Finally, after week 21, these figures
……………………………………..just under the value of 3 million.

Ex 9: Complete the graph description about a company’s sales

Describing Pie Charts: Writing a report

A Structuring your Pie Charts description

Generally, the report would follow this structure:

1. Introduction– In this paragraph, you will paraphrase the title of the question, and also indicate
the units of measurement. Never skip indicating the units of measurement in the introduction.

2. Overview- This is the most important paragraph of the report in which you will indicate the
significant trends, such as the highest proportion and the lowest proportion without actually
mentioning the figures. This is a sort of summarization for the report.

3. Body paragraphs–. Sometimes, you can represent the data in just two paragraphs and for
some Pie Charts, it may be essential to write the third body paragraph. Use the right tense and
information properly by selecting necessary to convey the information that you see.

4. Conclusion – This is the final paragraph of the report. This can be a brief version of the
overview.

Structure your description in a five- element model

The pie chart below illustrates how internet users aged 16+ prefer to access the internet at
home and in other places

Ex: Put in the correct order these steps for describing a pie chart

a) Summarize your description. Make comparisons where relevant.

b) Write one sentence explaining what the graphs shows.

c) Interpret the conclusions

d) Organize your findings into two main features

e) Describe the major overall trends

This pie chart illustrates the results of a survey in which people aged 16 and over were asked
about their preferences to going online at home and in other places. Participants mentioned four
main devices in their answers: a smartphone, a laptop, a tablet and a desktop computer.

From the pie chart it is clear that the majority of participants prefer to use smartphones and
laptops, with just three per cent difference between the two. Nearly a third of participants
prefer to go online with a smartphone. Thirty percent like to use a laptop. A desktop computer
accounts for fourteen per cent of users’ preferred devices. Only a small minority prefer a
device other than these main four.

To sum up, since mobile and portable devices are the most popular choices, it is clear that many
participants are accessing the internet outside their homes. The desktop computer is the least
popular of the four main devices. In future, we can probably expect to see more and more
people accessing the internet with their smartphone as their preferred choice.
Ex: The chart below gives the percentage of social media users by age in Jamestown
in 2018. Write in order the paragraphs reporting the main features.

a) In stark contrast, the category with the lowest percentage of users, people older than
55, comprised a tiny 2% of all users. Furthermore, those between 46 and 55 years of age
contributed 10% and people aged 36 to 45 made up nearly a fifth.

b) The given pie chart provides information about the proportion of people using digital
networking according to age group for Jamestown for the year 2018.

c) In terms of the most significant feature of the chart, the largest category of digital
communicators was the group aged 13 to 25, which accounted for 40% of the total users. In
addition, the next important segment of the population using social media, was those aged
between 26 and 35.

d) Overall, the general trend of Jamestown’s social media users during 2018 was that the older
a person was, the less likely they were to use digital networking.

e) This group’s contribution was slightly lower at 35%. Moreover, added together, these two
categories made up more than half of all those who used social media platforms in 2018, in
Jamestown. They accounted for the vast majority of users, at 75%.
 B Vocabulary for Pie Charts

1) phrases to introduce charts

The pie charts display the proportions of council expenditure allocated to six different

areas The pie chart is about ... illustrates

The bar chart deals with ...

The line graph (clearly) shows ...

The slices of the pie chart compare the ...

This pie chart highlights ...

The chart is divided into ... parts.

2. Describing the largest / smallest section of your Pie Chart:

In terms of the most significant feature of the chart, the largest category

They accounted for the vast majority of users

Sales of stood at 75 % in 2019, which is the majority of .

It is clear that represents the largest portion of , whereas is

undoubtedly the smallest.

Roughly a quarter of respondents (If the percentage is around 25%)

Exactly 30% of students…

A small fraction…
…whereas sales for _ were just 10%.

3 Announcing distribution (percentages)

………. comprised a tiny 2% of all users

………. contributed 10%

………. made up nearly a fifth

………. accounted for the vast majority of users

Practice: percentage and fractions

Written form Percentage Fracti

on
a half 50% 1/2
a third 33% 1/3
a quarter 25% 1/4
two thirds 66% 2/3
three quarters 75% 3/4
one in ten 10% 1/10

Ex 1: Write the percentages in the form of fractions (in

letters) Percentage Fraction

50% : …………………………………….
75% : …………………………………….
70% : …………………………………….
65% : …………………………………….
40% : …………………………………….
60% : …………………………………….
5% : …………………………………….
 25% : …………………………………….
20% : …………………………………….
Expressing approximation

55 more than half

%
45 more than two
% fifths
35 more than a third
%
30 less than a third
%
15 less than a fifth
%

Match
Ex
2:

Percentage Qualifier

1
precisely a 52%
third of a)
nearly
2 a half77% b)
3 67% c) just under a fifth
4 18% d) approximately two thirds
5 49% e) just over three quarters
6 32% f) roughly a quarter
7 24 % g) almost a third
8 33% h) over a half

Ex 3: Circle the correct answer

1. Which of the following does not mean 75%?

a) Seventy-five percent
b) Three-quarters
c) Half

We can see from the chart that (64%) of high-school students buy lunch
at the school cafeteria.

a) roughly two-thirds
b) nearly three quarters
 c) precisely two-thirds

3. According to the pie chart, rent 50% of the total.

a) accounts
b) accounts of
c) accounts for
d) accounts up

4. We can see from the pie chart that shopping 20% of total leisure time.
a) makes
b) makes over
c) makes about
d) makes up

5. According to the pie chart, (48%) of the budget was spent on clothing.
a) exactly half
b) approximately half
c) over 50%
d) a small fraction

6. We can see from the pie chart that entertainment makes up (6%) of total
consumer expenditure.
a) precisely 5%
b) a large portion
c) a small fraction

7. The chart shows that half (53%) of the voters were under the age of 35.
a) exactly
b) roughly
c) over
d) just under

8. This chart shows that it rains of the time. (25%)

a) a quarter
b) the quarter
c) quarter
d) quarters

9. According to the chart, one quarter (27%) of the books sold were thrillers.
a) slight over
 b) just under
c) slightly under
d) slightly over

Practice: Describe the pie chart about Desktop Browser Market Share 2016