PIE CHARTS

OBJECTIVE
By the end of this lesson, you will learn:
 how to interpret a comparative set of pie charts.
 how to use contrastive phrases and structures.

IN CLASS PRACTICE
MODEL ANSWER ANALYSIS

Below is the introduction, the overview and the first body paragraph of a model response to the pie
charts. Read the model response and answer the following questions:
1. What general trend is mentioned in the overview (i.e. the 2 nd sentence)?
Overall, students were happier with the opening hours than with IT support services. Also, full-timers
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generally gave more positive feedback than their part-time counterparts.

2. How is the information grouped in the 1 st body paragraph (By types of students or by types of
feedback)?
by types of feedback
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3. Which set of figures/categories are mentioned first in the 1 st body paragraph?

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4. Which set of figures/categories are mentioned second and third?

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The pie charts show the results of a survey conducted by a university on the opinions of full-time and
part-time students about its services.
How happy are you with current opening hours?
 How happy are you with the IT support offered?

The pie charts compare the percentages of full-time and part-time students who shared their opinions on
two university services, namely IT support and opening hours.
Overall, students were happier with the opening hours than with IT support services. Also, full-timers
generally gave more positive feedback than their part-time counterparts.
The majority of full-time and part-time students (87% and 72% respectively) were very satisfied with the
current opening hours. Only 1% of the full-timed respondents were not happy with the hours whereas
the figure for part-time students was a little higher, at 5%. The remaining 12% of surveyed full-timers
reported being quite happy with this service, as opposed to nearly a quarter of part-time students who
gave the same feedback.

TIPS:
1. For the overview, pay attention to the largest figures on the pie charts. If possible, also make
comparison across the charts.
2. For the body paragraphs (detailed description)
 Point out the largest figure of one of the graphs in the pair/group being chosen for that
body paragraph and compare/ contrast it with figures of the same category from the
other graphs.
 After that, point out the smallest figure of the same graph whose largest figure has just
been compared, and compare/ contrast it with figures of the same category from the
other graphs.
 If there are still a few other categories on the pie chart, it is unnecessary to repeat the
same process mentioned the first two sentences. Instead, focus on pairs of figures with
noticeable differences such as a figure that is twice as much as another one of the same
category.
 The other insignificant or similar figures can be mentioned collectively at the end.
USEFUL LANGUAGE

EXPRESSING CONTRAST
1. Clause 1 (with figure), while Clause 2 (with figure).
2. Clause 1 (with figure) whereas Clause 2 (with figure).
3. In comparison with/Compared to Noun, Sentence
4. Sentence. By contrast/In contrast, sentence
Examples
The charts below show the percentage of people aged 23-65 in different occupations in one UK town
(Ashby) and in the UK as a whole in 2008.

1. 26% of residents in Ashby pursued intellectual work while the average figure for the UK was 17% higher.
2. 26% of residents in Ashby pursued intellectual work, whereas the average figure for the UK was 17% higher.
3. Compared to the average figure of the UK, Ashby had rather low percentage of residents pursuing
intellectual work (26%).
4. Only 26% of Ashby residents followed intellectual careers. By contrast, the figure for those doing manual
work was 60%.

DESCRIBING PROPORTIONS

Percentage Expressions Fraction

66% A large proportion Precisely two thirds
73% A significant majority Approximately/Nearly three quarters
25% A small proportion Exactly a quarter/one-fourth
5% An insignificant proportion A small fraction
48% Almost a half
35% A significant proportion Just over a third
20% One fifth / One in 5
15% A small minority
Examples:
 47% of the student population are African American.
 Almost half of the student population are African American.

 People aged 25-45 occupied 31% of the population.

 People aged 25-45 occupied approximately one third of the population.

CONTROLLED PRACTICE

Below are incomplete sentences from the second body paragraph of the model answer. Complete the
sentences using the useful language for expressing contrast and proportions above.
1. With regards to IT support, over half of the surveyed full-timed students said that they were very happy
with this service while …………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..
2. Just 13% of the students studying full time were very dissatisfied with IT support services. By contrast,
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………
3. Interestingly, the proportion of both types of students being quite happy with this service was relatively
the same, at………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

EXAM PRACTICE

Write a full report for the following task. Make sure your response meets the requirements below:
 Follow the order of figures (largest - smallest - significant differences or similarity)
 Apply a variety of structures of contrast
The pie charts show the destinations of export goods in two countries in 2010

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SUMMARY

 When contrasting figures in a set of comparative pie charts, start with the highest figures and
continue with figures of smaller values.
 Use a variety of structures of contrast in your essays:
 Clause 1 (with figure), while Clause 2 (with figure).
 Clause 1 (with figure) whereas Clause 2 (with figure).
 In comparison with/Compared to Noun, Sentence.
 Sentence. By contrast/In contrast, sentence.
 Try to include some language for describing proportions (majority, minority, three quarters, one
fifth, a half etc.) in your description.

WRITING HOMEWORK
Write your response to the following charts.
The charts give information about timber and world forest abundance in five different regions.
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