Academic English

Lecture 9/ 10
Interpreting Charts and
Describing Data Trends
 Class Outline

1) Explaining Processes

2) Describing Trends

3) Comparing Data Sets

Explaining Processes
Time Phrases?
 Time Phrases
First/ Initial stage Next
Firstly Then
To begin After
Before
Second/ Third etc.

Penultimate stage
Final stage (Finally)
To finish
 Tenses

Direct demands (confident)

 Pour
 Leave

Advise (probability)
 You should
 You could
 Should/ Shall

Should (advisable – will probably)

Should I put the milk back in the fridge?

Shall (direct/ straightforward, ought to)

Shall I put the milk back in the fridge?

 A.
John: Mm. What about New Year

Tony: Erm, you know, not such a big thing. I think we’ll
have a very quiet new year.

John: Mm.

Tony: May or may not see New Year in, not even certain
this year whether I SHALL/ SHOULD bother.
 B.
Clerk: Just write that out

John: Okay, do I have to be specific?

Clerk: No

John: What SHALL/SHOULD I put?

Clerk: Photograph frame

John: Oh right. Okay. That is specific then.

 Can/ Could

Both can/ could be used in this situation.

E.g. At the final stage you can/ could add sugar/

milk.
Describing Charts
and Trends
 Why?

 Academic Reports
 Research
 Sales Pitches
 Market Comparisons
 Student Activities

16

14

12

10 No. of Students

0
l ic ts
g al ng in
g
in
g s TV r g
i in ot
b
pp
i n nt u o di
n
Sk n i m ing Es
p a
Fo S ho
Ru Pa g
to ch Re
n at
eni W
i st
L
 How many?

The most … The majority/ minority

The second most … A large number of
The least … Most
Few
Popular/ Common Hardly any
… is …
People enjoy …
Over the year …
Throughout the year …
From … to ….
Between … and …

e.g. Throughout the year the population of Dolphins

decreases
 Describing trends

1) Use a verb (or adjective or noun) to describe a

movement
2) Describe the speed or size of the movement
3) Explain the reason or consequence of the change

Verb + Speed or Size + Result/Reason/Consequence

 In 2011, Samsung's profits increased
considerably thanks to its successful Galaxy S
series.
Increase/ Incline Decrease/ Decline

To climb To fall
To rise To drop
To improve To plummet
To pick up To deteriorate
To recover To hit a low
To reach a peak To slip back
Horizontal Movement

To remain stable
To even out
To stabilise
 Size of Change

Noticeable (Noticeably)
Substantial (Substantially)
Considerable (Considerably)
Slight (Slightly)
Significant (Significantly)
Dramatic (Dramatically)
Negligible (Negligibly)
Bar Chart to show the population size of animals in Canada.
1) Write one sentence which states what the chart shows
2) Write one sentence giving an overview of the chart
3) Write two sentences about bear populations
4) Write one sentence about whale populations
5) Write one sentence about dolphin populations
6) Conclude with a final sentence
Steep/ Sharp
Fast/ Quick
Suddenly

Slow
Gradual
Steady

Fluctuation/ Fluctuates

Mean
Average
Trend
Pattern

The general trend is … but

Comparing Data Sets
 Comparison Words

When analysing charts we need to compare the trends and

data sets

Higher than
Lower than
Equal to

The same as
Different to
The same: Different:

Similarly In contrast
Likewise On the contrary
In the same way Differently
Equally Dissimilarly
Correspondingly In comparison
In addition Conversely
Alike Unlike
Moreover However
Furthermore
The graph shows that the
percent of obese men
dramatically increased
between 1996 and 1999
similarly child obesity saw a
dramatic increase.

Male obesity continued to

increase between 1999 and
2000, in contrast child
obesity saw a steep decline.
Method of travel by
%      

  Britain Australia Singapore

Walking 19 15 25

Car 65 65 10

Public Transport 16 20 65
 Expressing reasons, consequences
and result

As a result of Accounts for

Due to That is why
Because of Consequently
Was the reason for So
Caused Thanks to
Resulted in Explains
 In 2011, Samsung's profits increased
considerably thanks to its successful Galaxy S
series.