On the graph you can see the projected sales for the year 2012 and the actual sales for that year. Write some words to describe how the sales figures changed throughout the year.

Language of writing

Describing data

Look at the graph and charts based on an IELTS class in Britain and answer these questions.

1. What does chart A show?
2. What does each segment of this chart represent?
3. In Chart B, how did the composition of this class change between 2002 and 2005?
4. In which years were there more or less equal numbers of male and female students?
5. In graph C, what do the male and female figures taken together indicate?
6. What conclusions can be drawn from graph C?

Collect information on your own class on one of these subjects or on another subject that interests you.
How many students have been learning English for these lengths of time?
0-2 years / 2-3 years /3-4 years / 4-5 years / 5+ years.
What type of holidays do students prefer? Examples:
beach holidays / sightseeing holidays / working holidays
What do you hope to do after tis course? Examples:
work / study / travel

Illustrate the data you have collected by means of a pie chat (A), a bar chart (B) or a graph (C). Then write one or two short statements describing your date.
You should use some of these verbs: demonstrate / draw conclusion from / indicate,represent / show.

Read statements a-d below. Using your own general knowledge, say which sentences are factually correct.

1. Neither Canada nor Australia has French as a main language
2. Spanish is the main language in all the countries of South America.
3. India and Pakistan are neighbours. In each country, the rupee is the unit of currency.
4. Both Mexico and Norway are oil-producing countries.
5. In Britain you can spend either pounds or euros in all the shops.

Which words in sentences 4a-e express similarities?

Choose one of these tasks.

1. Work with a partner from a different country. Discuss and then write about similarities between your two countries.
2. Write about the similarities between your country and another country you know about.

Match the statements a-l with the graphs 1-8 below. For example, statement a matches graph 8

1. Sales rocketed over the period
2. The purchase of furniture was rather erratic, hitting a peak in the middle of the period
3. The sale of fish products rose dramatically
4. There was a slight dip in equipment production
5. There was a steady increase in the amount of coal used, followed by a period of stability
6. There were wild fluctuations in sales, but the trend was upward
7. The number of people attending the weekly lectures plunged.
8. There was rather a dramatic fall in the share price
9. Share prices plummeted, but then stabilized.
10. After a dramatic fall in the number of people settling in the city, there was a period of stability.
11. The number of houses sold dipped slightly
12. There was a gradual decline in the number of children visiting he zoo.