8.

Describing Bar Graphs

What is a bar graph?

It is a visual tool to show data using bars.

Useful structures;
• 32 students like Science.
• Most of the students like cricket.
• The most popular free time activity is gardening.
• The least popular free time activity is dancing.
• An equal number of students like bread and noodles.
• More students like badminton than cricket.
• The number of students reading newspapers is lower/less than the number of
students reading books.
• The number of students who read newspapers is lower/ less than the number of
students who read books.
• The highest number of students like badminton.
• The lowest number of students like noodles.
• The majority likes gardening.
• The minority likes reading books.
❖ The following bar graph shows the favourite sports of Grade 11students of
Galagedara Maha Vidyalaya. Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words will help you.

The highest, equal, The least, more than, less than

Number of students Favourite sports of Grade 11 Students

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Cricket football badminton swimming netball volleyball

sports

35 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 This bar graph shows the favourite sports of grade 11 students of Gajaba
Vidyalaya. The verticle axis shows the number of students. The horizontal axis
shows the sports. They are cricket, football, badminton, swimming, netball and
volleyball.
Twenty five students like badminton and twenty stdents like football. The
highest number of students like cricket. The lowest number of students like
netball. An equal number of students like swimming and volleyball. More students
like badminton than football. Less students like swimming than badminton.
According to the bar graph, cricket is the most popular game among the
Grade 11 students of Gajaba Vidyalaya.

Activity 1
The following bar graph shows the different sources of water used by the people in a remote
village. Study the bar graph and match the answers with the questions.

Number of people
60

50

40

30

20

10

0
taps rivers tube wells wells springs lakes

sources of water

36 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 Questions Answers

1. What does the graph show? a. the number of people

2. What does the vertical axis show? b. rivers

3. What does the horizontal axis show? c. the different sources of

water used by the people
of a remote village
4. What are the sources of water? d. taps

5. How many people use water from the lakes? e. springs

6. What is the most popular source of water? f. twenty-five

7. What is the least popular source of water? g. taps, rivers, tube wells,
wells, springs and lakes
8. What source is more popular than springs? h. sources of water

9. What source is less popular than wells? i. wells

Activity 2
The following bar graph shows the favorite desserts of the students of Grade 11. Study the bar
graph and complete the sentences.
Number of students

Favourite desserts of Grade 11 students

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
watalappan pudding ice cream Jelly fruits yoghurt

Favourite desserts

37 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

1. The bar graph shows ……………………………………………………………….
2. The horizontal axis shows ……………………………………………………….
3. They are ………………………………………………………………………..
4. The vertical axis shows ………………………………………………………….
5. 40 students like ……………………………………………………………………….
6. 20 students like ……………………………………………………………………….
7. The highest number of students like …………………………………………………..
8. The least number of students like …………………………………………………
9. An equal number of students like ………………………………………………………
10. More students like ……………….. than ice cream.
11. Less students like ……………… than watalappan.
12. According to the bar graph, the most popular dessert is ……………………..

Activity 3
Study the following bar graph and complete the paragraphs.

The Favourite Colours of Grade 3 Students

60

50
Number of Students

40

30

20

10

0
blue green red purple yellow pink
Colours

The above bar graph shows (1.) ………………………….. The vertical axis shows (2.)
………………………. The horizontal axis shows (3.) ………………………………………
They are (4.) ………………………..
15 students like (5.) ………………….. and (6.) …………………………. like red. (7.)
………………………….. like blue and 25 students like (8.) ………………………….

38 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 The highest number of students like (9.) ………………… The lowest number of students
like (10.)…………….. An equal number of students like (11.) …………………..
More students like (12.) .......................................... than red. Less students like (13.)
…………….than blue. (14.) ………………….. green than yellow. (15.) …………………..
purple than pink.
According to the above bar graph, the most popular colour among the students of Grade
11 is (16.) ………………...

Extended Activities

Activity 1
The following bar graph shows the expenses of a student for his higher studies. Study the bar
graph and write a description. Use about 100 words.
You may use the following words.
(the highest, the lowest, more, less, an equal amount)

Rupees
12000

10000

Expenses
8000

6000

4000

2000

0
boarding fees food stationary data tuition transport
Expenses

39 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 2
The following bar graph shows the favourite subjects of Grade 10 students of Randeniya Maha
Vidyalaya. Study the bar graph and write a description. Use about 100 words.
You may use the following words.
(the highest, the lowest, more, less, an equal, the most popular, the least popular)
Number of students

Favourite Subjectsof Grade 10 Students

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
science maths English history IT Geography

Favourite Subjects

Activity 3
The following bar graph shows the towns that Grade 11 students of Sinharaja Maha Vidyalaya,
like to visit. Study the bar graph and write a description. Use about 100 words.
You may use the following words.
(the highest, the lowest, more, less, an equal)
80 The Towns that Grade 11 Students Like to Visit
70
Number of students

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Badulla Matara Jaffna Galle Ampara
Towns

40 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 8.Describing Pie Charts
What is a pie chart?
It is a circle divided in to parts or sectors. Each part shows the count
or percentage (%) of data.

Useful structures;
• 10 % (Ten percent) of the students go to school by train.
• 20% (Twenty percent) reads historical novels.

❖ The following pie chart shows the modes of transportation used by the students of
Gajasinha Vidyalaya . Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words will help you.

Sectorequal,
C the highest more than, less than the lowest
Sector B

on
foot
motor bikes 10%
20%

threewheelers 15%
school
vans
15%
school busses 40%

The above pie chart shows the modes of transportation used by, the students of
Gajasinha Vidyalaya . They are school buses, school vans, motor bikes, trishaws and on
foot.
40% of students use school busses while 15% of students use school vans.
The highest percentage of students use school buses. The lowest percentage of
students come to school on foot. An equal percentage of students use threewheelers and
school vans.
More students use motor bikes than threewheelers. Less students use school vans
than school buses.
The pie chart clearly shows that the private transport modes are the most popular in
Gajasinha Vidyalaya.

41 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 1
The following pie chart shows the favourite colours of Grade 5 students in Sujatha Primary
School. Study the pie chart and underline the most appropriate word to complete the sentences.

red yellow 3%
7%

orange
10% purple
40%

blue
20%

pink
20%

1. The above pie chart …………………. the favourite colours of Grade 5 students of
Sujatha Primary School.
a. show b. shows c. showed

2. The …………. percentage of students like purple.

a. higher b. highest c. high

3. The …………… percentage of students like yellow.

a. Low b. lower c. lowest

4. …………….. equal percentage of students like pink and blue.

a. A b. An c. The

5. …………….. students like blue than red.

a. Less b. More c. Equal

6. …………….. students like yellow than orange.

a. Less b. More c. An equal

42 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 2
1. The following pie chart shows the leisure time activities of grade 11 students of
Seevali Vidyalaya. Study the pie chart and complete the sentences.

playing cycling
badminton 5%
10%
reading books
listening to
20%
music
15%

playing swimming
computer 15%
games
35%

1. The above pie chart shows ……………………………………………………………

2. The leisure time activities are ………………………………………………………..
3. The highest percentage of students ……………………………………………………
4. The lowest percentage of students ……………………………………………………
5. An equal percentage of students ……………………………………………………
6. More students like reading books ………………………………………………...
7. Less students like playing badminton …………………………………………….
8. The most popular leisure time activity is ………………………..

Activity 3
The following pie chart shows the student participation for the online lessons of Grade 11
classes of Dharmapala Maha Vidyalaya. The grade11 classes are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
Study the pie chart and complete the passage using the words given in the box.

equal percentage, More, The highest percentage, not satisfactory, The lowest
percentage, Less

43 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 12%
11G 25%
11A

15 %
11F

8%
11E
20 %
5% 11B
11D 15 %
11C

The above pie chart shows the student participation for the online lessons of Grade 11 classes of
Dharmapura Maha Vidyalaya. The Grade 11 classes are A, B, C, D, E, F and G.
The (1.) ……………………………….. of student participation is from Grade 11A. The (2.)
……………………………. of student participation is from Grade 11D. (3.) An ………………
of student participation is from Grade 11C and 11F.
(4.) ………………. student participation is from Grade 11G than Grade 11E. (5.) ……………
student participation is from Grade 11C than Grade 11A.
The above pie chart clearly shows that the student participation for online lessons is
……………………………………..

Extended Activities
Activity 1
The following pie chart shows the expenditure of Mrs. Silva’s family in the month of
May. Study the pie chart and write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
You may use the following words in your description.

The highest percentage, The lowest percentage, An equal percentage, more, less,

others
electricity 5%
10% food
30%
medicine
10%

education
20%
transport
25%

44 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 2
The following pie chart shows the favourite breakfast of the students of Mawathagama Maha
Vidyalaya. Study the pie chart and write a description on it. Use 100 words.
Use the following words in your description.

The majority, The minority, The lowest, The highest, equal, more, less

Chapathi
10%

stringhopp
ers milkrice
20% 45%

rice and
curry
15%
noodles
10%

Activity 3
The following pie chart shows the extra-curricular activities of Grade 11 students of Sarasavi
Vidyalaya. Study the pie chart and write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
You can use the following words.

more, The lowest percentage, The highest percentage, equal percentage, less,

guiding
10% scouting
20%
Karate
10%
cadeting
5%

athletics
30% swimming
25%

45 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 9.Describing Tables
What is a table?
It is an arrangement of information in rows (horizontal) and columns
(vertical).

❖ The following table shows the hobbies of the Grade 10 students of Ranweli Vidyalaya.
Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words will help you.
the highest, equal, the lowest, more than, less than

Hobbies Number of students

1.listening to music 30
2. reading story books 40
3.surfing the internet 50
4.watching TV 50
5.playing video games 70
6.travelling 20
Total 260

The above table shows the hobbies of grade 10 students of Ranweli Vidyalaya.
The first column shows the hobbies. The second column shows the number of students.
The hobbies are listening to music, reading books, surfing the internet, watching TV,
playing video games and travelling.

The highest number of students like playing video games. The lowest number
of students like travelling. An equal number of students like surfing the internet and
watching TV.

More students like reading books than listening to music. Less students like
surfing the internet than playing video games.

It is clear that indoor hobbies are the most popular hobbies among grade 10
students.

46 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 1
The following table shows the favourite subjects of the students of Grade 11. Study the table
and write whether the following statements are 'True' or 'False' in the given box.
Favourite subject Number of students
mathematics 50
science 45
English 40
Sinhala language 40
history 30
music 35
Total 240

1. The first column shows the number of students.

2. There are 5 favourite subjects.
3. The total number of students are 240.
4. The highest number of students like mathematics.
5. The lowest number of students like music.
6. An equal number of students like English and Sinhala language.
7. More students like English than history.
8. Less students like science than music.

Activity 2
The following table shows the units of water consumed by Mr. Perera's family during the last 6
months. Study the table and complete the sentences.
Month Units of water
January 35
February 43
March 25
April 56
May 43
June 12

1. The above table shows the units of water consumed by ……………………………. during
the last 6 months.
2. The first column shows the months and the second column shows …………………

47 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 3. The months are ………………………………………………….. and June.
4. The highest number of units were consumed in ………………………
5. The lowest number of unit were consumed in …………………...
6. An equal number of units were consumed in ………………………….
7. More units of water were consumed in ……………………. than in March.
8. Less units of water were consumed in May than in …………………………...

Activity 3
The following table shows the favourite food items of Grade 10 students. Complete the
paragraph given below.
Favourite food items Number of students
noodles 45
rice and curry 38
Pizza 45
fried rice 55
hoppers 35
string hoppers 42
Total 260
The above table shows the (1.) ……………………………. of the students in Grade 10.
The food items are (2.) ……………………………... The total (3.) ………………………….
are 260.
The highest number of students like (4.) ………………. The lowest number of students
like (5.) ……………... An equal number of students like (6.) …………………. More students
like (7.) ……………. than noodles. Less students like rice and curry than (8.) …………….
According to the above table the most popular food item is (9.) ……………………. and the least
popular food item is (10.) ……………………… among the students of Grade 11.

Extended Activities

Activity 1
The following table shows the favourite games of the students of Grade 11 in your school. Write
a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words may help you.

most, least, the highest, the lowest, more than, less than, equal

48 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 Favourite games Number of students
volleyball 38
netball 24
basketball 42
football 38
cricket 29
badminton 17
Total 188

Activity 2
The following table shows the countries that the students of Benedict College like to go for their
higher studies. Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words may help you.

most, least, the highest, the lowest, more than, less than, equal

Country Number of students

Australia 94
Canada 85
New Zealand 82
United Kingdom 78
United States of America 75
Japan 65
Total 479

Activity 3
The following table shows the marks of the 2nd and 3rd term tests, Buwani got for 6 subjects, in
2021. Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
The following words may help you.

most, least, the highest, the lowest, more than, less than, equal

Subjects Marks of the 2nd term test Marks of the 3rd term test
science 74 82
mathematics 85 79
English 78 88
history 62 60
geography 74 69
music 55 69

49 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 10.Describing Venn Diagrams
What is a Venn diagram?
It is a diagram that uses over lapping circles to show the relationship
between things or group of things.

❖ The following Venn diagram shows the favourite subjects of the students of Grade
11A in your school. Study the diagram and write a description about it. Use about
100 words.
You may use the following words.

the highest, the lowest, equal, less than, more than

science 32

11 7
3

History 17 Mathematics
4
26

The above Venn diagram shows the favourite subjects of the students
of Grade 11A. They are science, history and mathematics.
The highest number of students like science. The lowest number of
students like history. 26 students like mathematics. More students like science
than history. Less students like mathematics than science. 4 students like both
mathematics and history. 7 students like both mathematics and science. 11
students like both history and science. Only 3 students like all the three subjects.
According to the above Venn diagram, science is the most popular
subject among the students of Grade 11A of my school.

50 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 1
The following Venn diagram shows the favourite board games of the students in Grade 6B of
Sangamitta Girls’ College.

i. Study the Venn diagram and write answers.

5
carom
3 4

10 12
15
scrabble
6 chess

a. The total number of students are

b. The number of students who like only carom
c. The number of students who like only chess
d. The number of students who like only scrabble
e. The number of students who like both carom and scrabble
f. The number of students who like both carom and chess
g. The number of students who like both scrabble and chess
h. The number of students who like all the games

ii. Study the above Venn diagram and say whether the following statements are 'True'
or 'False'.
1. There are 3 games.
2. Only 12 students like scrabble.
3. The number of students who like only carom and chess are 6.
4. Six students like all the games.
5. 15 students like only chess.

51 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

 iii. Fill in the blanks in the following sentences.

1. The 3 games in the Venn diagram are chess, carom and ______________
2. The total number of students are ______________
3. _______________ students like only scrabble.
4. _______________ likes all the games.
5. The number of students who like only scrabble and chess are _____________

Activity 2
The following Venn diagram shows the devices used by the students of Grade 11 of Vidyaraja
Vidyalaya for their online learning. Study the Venn diagram and complete the sentences.

smart phones
25

20 15
8
laptops desktop
5 20 12 15
computers
8 55 15

1. The above Venn diagram shows …………………………………………….. for their

online learning.
2. The three devices are ………………………………………………
3. The highest number of students use …………………………..
4. The lowest number of students use ………………………………….
5. 5 students use only ……………………………………
6. 20 students use both ……………………………..
7. 15 students use both …………………………………………..
8. 12 students use both ………………………………………..
9. …………………………… use all the three device from time to time.
10. According to the above Venn diagram, ……………………. is the most popular device.

52 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 3
The following Venn diagram shows the places where, the students of Vijayaraja Vidyalaya like
visiting during their holidays. Complete the passage using the words/ phrases given in the box.

Anuradhapura
15

3 15
12
Galle Badulla
35 40
20

their holidays Anuradhapura and Galle lowest number venn diagram

12 students Galle places highest students Galle and Badulla
most popular three places Anuradhapura and Badulla

The above (1.) ……………………. shows the places where, the

(2.) …….…………… of Vidyaraja Vidyalaya, like visiting during (3.) ......................
The three places are Badulla, Anuradhapura and Galle.
The (4.) ………… number of students like Badulla. The (5.) ………………………. of
students like Anuradhapura.
35 students only like (6.) ………………………… 20 students like both
(7.) ………..………….. 15 students like both (8.) ……………………….. 3 students like both
(9.) ……………………….
Only (10.) ……………………… like all the (11.) …………………………...
According to the above Venn diagram, Badulla is the (12.) …...............…………
place among the students of Grade 11 in Vidyaraja Vidyalaya.

53 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Extended Activities

Activity 1
The following Venn diagram shows the favourite TV programmes of the students of Grade 11in
Siridamma College. Write a description about it using 100 words.
Use the following words.

the highest, the lowest, more than, total, less than, equal

news
45
15
30 15
12
Musical
documentries
programmes
25 20 45
35

Activity 2
The following Venn diagram shows the social media applications students use for their online
learning in your school. The applications are Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Write a
description about it. Use about 100 words. Use the following words.
highest, lowest, more than, total, less than, equal

18
Instargram

48
52
36

Facebook WhatsApp
97
21 34

54 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province

Activity 3
The following Venn diagram shows the subjects the students like to study for their higher studies.
Write a description about it. Use about 100 words.
Use the following words.

the highest, the lowest, more than, total, less than, equal

IT
25

14 25
22

engineering Accounting
18
10 15

55 “Way to Win”- Department of Education- Western Province