Paragraph 1: Introduction

-Describe the whole subject of the data briefly introducing all the categories

Paragraph 2: Trends
-General comment on the trends (all categories) shown in the graph
-Detail on the main trend (most significant change in one/two categories)

Paragraph 3: Trends/ Paragraph 4: Trends

-Detail on other trends where there is noticeable change
-General comment explained in detail
-Incorporation of comparisons/contrasts of the trends with each other

Paragraph 5: Conclusion
-Summary of the whole with a general conclusion
-Overview of the whole

*The line graph below shows the flow of expenditure in the households within the period of
fifty years. Illustrate the graph highlighting the information reporting the main features given
in the graph.

The line graph shows the proportion of total expenditure in the households in the UK spent
over a period of fifty years, in five different categories: housing; transport and vehicles; food;
clothing and footwear; and fuel, light and power.
Between 1957 and 2007 expenditure in all five categories changed to some extent, but the
most marked change was in the food category. At the beginning of the period, the proportion
of expenditure on food was more than three times more than in all other categories,
representing more than thirty percent of total household expenditure. However, by 2007 this
figure had more than halved to around fifteen percent, and slightly less than the expenditure
on both housing and transport.
The two other areas where proportions of expenditure had a fluctuation over the period are
clothing and footwear, and fuel, light and power. However, the changes here are less
dramatic. A steady fall has been noticed in the expenditure on the former from ten per cent
to five percent, and on the latter from six percent to three percent. For most of the fifty-year
period, these categories used up a significantly smaller proportion of the household budget
than the others.

In two categories, housing and transport, the proportion of expenditure almost doubled,
rising from nine and eight percent to nineteen and sixteen percent respectively. Thus, by the
end of the period, the highest portion of household expenditure went on housing, and the
lowest on fuel, light, and power.

In conclusion, the graph indicates that the patterns of spending in UK households changed to
some extent over the period 1957 to 2007, the part of the budget spent on food showing the
most marked changed.

*The given pie charts compare the expenses in 7 different categories in 1966 and 1996 by American Citizens. Write a report
describing the information below.
The pie charts compare and show changes in the expenditure of US residents in
two different years of 1966 and 1996 taking seven categories into consideration
namely food, cars, petrol, restaurants, furniture, books, and computers.

According to the charts, food and cars made up the two biggest items of
expenditure in both the years. Together, they comprised over half of the total
household expenditure. The percentage of food cost rose up-to 44% in 1966,
whilst this was 14% dropping by two thirds in 1996. However, the outlay on cars
almost doubled, rising from 23% in 1966 to 45% in 1996. Contrary to this, the
proportion of salary spent on computers increased dramatically, up from 1% in
1966 to 10% in 1996. However, as computer expenditure rose, the percentage of
outlay on books plunged from 6% to 1%.

Other areas also changed significantly. The percentage of American citizens spending on
eating out in the restaurants doubled climbing from 7% in 1966 to 14% in 1996. By contrast,
some areas remained relatively unchanged. Americans spent approximately the same amount
of salary on petrol and furniture over a period as a whole.

To sum up, increased amounts of cost spent on cars, computers, and eating out in the
restaurants between the years of 1966 and 1996 initiated the dropping in expenditure on food
and books.

*The chart below shows the amount of leisure time enjoyed by men and women of different
employment status. Write a report describing the information shown below.
Leisure time in a typical week in hour: by

sex and employment

status, 1998-99.

The chart demonstrates the number of leisure hours enjoyed by men and women in a typical week of 1998-
99, taking gender and employment status into consideration.
On an average, the full time employed men enjoyed about 45 hours of leisure time per week compared to
the 38 hours of leisure time for full time employed women.
It is also apparent that the part time women workers enjoyed 40 hours of leisure time in a week. This figure
is slightly more in proportion to the leisure hours of the employed women, perhaps, because of their
employment nature.
According to the chart, both the unemployed and retired people had the longest leisure hours with a bit more
free hours for men in comparison to that of women. As expected, the retired and unemployed people enjoyed
about 78 to 82 hours per week which is longer than people from other employment status. Housewives, in
contrast, enjoyed approximately 50 hours of leisure time which is more than the employed women but less
than the unemployed and retired women.
The graph reflects that men from all status enjoy more leisure time than women which is the indication of
women’s giving more effort in their family and work environment than males.

Core Language for describing graphs:

Line Graph:
-The graph/chart shows/indicates/represents …..
-According to the graph….
-Between___ and ___.....
-There appears a fluctuation in the number of…..
-A small/slight/gradual increase/decrease……
-A significant/dramatic/sudden/marked fall/rise…
-A steady growth has been noticed….

Pie Chart:
-More/Less than half of the total/whole……
-Only a third/a quarter….
-The biggest/smallest proportion…..
-The vast majority of ……
-As many_____ as ……

Bar Chart:
-A greater proportion of ….. than of….
-20% of adolescents….. , while 13% of youths….
-34% of children….. compared to the 21% of adults
-There were almost half/one-third….

Language of Comparison:
In reporting a graph/chart, comparison is also important. Here are some examples:
…the most popular…. Whilst….. the least popular of the…
….similar patterns, with both…
However, the…remained significantly higher than …..
….also increased at a steady rate….
……in contrast to …..fell….
It then increased sharply…. which was well below than that of