ESL English: Reading Graphs and Charts when Making a Presentation

1. Reading Graphs &
Charts
Vocabulary

2. When we usually read graphs & charts there are 3 main parts of information
to remember:
1) The introduction:
• “This graph shows…”
• “This chart represents…”
2) The topic
• “…the total number of sales...”
• “…the results of our product’s effectiveness…”
3) The timeframe
• “…over the past 3 months.”
• “… between 2010 and 2013”
• Example: “This graph shows the number of sales over the past 3 months
• Example: “This chart represents the results of our product’s effectiveness
between 2010-2013.”

3. There are 4 basic trends for graphs:
• Upward movement 
• Downward movement 
• No movement −
• Change in direction ⏎
Graphs can also vary in DEGREE
• a little
• little by little
• moderately
• significantly
• considerably
• substantially
Graphs can also vary in SPEED
• slowly
• slightly
• gradually
• rapidly / quickly
• wildly
• dramatically

4. FOR EXAMPLE:
“This graph shows sales for product X from January to December 2012.”
“As you can see, overall sales have increased gradually from 10,000 units in January to
25,000 units in December.
“Sales decreased slightly between May and July, but grew from August to October.

5. Now, it’s your turn to describe Graphs and Charts

6. 1. What does this line graph show?
2. How can you describe the number of sales between
January and February?
4. In which month did sales peak?

7. 1. In which month did sales drop to the lowest?
2. Did sales in this month drop: slightly moderately significantly

8. 1. In which month did sales declined significantly?
2. In which month did sales soar / skyrocket?

9. Describe Apple’s Net Profit increase between FY 2008 and FY 2010

10. Describe Apple’s Profit Margin decrease between FY 1996 and FY 1998

11. Full Graph Reading Example:
This graph show the new
home sales from March
2012 to December 2013.
As you can see, sales fluctuated
all year. They peaked in March
and January at 465K sales, but
soon sales dropped suddenly
in June.
Sales quickly recovered by Sept.
where they reached 460k once
again.

12. Can you describe the graph: