Describe a Bar Chart

8/3/2019 Describe a Bar Chart

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Describe a Bar Chart

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Describing Bar Charts and Column Charts (1)

Bar charts and column charts are similar: only their orientations differ. A bar chart isorientated horizontally, whereas a column chart is arranged vertically. Sometimes "bar chart"

refers to both forms.

These types of charts are usually used for comparison purposes (unlike line charts, which

describe change).

Observe the following chart :

It shows the populations of various European countries in the year 2007. The populations are

only for one year, 2007, and so we cannot make any comments about change in population:

we can only compare one county with another.

When you write about a bar or column chart it is important to look first at the Chart Title.

This tells you what information the chart displays and you can use this information in your

description.

Then look at the X and Y axes. The titles of these axes sometimes give you information you

can use in your description. It is important also to look at the UNITS. On the Y-axis in this

chart the units are millions. The population of Belgium in 2007 was not 10, but 10 million

people.

Bar and column charts show similarities and differences. When describing these charts you

need to make comparisons.

You also need to group together any columns which have broad similarities.





To write a short description of this graph ask yourself (and answer!) the following questions:

1. What exactly does the chart show? (Use the chart title to help you answer this

question)

2. What are the axes and what are the units?

3. What similarities are there?4. Is it possible to put some of the columns into one or more groups?

5. What differences are there?

Answering these questions will help you to write a short description of this simple column

chart.

Here is an example:

This chart shows the populations of some European countries in 2007. The country with the

largest population is Germany, with over 80 million people whereas Estonia has the smallest population, at little more than a million. Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark,

Estonia and Ireland all have populations or ten million or less, while Greece has a population

of about eleven million. Apart from Germany, the largest countries are Spain, France and

Italy with populations ranging from about forty-four to sixty-three million. Together, the four

largest countries account for over eighty per cent of the population of the countries shown.

Vocabulary

To make comparisons, you need to know the comparatives and superlatives of common

adjectives. Here are some examples:

Adjective Comparative Superlative

bad worse worst

big bigger biggest

expensive more expensive most expensive

good better best

great greater greatest

high higher highest

large larger largest

little less least

long longer longest

low lower lowestmany more most

much more most

new newer newest

old older oldest

poor poorer poorest

rich richer richest

short shorter shortest

small small smallest

strong stronger strongest

weak weaker



To signal comparison and contrast within a sentence you can use the following conjunctions:

as ....... as, not as ......... as, not so ........ as, whereas, but, while, although

To signal comparison and contrast between sentences you can use the following words and

phrases:


Bar charts and column charts are often used to make multiple comparisons.

It shows the populations of major European countries in the years 1996 and 2007. In this case

we can make two sets of comparisons. We can look at the change in population from 1996 to

2007 for each country, and we can compare the populations of the various countries in each

year.

Look at the Y axis. You can see that it starts at 30, not zero. Sometimes charts are formatted

like this in order to make the differences more obvious. To see a comparison, see the next

page.

In general, when describing a chart of this type, you should describe the most important

change first. Then you can compare individual items (in this case, countries).

The most important information on this chart is that in all countries, except Poland, the

population increased from 1996 to 2007.

Now you can compare individual countries and you can compare two things: You can

compare sizes of populations and you can compare the change in populations from 1996 to

2007. We'll concentrate on the change in population.

http://www.essaybuilder.net/BarCharts3.html






You can compare the largest change and the smallest change: The largest change was in

Turkey, where the population rose from about 62 to about 73 million, whereas the smallest

increase was in Germany where the population of nearly 82 million rose by half a million.

Spain also had a fairly large increase from 39.4 million to 44.5 million.

It is important to mention any exceptions to the changes you describe. In this case, theexception is Poland where the population fell very slightly in the period described.

To write a short description of this graph ask yourself (and answer!) the following questions:

1. What exactly does the chart show? (Use the chart title to help you answer this

question)

2. What are the axes and what are the units?

3. What changes are there?

4. What similarities are there?

5. Is it possible to put some of the columns into one or more groups?

6. What exceptions are there?

Answering these questions will help you to write a short description of this simple column

chart. For example:

This chart shows the populations of major European countries in 1996 and 2007. In all

countries except Poland the population rose in this period. The largest rise was in Turkey

where the population increased from over 62 to over 73 million, whereas the smallest

increase was in Germany where the population of 82 million rose by a few thousand. Spainalso had a fairly large increase from 39.4 million to 44.5 million, and France was not far

behind with an increase of almost 4 million. In the other two countries, Italy and the United

Kingdom, population growth was more modest with increases of about 2.3 and 2.8 million

respectively. In Poland, the population fell by half a million. Poland had the smallest

population in both 1996 and 2007. Although Spain and Portugal had comparable populations

in 1996, Spain's population is now nearly six and a half million greater than Poland's.

Vocabulary

You can see that where there is a change over time, you need to use some of the vocabulary

used to describe line graphs (rose, increased, decreased, etc).

For comparing and contrasting, you need the vocabulary of comparison


It is important to look at the axes of graphs and charts

http://www.essaybuilder.net/LineGraphs.html#LineVocabulary

http://www.essaybuilder.net/BarCharts.html#BarVocabulary

http://www.essaybuilder.net/LineGraphs.html#LineVocabulary

http://www.essaybuilder.net/BarCharts.html#BarVocabulary



Observe the following charts:

These two charts show EXACTLY the same information. However, it is easier to see the

differences in the first chart because the Y axis starts at 30, not zero. Sometimes charts are

formatted like this in order to make the differences more obvious.

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Describe a Bar Chart