Now put the four parts together. Every body sentence is built the same way:
| WHEN | Meaning |
|---|---|
| in 2010 | one year |
| between 2000 and 2010 · from 2000 to 2010 | a period |
| by 2020 | at the latest by that year (the end point) |
| until 2005 | up to that year, then a change |
| over the period · throughout the period | the whole time |
WHEN can also come first: In 2005, visitor numbers began to rise. Two sentences per line are enough: the start → the change → the end.
Traps: between 2000 to 2010 · in 2010 year · since 2000 to 2010 · nowadays → by 2020 · in the end of the period → at the end of the period.
What you already know – steps 1–4
- Introduction: The line graph + illustrates / compares + how many… / the proportion of… + where + from … to … (one sentence, your own words).
- WHO: The number of + people / things you can count · The amount of + water, wheat, money · The proportion of + … (%) · This figure.
- DID WHAT: rose · fell · remained stable · peaked at · fluctuated · overtook – Past Simple.
- NUMBERS: from 20 to 45 · to 45 · by 25 (the difference) · at 30 · between 7 and 11 · doubled / halved.
The graph below shows the number of cinema tickets sold in France and Spain between 2000 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
The graph below shows the number of vegetarian restaurants and steak houses in Berlin between 2000 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
The graph below shows the percentage of 15-year-olds in Japan who owned a smartphone and a laptop between 2008 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
The graph below shows the number of people who travelled from Helsinki to Tallinn by ferry and by plane between 2000 and 2020.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
The graph below shows the number of CDs and vinyl records sold in the UK between 2005 and 2025.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Read the whole report: two small gaps in the text – the number or year is on the graph.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
- ✗Write your part first.
- ✗Every body sentence needs a number from the graph – at least one sentence has none.
- ✗Too few numbers: give at least two figures from the graph in each paragraph.
- ✗Write about the people or things, not about “the graph / the line”.
- ✗The data is in the past: rose, fell (not rises, has risen, is rising).
- ✗People, cars, tourists can be counted: “the number of”, not “the amount of”.
- ✗“between … and …” or “from … to …” – not “between … to …”.
- ✗Give the exact years from the graph instead of “nowadays / in recent years”.
- ✗This paragraph is very short – two or three sentences.
- ✓Looks fine.
Send your reports to your teacher – she will check what the quick check can’t. Then wait for the live lesson before Step 6: the move goes into long-term memory when you use it out loud.