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MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER:

It is not necessary to describe everything in the graph. Unlike in


IELTS, we dont have enough luxurious time to do that in PTE. If
the graph composes too many things, just mention what is
noticeable and important
Highest AND lowest points are a MUST
Use various structures. Try not to repeat the same
structures/vocab even when you have moved on to the next
question.

Intro:
The graph shows/depicts/illustrates/demonstrates. The number of.measured
in percentage/millionsfrom 19xx to 20yy.
*note: it is very important that we say measured in if we
accidentally already say the graph shows the number of while it
shows percentage. Its better if you spend the first 25 seconds to
carefully study the graph to see what it compares/describes: millions of
dollars or Celsius degrees, or percentages.
(It is very important that you mention the first year and last year in the
intro. You cant just say over a 3-year period in the intro, as that doesnt tell
the marker what year to start).
The pie chart/bar graph compares

Overview:
It is crystal clear that
It can be clearly seen from the graph that.
It is explicitly shown that.

Describe:

If thats a line graph:

Mention the highest AND lowest figures <= this is crucial


Use trend words to describe the rest.
Try not to describe each graph in separate sentences (if there are more
than 1 line). Use conjunctions such as whereas, while, and
If the line has different changes (instead of simply upward/downward
trend), break it into several parts (but not more than 3 parts, as we dont
have enough of time) to describe it.
If the graph has more than 1 line, describe both lines simultaneously in
each sentence. For example:
o The sales reached its peak/highest point/lowest point in 1950, then
sharply decreased/increased in the next 4 years, while the cost
doubled
o In 1955, the sales rose up dramatically to., whereas the cost
stabilized
Dont repeat same structures. Try your best to use variations. For example:
o There was a slight fluctuation from 19xx to 20xx
o The number of people plummeted over the 3-year period
o The first half of the decade (if it was described over 10 years)
witnessed a plateau, where the figure stayed at 90%, whereas the
other half.
o The last 3 years of the period saw a fall of change
o The sales reached its peak/highest point/lowest point in 1950, then
sharply decreased/increased in the next 4 years, while the cost
doubled
o In 1997, 35% of US citizens..
o The amount of rainfall was the highest in November..
o The quantity of goods produced was considered to be highest in
Trend words are summarized in the table bellowed: (tip: once you know
the adjective, add ly to make it adverb = sharp -> sharply)

Nouns

a rise
an increase
a surge
a growth
a peak
a fluctuation
a variation
a period of stability

a plateau
a
a
a
a

fall
decrease
decline
dip

to
to
to
to
to
to
Verbs

to fluctuate
to vary
to
to
to
to
to
to

Phrases

rise
increase
surge
grow
peak
skyrocket

fall
decrease
decline
dip
dive
plunge

to show an upward trend


to show a downward trend
to hit the highest point
to hit the lowest point
to reach a peak
to show some fluctuation
to fluctuate wildly
to remain stable
to remain static
to remain unchanged
to stay constant
to reach a plateau
to level off
to flatten out
the highest
the lowest
the second highest
the third highest
compared to
compared with
relative to

Adverbs

sharply
suddenly
rapidly
abruptly
dramatically
significantly
steadily

considerably
markedly
slightly
gently
gradually
wildly

Adjectives

sharp
sudden
rapid
abrupt
dramatic
steep
significant
steady
considerable
marked
slight
gentle
gradual

If thats a bar graph:


-

Mention the highest AND lowest figures <= this is crucial


If it is described in time-related categories (which is common, such as agegroup, or amount of rainfall during a year), mention the trend.
For example:

Say that when people get older, they tend to study for self-interest rather
than to get a job.
In Rainfall example, say how the rainfall increases during the year
If it is described in less than 3 non-related categories (population
in countries), again, describe and compare the bars
simultaneously, using conjunctions.
If it is described in more than 3, just describe what is more
noticeable and important.

If it is pie chart:

Pie chart is used to compare things.

Start with:
The pie chart compares.
Example: the pie chart compares the percentage of each favourite type of movie.
If there are about 4-5 parts or fewer in the pie chart, the second sentence should
be
It is divided into 4 parts/slices: (mention the names of the parts)
Example: it is divided into 5 parts: sci-fi, comedy, action, drama, and romance.
*depend on how fast you speak. If you can only speak slowly, ignore the part
above.
If there are more than that: mention the extreme points straight away.
Remember to use variations of structures:
Romance takes up to 30%...., which is the highest contribution in the chart.
5% of the pie chart belongs to..
Comedy contributes the smallest proportion.
Again, if there are too many parts, only say what is noticeable and
important, ignore everything else.

If it is bar-and-line graph:
Briefly describe the bar (show the highest-lowest), then the line (show the trend).

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