Describing a bar chart

Learn how to write about trends in a bar chart.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Reading text

Describing a bar chart

The chart shows the sales revenue of a selection of home video entertainment formats in the USA in 2017. It also shows the percentage change from the previous year.

Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion on services such as Netflix, which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year. For the average American, this accounted for nearly half of their spending on video entertainment at home.

At the same time, customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart. DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped by 14 per cent over the twelve-month period to $4.5 billion in 2017, and rent-by-post revenues went down by 20 per cent to $0.5 billion. DVD rental shops saw the largest decline, as spending fell by 21 per cent to just $0.4 billion.

Overall, there was a clear downward trend in spending on physical video formats, as they all showed relatively low sales and they were all in decline. However, there was an upward trend in paying for streaming.

Please note: This page was designed for writing practice only. Information in the chart may not be accurate.

Tips

In the first paragraph, give basic details about the chart including what it shows, where it refers to and when.
When you describe chart data, be specific. Mention the category and figure, e.g. Online video streaming was the most popular format in 2017. US consumers spent $9.8 billion ...
A trend is a change over time. To describe trends, focus on what is increasing or decreasing compared to some time in the past, e.g. ... which was a rise of 32 per cent from the previous year.
If several categories show the same trend, talk about them together, e.g. customers were moving away from the three physical formats in the chart.
State the units of measurement, e.g. US consumers spent $9.8 billion.
Many of the verbs for up and down trends can also be used as nouns, e.g. Spending fell by 21 per cent = There was a 21 per cent fall in spending. (You can write % or per cent, but be consistent.)
Write a conclusion. Say what we learn from the data overall.

Discussion

What trends do you notice in the way people spend their money in your country?

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Language level

B1 Intermediate

Streaming services have changed my life! First netflix and then prime video. With these platforms i can sit on my couch and spend a whole day just watching series or movies! My first platform was netflix when i was a kid! I can remember the images! a 13 yo boy watching city of god, by the way, the film is really violent! ahhah Nowadays i dont spend much time watching series but i hope i can watch more series soon

I don’t really know about trends that the way people spend their money in my country, but I think Japanese people are often saving money compare to other country. There are many people who often think saving money around me especially. I don’t really know about other country, but I think compared to Japanese people are often economizing. However, I feel young women spend a lot of their money for fashion and sweets in Japan recently. I think most of they are focus on photogenic. I think many young women spend their money for fashionable or cute sweets and café especially. For example, pearl tea is popular in Japan since while ago. Many pearl shops of pearl tea were open and so many people go that shop. Many young women’s enthusiasm is incredible. There is always a long queue in front of shop. I think this trend cannot see other country. I notice trend one more thing. I think Japanese people spend a lot of their money eating out and drinking party. They often held drinking party and they often split the bill evenly.

I noticed a trend in 2019 in our country, most of the people who having spent their leisure time through the video watching on YouTube.

An average Nigerian spend their average income on video streaming format of home entertainment.

I noticed in the way people spend their money in my country in the following , food , internet, phone calls. Setting in the coffee.

Well, there are basically two types of people. People rich and poor. I have noticed that trends in the way rich people spend their money show growth on clothing and shoes, and on food outside the home. On the contrary trends in the way, poor people spend their money show a decrease in all these above. Nikolaos PS. Hello Kirk, I started my comment Well,...... could you suggest something else instead of well. Nikolaos

Hello Nikolaos

'Well' is a good choice here. If you wanted to be a bit more formal, you could say something like 'In summary'. Or you could refer directly to the chart by saying something like 'What the chart shows is that there are basically two types ...'

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

I have noticed that trends in the way people spend their money in Colombia show growth in spending on education and technology. On the contrary, there was a decrease in the sale of homes because the price of these increased in the last year.

There's been an overall increase in the last 5 years. People used to pay money for basic needs only but today they spend most of it on technology. Over a third of their monthly income is used to stream online movies and on playing games.

In my country ISTAT (National Statistics Institute), a public research organisation, is the main producer of official statistics in the service of citizens and policy-makers. Istat performs recurring studies also on the way Italians spend their money. In addition to specific surveys, I recommend "Noi Italia.100 statistics to understand the country we live in", which annually offers a general framework for understanding also the social aspects of my country.

Describing a bar chart

Preparation

Tips

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Discussion

Language level

Online courses