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Language for Graphs Quiz

In this language for graphs quiz you practice vocabulary and grammar that can be used to write about graphs, charts and tables.

Some of it is language of change (e.g. increased, rose, fell etc) as this bar chart is over time (January to April) but also language to compare and contrast.

Remember though that although line graphs always have a time frame, bar charts, tables and pie charts may sometimes not be over time, so language of change will not be appropriate. 

Take the Language for Graphs Quiz

Look at the question prompt and the bar chart/line graph below, then answer the questions in the language for graphs quiz. 

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The bar chart shows the monthly spending in dollars of a family in the USA on three items in 2010.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

Language for Graphs Quiz

Choose the correct word/phrase to go in the gap.

1. The bar chart ___________ the monthly expenditure on food, gas and clothing of a family living in the USA in 2010.


It’s better not to use ‘shows’ as then you are copying from the question. Graphs are not an explanation, so it is not ‘explains’. So ‘illustrates’ is best.

2. Overall, it can be seen that levels of expenditure ___________ over the period.


Looking at all the expenditure items, the changes are quite erratic over the whole time frame, so ‘fluctuation’ is the best description.

3. To begin, in January ____________ money was spent on food, at approximately $500 per month.


More was spent on food than clothing and gas, so ‘the most’ is correct. We can’t say ‘high money’.

4. Expenditure on gas followed ___________ the spending on food, falling at first, then steadily increasing.


They followed an opposite pattern, as food rose then fell.

5. Clothing expenses, which at just over $200 accounted for the lowest levels of spending at the beginning of the period, _____________ over the time frame.


The first and last options have no main verb, so it has to be the second choice ('Clothing expenses' is the subject for this verb).

6. Expenditure on clothing ______________ in March, and then jumped to just under $700 in the final month.


It is past simple for completed actions/events in the past, not past continuous (choice 1) or present simple (choice 2).

7.In March, around $450 was spent on food, ________ just over $300 was spent on gas and clothing.


‘However’ would need to follow a full-stop, as would ‘in contrast’. ‘Whereas’ is the only one that fits.

8. Spending on gas started at about $350 per month, falling in the following month, and then increasing significantly __________ just under $600 in April.


The prepositional phrase fits. ‘Finalise’ is the wrong word form. It can’t be a main verb (finished) as there is no subject.

9. The money spent on clothing in April ________ the amount spent on food.


Around $310 was spent on food, with around $640 spent on clothing. So ‘more than double’ fits here.

10.With the exception of _______________ in March, average spending decreased slightly over the four months.


The last two choices do not fit grammatically. It should be the noun form.




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