114 samples

Line graphs

→Overview first: the overall direction of each line and which was highest.
→Group lines that move together instead of describing each one in turn.
→Give the start and end figures plus the peak or low point, not every value.

164 samples

Bar charts

→Compare the biggest and smallest bars before anything else.
→If the bars show years, describe change; if they show places, describe rank.
→Round sensibly and say 'just over' or 'nearly' rather than guessing decimals.

64 samples

Pie charts

→Name the largest and smallest shares in the overview.
→Use proportion language: a quarter, just under half, the majority.
→With two pies, compare the same slice across both.

123 samples

Tables

→Tables hide the trend: find the highest, lowest and biggest change yourself.
→Select; do not list every cell.
→Organise paragraphs by row or by column, whichever gives the clearer comparison.

63 samples

Mixed charts

→Write one overview sentence that links the two visuals.
→Give each visual its own detail paragraph.
→Point out where one chart explains the other.

85 samples

Process diagrams

→Say how many stages there are and where the process starts and ends.
→Use the passive and sequencers: first, after this, once, finally.
→Keep every stage; a missing step costs task achievement.

64 samples

Maps

→Overview: how much the area changed and what stayed the same.
→Use location language: to the north of, adjacent to, replaced by.
→Group changes by area or by type, such as housing, roads and green space.

Keep going

© 2026 BandLadder. Written and checked by the BandLadder team. You may quote or cite this page with credit to BandLadder and a link to it; republishing it in full needs our written permission. Content use policy