Describing numbers, percentages & fractions

In some graphs, esp. tables, there are some especial numbers, fractions e.g. 1/3 (one third) and percentages e.g.
50%. Look at the following table which shows a number in different years, 1990-1995:

A. You could describe the table using numbers, fractions or percentages:

Note:
1990 1995 Look how we write
1,200 1,800 fractions in task 1
½ = a half
1. The number went up by 600 from 1,200 to 1,800. (Number) ¼ = a quarter
BUT:
2. The number went up by one third from 1,200 to 1,800. (Fraction)
1/3 = one third
3. The number went up by 50% from 1,200 to 1,800. (Percentage) 2/5 = two fifth
B. You could describe the table using the words double, treble, quadruple, -fold

and times:

1992 1994 1996 1998 Note:

500 1,000 3,000 12,000 See how –fold & times are
used in examples below:

1. The number doubled between 1992 and 1994. “In the last 50 years,
2. The number trebled between 1994 and 1996. there has been a 35-fold
increase in the amount of
3. The number quadrupled from 1996 to 1998. pesticide in farming.”
4. There was a two-fold increase between 1992 and 1994.
5. The number went up six times between 1992 and 1996. “She earns five times
6. The figure in 1996 was six fold the 1992 figure. more than I do.”
7. The figure for 1996 was six times higher than that of 1992.
8. The figure for 1998 was four times greater than that of 1996.

C. You could describe the table using fractions:

1992 1994 1996 1998

1,000 800 400 100

1. Between 1992 and 1994, the figure fell by one fifth.

2. Between 1994 and 1996, the figure dropped by half.
3. The figure in 1998 was one tenth the 1992 total.

D. You could put the percentage either at the beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence:

Family Type Proportion of people living in poverty

Single aged person 6%
Aged couple 4%

1. 6% of single aged people were living in poverty.

2. The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6% .

E. You could also add a comparison:

1. 6% of single aged people were living in poverty, compared to only 4% of aged couples.

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Further explanation and examples

1. 'double' (verb)

The number of unemployed people doubled between 2005 and 2009.

2. 'twice as...as/compared to', 'three times as...as/compared to'

There were twice as many unemployed people in 2009 as in 2005.

Twice as many people were unemployed in 2009 compared to 2005.

3. 'twofold', 'threefold' (adjective or adverb)

There was a twofold increase in the number of unemployed people between

2005 and 2009. (adjective with the noun 'increase')
The number of unemployed people increased twofold between 2005 and
2009. (adverb with the verb 'increase')

Try using these forms in your own sentences. Make sure you follow the patterns.

Describing Quantities
Look at the patterns below and the examples carefully so that you can describe different numbers and
amounts in your report correctly.

The number of + Plural Countable Noun + Singular Verb Form

The number of people out of work fell by 99,000 to 2.39 million in the three months to
October.

The amount of + Singular Uncountable Noun + Singular Verb Form

The amount of rainfall doubles between May and June.

The proportion of + Countable or Uncountable Nouns + Singular Verb Form

The proportion of spending on furniture and equipment reached its peak in 2001, at 23%.

The percentage of + Countable or Uncountable Nouns + Singular Verb Form

The percentage of people using their phones to access the Internet jumped to 41% in 2008.

The figures for Countable or Uncountable Nouns + Plural Verb Form

The figures for imprisonment fluctuated sharply over the period shown.

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Varying your language

As with any task 1, this is important. You should not keep repeating the same structures.
The key language when you write about pie charts is proportions and percentages.
Common phrases to see are "the proportion of…" or "the percentage of…". However, you
can also use other words and fractions. These are some:

A large number of people 60% three-fifths

over a quarter of people 55% more than half
a small minority 50% half
A significant number of people 45% more than two fifths
less than a fifth 40% two-fifths
This table presents some examples 35% more than a third
of how you can change percentages 30% less than a third
to fractions or ratios: 25% a quarter
Percentage Fraction 20% a fifth
80% four-fifths 15% less than a fifth
75% three-quarters 10% one in ten
70% seven in ten 5% one in twenty
65% two-thirds

If the percentages are not exact as above, then you can use qualifiers to make sure your
description remains accurate. Here are some examples:

77% just over three quarters Percentage proportion / number /

77% approximately three quarters amount / majority / minority
49% just under a half 75% - 85% a very large majority
49% nearly a half 65% - 75% a significant proportion
32% almost a third 10% - 15% a minority
5% a very small number

The words above are interchangeable, though number is for countable nouns and amount
is for uncountable nouns.

Here are 3 useful techniques for describing percentages:

1. English speakers usually put the percentage at the start of the sentence.
2. Use while, whereas or compared to (after a comma) to add a comparison.
3. Use "the figure for" to add another comparison in the next sentence.

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Use these examples as models for your own sentences:

In 1999, 35% of British people went abroad for their holidays, while only 28% of
Australians spent their holidays in a different country. The figure for the USA stood
at 31%.
Around 40% of women in the UK had an undergraduate qualification in 1999,
compared to 37% of men. The figures for the year 2000 rose slightly to 42% and
38% respectively.

Using Simple Comparisons

You can use "compared to", "compared with", "in comparison to" and "in comparison with"
in the same way. For example:

Prices in the UK are high compared to / with / in comparison with (prices in)
Canada and Australia.
Compared to / with / in comparison with (prices in) Canada and Australia,
prices in the UK are high.

When writing about numbers or changes, I find it easier to use "while" or "whereas":

There are 5 million smokers in the UK, while / whereas only 2 million
Canadians and 1 million Australians smoke.
Between 1990 and 2000, the number of smokers in the UK decreased
dramatically, while / whereas the figures for Canada and Australia remained
the same.

Note:

We don't say "comparing to".

We say "2 million" not "2 millions".

Correct: 10 million people

Wrong: 10 millions people, 10 millions of people, 10 million of people

When there is no number, we do write "millions of".

e.g. Millions of people travel abroad each year.

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The language for comparing

Here are some good phrases for comparing. See if you can adapt them to other task 1
questions.

The chart compares... in terms of the number of...

...is by far the most... OR ...has by far the highest number of...
the figures for... tend to be fairly similar
In second place on the chart is...*
The number of... is slightly higher than...
Only four other countries have...
...all with similar proportions of...
...is the only country with a noticeably higher proportion of...

Note: Only use phrases like "in second place" if the chart shows some kind of competition.
Don't write "in first / second place" if the chart shows unemployment or health problems.

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Being able to compare and contrast data is an essential skill for IELTS writing, especially in
Task 1. Comparatives and superlatives are one common way to do this.

Comparatives are used to compare two things:

Leopards are faster than tigers.

Superlatives are used to compare one thing against a group of others:

The leopard is the largest of the four big cats.

Here are the basics of how they are formed:

Example Word Comparative Superlative

Words with one syllable high higher the highest
Words with three syllables productive more productive the most productive
or more
less productive the least productive
Words ending in –y wealthy wealthier the wealthiest
Short words ending with a hot hotter the hottest
consonant/vowel/consonant
Irregular good better the best

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Other Important Language for Comparisons

Comparatives and superlatives are useful to compare and contrast, but they won't be
enough.

Here are some other useful words and structures:

Transitions

1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil; however, Japan produces none.
2. The USA produces large amounts of natural gas. In contrast, South Korea
produces none.
3. European countries make great use of solar power. On the other hand, most
Asian countries us this method of power generation very little.

Subordinating Conjunctions

1. The Middle East produces high levels of oil, whereas / while Japan produces
none.
2. Whereas / While the Middle East produces high levels of oil, Japan produces
none.
3. Although the Middle East produced 100 tons oil, Japan produced none.

Other Structures

1. Developing countries are more reliant on alternative energy production than

developed countries.
2. Solar power accounts for far less of the total energy production than gas or
coal does.
3. Hydropower is not as efficient as wind power.
4. Like Japan, South Korea does not produce any natural gas.
5. The Middle East produces twice as much oil as Europe.
6. Western countries consume three times more oil than the Middle East.
7. Russia consumes slightly more oil than Germany.
8. The UAE produced the same amount of oil as Saudi Arabia.

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Adding an explanation

In adding explanation, it is important to minimize the number of words which you intend to
use to make sure you stay within the word limit. Look at the examples below.

1. Both cities experienced a rise in the number of tourists coming in through their
airports, which reached a common level of 255,000 in July.
Reduced Form: Both cities experienced a rise in the number of tourists coming in
through their airports, reaching a common level of 255,000 in July.
2. Gold bar prices experienced a spectacular rise in November, which climbed to a new
peak of $625.
Reduced Form: Gold bar prices experienced a spectacular rise in November,
climbing to a new peak of $625.
3. In the first half of 2009, the attendance at the museum went into free fall, which
nose-dived to approximately 300,000 visitors.
Reduced Form: In the first half of 2009, the attendance at the museum went into
free fall, nose-diving to approximately 300,000 visitors.
4. Females also spend less time socializing and much less time than men on sport,
which allows them more time for studying.
Reduced Form: Females also spend less time socializing and much less time than
men on sport, allowing them more time for studying.

Exercise: Reduce the clauses in the sentences into phrases.

1. The figures then dropped sharply to well below 5000, which was the lowest in record for
more than 40 years.
2. The largest number of visitors in total came from the United States, which rose from 345
to 609 thousand.
3. Rents shot up from 11% in 1993 to 21% in 2003, which doubled over the ten-year period.
4. From the end of 2001, consumption remained unchanged with two minor peaks at the end
of 2001 and 2002, which corresponded with two dips in the use of nuclear and fossil
energies.
5. Email and instant messenger are close thirds and fourths in popularity, which scored 17%
and 16% respectively for men, 21% and 18% for their counterparts.
6. The amount of money saved also dropped dramatically, which stepped down from 6% in
2003 to just 2% ten years later.
7. In the first two months of the year, the number of internet users reached nearly 1.5
million, which was double the estimate for the period.
8. The number of internet users soared once more during March and April, which outstripped
forecasts by a wide margin.

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