Vocabulary for Comparative Graphs

What Vocabulary for Comparative Graphs means

In this video we're going to be looking at the vocabulary words that you need when describing comparative graphs in your task one essay so if you'll remember this is what the comparative graphs look like. We can have a comparative graph as a bar graph as a pie chart or a table so we have a comparative graph whenever we have a static snapshot in time. So unlike a trend graph where we have changes that are being described over a period of time in a comparative graph we don't have a period of time. All we have is just a set of data as a static snapshot.

Now I want to make a note about the vocabulary words that you're going to learn for describing the comparative graphs. I want you to note that whenever you're writing a task one essay you have to compare data in all types of writing questions. Okay so that means that you have to compare data in the trend graphs you have to compare the data in the comparative graphs in the process diagrams and in the maps. So it doesn't matter what type of writing task one question you have.

How to use it

You always have to compare data in all types of writing questions. However in the comparative questions you have to especially make comparisons because you don't have a period of time to describe all you have is just comparisons. So comparisons become particularly important for comparative graphs so let's look at the vocabulary words that you need to make comparisons. So first we're going over the short adjectives here we have our adjective and here we have the form of the adjective when we're comparing two items.

And here we have the form when we're comparing three or more items. Notice that when we're comparing two items we add an E R at the end of the word and when we're comparing three or more items then we add an E S T at the end of the word. For example if you're talking about the adjective high and you want to compare two items then you may say that one is higher than the other. Whereas if you're comparing three or more items then you may say that one item is the highest out of all the listed items.

So let me give you an example sentence. You may say the growth rate of banana sales was higher than grapes or if you're comparing three or more items then you may say the growth rate of banana sales was the highest out of all the listed fruits. Similarly here is our next adjective. If you're talking about the adjective low then you can use lower than when comparing two items or you can say the lowest.

If you're comparing three or more items for example you may say the number of cars sold in France was lower than in the U.K. or if you're comparing three or more items then you can say the number of cars sold in France was the lowest out of all the listed countries similarly whenever you're comparing any of these adjectives here then you can use this form to compare two items or you can use this form to compare three or more items. So here we have the adjectives big great large small strong. We have some more adjectives here short slow quick fast sharp slide and long.

Now these were the short adjectives. Now let's take a look at long adjectives the adjective popular is an example of a long adjective it's long because when you're comparing two items with this adjective you have to say more popular than or if you're comparing three or more items then you have to say the most popular so with short adjectives such as high when you're comparing two items you can just say higher than or if you're comparing three items. You could say the highest unlike the short adjectives when you're comparing long adjectives. You have to say more popular than or the most popular.

So that's the difference between the short adjectives and the long adjectives. So let me give you an example of a sentence. Now if you're talking about the adjective popular you may say something like mobile phones became more popular than computers or if you're comparing three or more items you may say mobile phones became the most popular out of all the listed technological devices. Here we have another adjective rapid.

PDF reference notes

Vocabulary for Comparative Graphs Lexical Resource: Writing Task 1 mastership.co Learn from the world’s best IELTS course. -- 1 of 9 -- Comparative Graphs Describes static snapshot in time; not a trend Bar Graph Pie Chart Table Country Food/ Drinks/ Tobacco Clothing/ Footwear Leisure/ Education Ireland 28.91% 6.43% 2.21% Italy 16.36% 9.00% 3.20% Spain 18.80% 6.51% 1.98% Sweden 15.77% 5.40% 3.22% Turkey 32.14% 6.63% 4.35% You must compare data in all types of writing questions, but comparisons are particularly important for “comparative graphs” -- 2 of 9 -- Making Comparisons (Short Adjectives) Adjective Comparing two items (-er) Comparing three or more items (-est) high higher than the highest low lower than the lowest big bigger than the biggest great greater than the greatest large larger than the largest small smaller than the smallest strong stronger than the strongest -- 3 of 9 -- Making Comparisons (Short Adjectives) Adjective Comparing two items (-er) Comparing three or more items (-est) short shorter than the shortest slow slower than the slowest quick quicker than the quickest fast faster than the fastest sharp sharper than the sharpest slight slighter than the slightest long longer than the longest -- 4 of 9 -- Making Comparisons (Long Adjectives) Adjective Comparing two items (-er) Comparing three or more items (-est) popular more popular than the most popular rapid more rapid than the most rapid sudden more sudden than the most sudden striking more striking than the most striking abrupt more abrupt than the most abrupt gradual more gradual than the most gradual consistent more consistent than the most consistent -- 5 of 9 -- Making Comparisons (Long Adjectives) Adjective Comparing two items (-er) Comparing three or more items (-est) marginal more marginal than the most marginal significant more significant than the most significant considerable more considerable than the most considerable substantial more substantial than the most substantial dramatic more dramatic than the most dramatic drastic more drastic than the most drastic remarkable more remarkable than the most remarkable -- 6 of 9 -- Making Comparisons (Irregular Adjectives) Adjective Comparing two items Comparing three or more items good better best bad worse worst much/many/some more most little (amount) less least late (time) later latest late (order) latter last -- 7 of 9 -- Negative Comparatives Instead of only using positive comparisons, you can also use negative comparisons to show off your range: Positive Comparisons Negative Comparisons The United States has a larger size than Australia. The size of Australia is not as large as United States. Mobiles are more popular than fixed line calls.

Fixed line calls are not as popular as mobiles. The demand for bananas grew faster than apples. The demand for apples did not grow as fast as for bananas. -- 8 of 9 -- Degree of Difference In the same way that we use much, slightly, significantly to describe the degree of difference with positive comparatives, we can do the same with negative comparatives.

Degree Expressions Negative Comparisons Small not quite as _____ as The growth of hydropower is not quite as much as nuclear energy. Big not nearly as _____ as Coal is not nearly as popular as petrol and oil. Very Big nowhere near as _____ as Hydropower is nowhere near as popular as petrol.

Practice focus

So if you're comparing two or more items you may say something like the growth of mobile phones was more rapid than computers or if you're comparing three or more items you may say the growth of mobile phones was the most rapid out of all the listed technological devices. Similarly whenever we're comparing two items we use this form here. And when we're comparing three or more items we use this form here for all of these listed adjectives. So here we have sudden striking abrupt gradual consistent.

Here we have some more adjectives marginal significant considerable substantial dramatic drastic and remarkable. So before you take your child's exam make sure that you know how to use the short adjectives and how to use the long adjectives to compare two items and to compare three or more items now sometimes you may see irregular adjectives. So here are some examples of the irregular adjectives. So the adjective good is irregular because to compare two items you cannot just add e r at the end or if you're comparing three items you cannot just add e s t at the end.

So for example if we're comparing two items we don't say good or That's wrong. If we're comparing three or more items we don't say good est that's also wrong or we say better and best. So here's an example sentence you mean say something like the growth of Apple sales was better than mango sales but banana sales performed the best. Next we have the adjective bad.

So if we're comparing two items we say worse. If you're comparing three or more items we say worst. So similarly we have all these irregular adjectives here to compare two items. You use this form of the irregular adjective and to compare three or more items.