Mastering Graphs and Statistics Vocabulary in English
Graphs and statistics form an integral part of various fields including business, science, finance, and even daily life. Being equipped with the appropriate English vocabulary to describe and interpret graphs, charts, and statistics allows learners to effectively communicate complex data and information. This not only enhances their academic and professional prospects but also strengthens their overall language competence. Moreover, it is essential practice for students attempting to pass English language tests such as IELTS, TOEFL and TOEIC.
1st April 2025
Describing Trends in 2025
Every day we see graphs showing changes in things that matter to us—temperature shifts, housing prices, or how much people are using social media. This activity helps you learn the exact words needed to explain these changing patterns accurately. Instead of guessing at terms like “increased sharply” or “fluctuates a lot,” you will match specific language to visual representations of modern trends. These are the same types of graphs you might see in news reports, work presentations, or on your phone apps. Being able to describe trends clearly is a practical skill that helps in job settings, academic work, and everyday conversations.
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Brainstorming graphs and trends
This brainstorming exercise is useful for engaging students with the topic: describing trends and graphs. It provides a simple framework for categorizing different types of changes (going up, going down, fluctuating, staying steady, and peaking) along with relatable, everyday examples.
Brainstorming graphs and trends
Prepositions for graphs, trends and statistics (with audio and answers)
I’ve always been familiar with prepositions for location, time and movement. But for years I have been teaching English for graphs and statistics to pharmacy and medical technology students. And I’ve noticed a recurring problem with prepositions when they try to use statistics to describe graphs and trends. So, finally I’ve done something about it.
Prepositions for graphs and statistics (PDF)
Describing your own graph worksheet
In a world where data visualization dominates everything from health apps to news media, understanding how to interpret and describe graphs has become an essential life skill. This graph description activity taps into students’ personal experiences—whether tracking their screen time, fitness progress, or spending habits—making language learning immediately applicable to their digital lives. By creating personalized graphs about topics that matter to them, students develop crucial vocabulary for discussing trends, fluctuations, and patterns that they encounter daily across social media, news sites, and workplace dashboards. Students can also create a video and describe their graph. See the video below as an example.
Introductory activity for describing graphs
This is an easy way to introduce some commonly used vocabulary for describing graphs.
Numbers and statistics for work
This is a listening/speaking lesson to help English as a Second Language students understand numbers and statistics in a variety of contexts.
Describing graphs and sentence writing worksheet (with audio and answers)
This is a follow-up “describing graphs” vocabulary worksheet for English language learners. Students match the words to the graphs then write sentences using their own ideas. Or students can listen to the audio and fill in the missing words
Describing graphs vocabulary and sentence writing (PDF)
(see the video version on Youtube)
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Describing business trends
This is a slightly more challenging comprehension gap fill exercise for language used to talk about trends.
Describing graphs and trends: making sentences worksheet (with answers)
This is a worksheet to help English language learners write and talk about graphs and trends. Students try to write appropriate sentences for the pictures using the vocabulary at the bottom of the page.
Describing graphs sentence writing (PDF)
Describing graphs worksheet (with answers)
This is an introductory “describing graphs” vocabulary worksheet for English language learners. First, students sort the words into the appropriate columns. In the second exercise they match the phrases to the correct lines on the graph. Finally, they unscramble the words in the third activity to make sentences and match these sentences to the 5 lines on the graphs at the bottom of the page.
Describing graphs vocabulary worksheet (PDF)
Describing graphs parts of speech sorting (with answers)
A parts of speech sorting exercise to help students understand the difficult vocabulary and grammar of language used for describing graphs. Many of the words can be used as either a verb or a noun.
Describing graphs parts of speech sorting (PDF)
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