7 WritingSelect useful comparisons before writing about a bar chart. Check whether the chart has a time dimension: for a single year, rose and fell cannot describe differences between categories.
Choose the overview features
Look for the largest and smallest categories, similar values or clear groups. The overview can identify the most and least common transport modes; the detail paragraphs then provide figures supporting those statements.
Combine related comparisons
Group similar categories or contrast a clear difference using while. Do not describe every bar simply to use another sentence pattern. Proportions alone also do not establish population counts absent from the chart.
Practice question
A practice bar chart shows commuting methods in one town in 2025: car 45%, bus 30%, walking 15% and cycling 10%. Summarise the information and make comparisons where relevant.
Illustrative paragraph
Cars accounted for the largest share of commuters, at 45%, compared with 30% for buses. Walking and cycling were less common, representing 15% and 10% respectively. Together, these two active forms of travel accounted for a quarter of the total, which was below the proportion using buses alone.
Check your paragraph
Cover the illustrative paragraph and explain the purpose of each sentence in your own words. Then change one detail and rewrite it. Check that the claim still follows from the evidence. Do not just replace synonyms; if the meaning changes, revise the reason as well.
Continue practising
Read the practice workflow before planning comparisons.