Describir y comentar gráficos en inglés Feliz cada día en 2018, este es nuestro lema para este año ya que being happy podemos conseguir todo lo que nos proponemos. Así surge la motivation y ganas de conquer the world (comerse el mundo) Este año en el Salón de Idiomas queremos empezar con una entrada sobre cómo describir y comentar gráficos y datos en inglés, algo con lo que muchos alumnos tienen quebraderos de cabeza. Aún así, no te preocupes, es más fácil de lo que parece. La clave esta en el vocabulario y expresiones útiles que os damos y que hará que vuestros writings luzcan de esplendor. 1. Significado de los graphs, charts & tables Los gráficos (graphs), gráficos circulares (charts o pie charts) y tablas (tables) son formas de presentar información en imágenes sobre números o cifras (graphs y charts) y columnas o hilera de información (tables). 2. Escribir sobre los gráficos Ante de empezar cualquier writing, subraya las palabras clave (key words) del enunciado de tu ejercicio. De lo que se trata es de variar tu léxico: escribe sinónimos y cambia algunos sustantivos a verbos, verbos a sustantivos, adjetivos a adverbios. Haz el brainstorming antes de redactar. Tras el primer paso, identifica las tendencias (trends) – la idea general del gráfico. what is happening/what happened the main change over time the most noticeable thing about the graph the pattern over time the pattern for different places or groups or people. ¡Importante! en muchos exámenes suelen aparecen dos gráficos con una tendencia en cada uno por lo que se puede escribir sobre ello en dos diferentes párrafos ¡Ten en cuenta! a la hora de escribir es importante también la disposición o el layout de tu writing. Haz buen uso de conectores para dar coherencia al hablar de gráficos. 1. Introducción del gráfico En la PRIMERA frase hay que poner en contexto la situación y describir el gráfico en pocas palabras: The graph/table/pie chart/bar chart/diagram … gives information about/on … provides information about/on … shows … illustrates … compares … explains why … describes … draws the conclusion of (a survey) … Por ejemplo: Undoubtedly, everyone has a different schedule when it comes to studying. The pie chart shows information on the ratio of boys and girls studying programming. Utiliza adverbios en inglés que acaban en -ly para darle naturalidad a tu writing. Useful phrases – a small fraction, a small number, a small minority – a large portion, a significant majority, a great deal of – nearly a fifth, almost 10%, in region of 40%, more than a half, over a quarter, around two thirds, more or less three quarters, exactly one in ten, approximately a third En la SEGUNDA frase/párrafo da la información sobre las tendencias o tendencia. Parrafo 1: Tendecia 1 Empezar la frase sin numeros: a) “The most obvious trend in the graph is that women are having fewer babies.” b) “Oil production has increased slightly in all the countries in the graph.” Continua la frase con un ejemplo (frase con número) y quizás otra frase con números y también que sigas alternando las frases con números: a) “Apparently, one in 3 women decide not to a mother.” b) “The overall picture shows a rise of over 5% more oil than previous years. Párrafo 2 y 3: Entrar en más detalles y dar suposiciones del porqué de los cambios de la tabla/gráficos. Conclusión Acaba la conclusión nombrando las principales tendencias o identificando la segunda tendencia. Usa un vocabulario diferente. No hace falta poner números en la conclusión aunque sí podrías utolizar palabras como “most”, “the majority” “a minority”, “a small number”. No dar tu opinión si no se precisa. DOes and DOnts Haz un brainstorming al principio y no repitas palabras. Utiliza las preposiciones con cuidado (tienes una explicación detallada al final de éste artículo) No hay que describir cada punto, sólo dar información sobre los mayores, menores o principales puntos o tendencias (the biggest, the smallest, the main points, the main trends. Las puedes agrupar en grupos. No escribas sobre el movimiento de la linea “The line went up,” “The bar went down.” sino la idea como por ejemplo “The number of people going to work by train increased gradually.” “Oil production shot up in 1965” Escribe sobre la idea utilizando los datos reales como: “The number of men at university fell dramatically,” “The percentage of female students getting a degree rose suddenly.” Escribe formal SIN DAR TU OPINIÓN “I feel”, “as I have written,” “as you can see,” etc. Haz uso de buenos conectores. Manten organizado tu writing por lo menos en tres partes (intro, body, conclusion). ¡IMPORTANTE! Al describir los gráficos: haz grupos de información (por ejemplo: pon 2 o 3 similitudes juntas) para que sea más fácil de leer. Vocabulario útil para describir y comentar gráficos en inglés Introducción del tema: apparently – por lo visto seemingly – por lo visto allegedly -supuestamente reportedly – según consta according to the records/graph/chart Nouns – sustantivos a rise (of) – una subida de – A rise of prices an increase (of) – un incremento de – An increase of the 10% a growth (of) – una desorrlo de – A growth of tourism a peak (of) – una cima de – A peak of economic activity a surge (of) – una explosión de – A surge of inflation a fall (in) – colapsarse, derrumbarse – A fall in the value of … a decrease (in) – una disminución de – A decrease in numbers of … a decline (in) – una bajada de – A decline of the total fertility rate … a dip (in) – un bache en – A dip in payments between … a fluctuation (of) – una fluctuación – A fluctuation of investments … a variation (in) – una variación de – The variation in the debt levels … Verbs – verbos to rise – crecer – The to increase – aumentar – The salary increased a 10% of governement employees during 2016. to surge – aumento repentinamente – We have surged forward with a social cohesion. to grow – crecer – The successful businesse’s profits continue to grow. to peak – alcanzar la cima – The Somu has peaked a 80% of users. Large rises Large decrease to rocket – subir vertiginosamente to fall – caer to soar – aumentar, dispararse to decrease – bajar, reducir to shoot up – dispararse- to tail off – disminuir to take off – dispararse- to decline – disminuir, decaer to leap (->leapt) – saltar – to dip – bajar en picado to put on – ganar, aumentar- to dive – saltar to surge – surgir to plunge – caer rápidamente, desmoronarse – no cambiar to sink – hundirse to level off – estabilizarse to hit a low – tocar fondo to vary – variar, cambiar to bottom out – tocar fondo to expand – expandirse to peak – alcanzar la cima to hit a peak – alcanzar la cima to reach the highest level – llegar a lo más alto to culminate – culminar Fluctuation and stability to fluctuate – fluctuar to pick up – recuperarse to stabilize – estabilizarse to remain stable – estar estable to remain constant – estar constante to remain unchanged – to reach the bottom – tocar fondo to plummet – caer de golpe, desmoronarse to slump – desplomarse to shrink – reducirse, menguar Descripción de datos en inglés con adjetivos y adverbios Adjectivos Adverbios sharp – brusco sharply – bruscamente, pronunciadamente sudden – repentino suddenly – repentinamente rapid – rápido rapidly – rapidamente abrupt – brusco abruptly – abruptamente, bruscamente dramatic – dramático dramatically – dramaticamente disastrous – desastroso decidedly – indudablemente encouraging – favorable significantly – significativamente obvious – obvio considerably – considerablemente markedly – notablemente steep – inclinado widely – ampliamente significant -significante slightly – ligeramente considerable – considerable gently – gradualmente marked – marcado gradually – gradualmente substantial – significativo steadily – constantemente sufficient -suficiente modestly – modestamente spectacular – espectacular moderately – de forma moderada slight – ligero marginally – apenas gentle – moderado roughly – apenas gradual -gradual gradual decline Example: there was a steady -constante consistent – consistente disappointingly – de forma decepcionante keenly – de forma intensa successfully – de forma exitosa steeply – abruptamente modest – modesto marginal – mínimo Expresiones útiles para describir y comentar gráficos y datos en inglés a small fraction, a small number, a small minority a large portion, a significant majority nearly a fifth, almost 10%, in region of 40%, more than a half, over a quarter, around two thirds, more or less three quarters, exactly one in ten, approximately a third, ups and downs, overall trends, rather worse, approximate figures, over the last three months, just over, just short, give or take a point, at somewhere near the region if, nowhere near, Expresiones largas: the picture is rather different the trend was dedidedly downward/ upward ..has fared rather worse the overall performance has been good/bad the trend can’t hide the fact the increase profit margin Expresiones sobre gráficos y tablas: the chart shows turnover in millions of dollars the grapgh clearly demostrates the comparative productivity this charts gives us an idea of how far production levels exceed the rest the graph shows the current position of our leading products Causa: thanks to (gracias a ), stemmed from (originarse en), can be traced back to (tiene su origen en), owing to (debido a), attributable to (se atribuye a) Efecto: give rise to (potenciar), account for (justificar), resulted in (resultar en) Preposiciones: upward – en ascenso, ascendente downward – descendente around – alrededor about – sobre between – entre by – alrededor short – breve below – debajo near -cerca over – sobre ups and downs – altibajos ins and outs – pormenores PREPOSICIONES y su uso al describir gráficos y tablas Usa las preposiciones de forma correcta Observa la siguiente tabla que muestra números (1200-1800) en varios años (1990-1995) : 1990 1995 1200 1800 Podrías describir la tabla de arriba usando números, fracciones o porcentajes: The number went up by 600, from 1200 to 1800. (Number) The number went up by half, from 1200 to 1800. (Fraction) The figure went up by 50%, from 1200 to 1800. (Percentage) The figure went up 50%, to 1800. (Percentage) 1992 1994 1996 1998 500 1000 3000 12000 Usa “trebled,” (triplar) “-fold,” and “times:” The number doubled between 1992 and 1994. The number trebled between 1994 and 1996. The figure quadrupled from 1996 to 1998 There was a twofold increase between 1992 and 1994. The figure went up sixfold between 1992 and 1996. The figure in 1996 was three times the 1992 figure. The figure in 1998 was four times the 1996 figure. 1992 1994 1996 1998 1000 800 400 100 Usa fractiones: Between 1992 and 1994, the figure fell by one-fifth. Between 1994 and 1996, the number dropped by a half. The figure in 1998 was one-tenth the 1992 total. Usa comparaciones: twice as much as, more than, less than, the same amount, both X and Y have the same figure, etc. Practica mucho INSPIRACIÓN: ejemplo de artículos con datos Lée éste extracto de http://writefix.com/frames/graphtxt/stationsample.htm para inspirarte: Passengers at a London Underground Station The graph shows the fluctuation in the number of people at a London underground station over the course of a day. The busiest time of the day is in the morning. There is a sharp increase between 06:00 and 08:00, with 400 people using the station at 8 o’clock. After this the numbers drop quickly to less than 200 at 10 o’clock. Between 11 am and 3 pm the number rises, with a plateau of just under 300 people using the station. In the afternoon, numbers decline, with less than 100 using the station at 4 pm. There is then a rapid rise to a peak of 380 at 6pm. After 7 pm, numbers fall significantly, with only a slight increase again at 8pm, tailing off after 9 pm. Overall, the graph shows that the station is most crowded in the early morning and early evening periods.
