← Back to Business English Lessons
Business English lesson about explaining a chart

Explain a Chart

Turn chart data into a short business briefing: orient the listener, identify the main pattern, support it with accurate figures, and state a cautious takeaway.

LevelB1
Time30 minutes
Lesson typeBusiness Scenario
Topic familyData, Numbers & Visual Information
Why this lesson matters · เหตุผลที่เรียนบทนี้

For learners: Give a short chart briefing with an overview, accurate evidence and a cautious takeaway.

For teachers: The lesson moves from a workplace model to supported language, interaction and a listener-focused independent scenario.

สำหรับผู้เรียน: สรุปกราฟสั้น ๆ โดยมีภาพรวม หลักฐานตัวเลขที่ถูกต้อง และข้อสรุปที่รอบคอบ
สำหรับครู: บทเรียนเริ่มจากตัวอย่างสถานการณ์งาน ต่อด้วยภาษาช่วย การโต้ตอบ และสถานการณ์อิสระที่คำนึงถึงผู้ฟัง

Your goal: Give a clear 60–75 second chart briefing and answer three data-check questions without reading a full script.
Why this lesson / ทำไมต้องเรียนบทนี้

English: A useful chart explanation does more than list numbers. It helps the listener see the overall pattern, trust the evidence, and understand what deserves attention.

ภาษาไทย: การอธิบายกราฟที่ดีไม่ใช่การอ่านตัวเลขทุกค่า แต่ต้องช่วยให้ผู้ฟังเห็นภาพรวม เชื่อถือข้อมูล และรู้ว่าประเด็นใดสำคัญ

Progress focus COMDAFP

COM · Communication Clarity: The briefing follows a clear route from chart orientation to takeaway.

DA · Data Accuracy: Figures, units, comparisons, and percentage-point changes are accurate.

FP · Functional Performance: The listener can identify the main pattern and the evidence without seeing the chart.

30-minute lesson path

3 minRead
8 minBuild
4 minBe precise
3 minPlan
3 minListen
5 minBrief
4 minProve
Teacher Lesson Plan · Read before class

Outcome: The learner gives one guided and one independent chart briefing. Keep the focus on selecting and organising significant data, not describing every bar.

  1. Use Chart A to establish topic, period, unit and overall pattern.
  2. Teach only the language needed for the learner’s message.
  3. Check from/to, by, at and percentage points before speaking.
  4. Let the learner build a four-part keyword plan before hearing the model.
  5. Run a complete guided briefing and three follow-up questions.
  6. Use Chart B for the independent Progress Check.

Correction priority: data accuracy → clear overview → useful implication. Do not interrupt the complete briefing unless the figures become impossible to follow.

1. Read the chart before speaking

First understand what the chart says. Do not start by reading every number.

Student taskSay four things: topic → period → unit → overall direction.
This chart shows… / It covers… / The figures are percentages… / Overall…
How to run Stage 1
Keep Chart A visible. Ask: “What does it measure?”, “What period does it cover?”, “What is the unit?” and “What is the overall direction?” Accept short answers, then ask the learner to combine them into two sentences.

2. Build the Chart Language Toolkit

Choose language by its job in the briefing. Use the examples to create true sentences about Chart A.

A. Introduce the chart

This chart shows…
It compares…
The figures are shown as percentages.

This chart shows the on-time response rate from January to April.

B. Describe movement

rise / increase / grow
fall / decrease / drop
remain stable / fluctuate
peak at / reach a low of

The rate increased steadily across the four months.

C. Give exact evidence

increase from X to Y
increase by X
stand at X
just over / just under / approximately

It rose from 68% to 86%, an increase of 18 percentage points.

D. Compare and conclude

higher / lower than
while / whereas / compared with
The highest / lowest figure was…
This suggests… / The key point is…

April was 18 percentage points higher than January, and the target was reached.

Describe the strength of a change B1+ / B2

Choose a word that matches the size and speed shown by the data. Stronger words are not automatically better.

Small change
edge up = rise a little
dip = fall a little, often temporarily
Large, fast rise
surge / soar = rise strongly
rocket = rise extremely fast; vivid and less formal
Large, fast fall
plunge / plummet = fall very sharply
slump = fall markedly or remain at a weak level
Changing or stopping
fluctuate = move up and down
level off / plateau = stop rising or falling
Choose the best trend language and say the complete sentence.

  1. 50 → 52: The figure ______ slightly.
  2. 45 → 82 in one month: Sales ______.
  3. 80 → 43 in one month: Demand ______.
  4. 70 → 72 → 69 → 71: The rate ______ slightly.
  5. 60 → 74 → 74: The figure rose, then ______ at 74.
Suggested answers — open after speaking

1 edged up / rose · 2 surged / soared / rocketed · 3 plunged / plummeted · 4 fluctuated · 5 levelled off / plateaued

Student taskB1: Make one true sentence from each toolkit card. B1+/B2: Also complete the five strength-of-change items and explain why a strong or weak verb fits the data.
How to run Stage 2
For B1 learners, prioritise rise, fall, dip, remain stable and fluctuate. For B1+/B2, complete the strength practice and compare surge/soar with the more vivid rocket. Require the learner to point to the size or speed in the data before accepting a strong verb. Contrast rose (verb) with an increase (noun) only if needed.

3. Make the numbers precise

Small word choices change the meaning. Use the correct pattern before you build the full briefing.

from 68% to 86%
starting figure → ending figure
by 18 percentage points
the size of the change
at 86%
one exact figure or point
18 percentage points
86% − 68%; do not call this “18%”
Student taskComplete these three sentences aloud:

  1. The rate increased from ___ to ___.
  2. It increased by ___ percentage points.
  3. In April, the figure stood at ___.
How to run Stage 3
Ask for all three sentences without showing an answer first. If by and to are confused, point to the final bar for to 86%, then show the difference between the first and final bars for by 18 percentage points.

4. Build a four-part chart briefing

Plan key words, not a complete script.

1 · Orient
topic · period · unit
2 · Overview
main pattern only
3 · Evidence
two figures · comparison
4 · Takeaway
significance · no invented cause
Model structure
This chart shows the on-time response rate from January to April. Overall, performance improved steadily. The figure rose from 68% in January to 86% in April, an increase of 18 percentage points. The key point is that the 85% target was reached in the final month.
Student taskWrite no more than two or three key words for each part, then give a 30-second first version using your own wording.
How to run Stage 4
Cover the model while the learner makes the keyword plan. Reveal it only to check the four communication jobs. Do not ask the learner to memorise or read the paragraph.

5. Listen to how the briefing is organised

Listen after building your own plan. Identify which of the four briefing parts each model provides.

Engduo Audio · British English

Transcript — open after listening

This chart shows on-time responses from January to April. Overall, performance improved across the period.

Engduo Audio · Australian English

Transcript — open after listening

The figure increased from sixty-eight per cent in January to eighty-six per cent in April. The key point is that the target was reached in the final month.

Student taskAfter listening, improve one part of your own briefing. Keep your own ideas and wording.
How to run Stage 5
Keep transcripts closed for the first listening. After each clip, ask which communication job it performs. Replay only the uncertain clip, then open its transcript to confirm wording.

6. Deliver the briefing and answer questions

Student task

  1. Give a 60–75 second briefing about Chart A using keywords only.
  2. Answer: “What was the lowest figure?”
  3. Answer: “When was the target reached?”
  4. Answer: “How many percentage points did the rate improve?”

Business adaptation: Repeat only the opening and takeaway for a manager. Lead with the result: “The main result is that…” and finish with one appropriate next step or monitoring point.

How to run Stage 6
Listen through the full briefing before correcting. Ask all three data-check questions. For the manager version, require one changed opening and one cautious final line; do not require the learner to repeat the full briefing.

7. Progress Check: explain a new chart

Use a fresh chart without a model. Show that you can transfer the same four-part route.

Independent task: Give a 45–60 second briefing with an orientation, overview, two accurate figures, one comparison and a cautious takeaway.

COM · Clarity

2: The four-part briefing is connected and easy to follow.

1: It becomes clear after one organisation prompt.

0: The listener cannot yet identify the overall pattern.

DA · Data Accuracy

2: Units, figures and comparisons are accurate.

1: One figure or comparison is corrected after a prompt.

0: Repeated data errors change the chart meaning.

FP · Functional Performance

2: Completes the briefing and answers one data-check question independently.

1: Completes after one keyword prompt.

0: Cannot yet complete the briefing without reading a model.

How to run the Progress Check
Hide the model and use only Chart B. Score the complete attempt from 0–2 in COM, DA and FP. Give one success and one next target, then repeat only the weakest 20–30 second section.
คำอธิบายภาษาไทย — เปิดเมื่อจำเป็นเท่านั้น

ให้นักเรียนอ่านกราฟตามลำดับ: กราฟเกี่ยวกับอะไร ช่วงเวลาใด หน่วยอะไร ภาพรวมเป็นอย่างไร จากนั้นเลือกตัวเลขสำคัญเพียงสองค่าและสรุปประเด็นโดยไม่เดาสาเหตุที่กราฟไม่ได้แสดง

Continue your learning path

Same topic · pronunciation

Numbers, Dates, and Figures

Make percentages, dates and figures easier for a listener to hear accurately in a business briefing.

Open the pronunciation lesson →

Same data · writing

A One-Paragraph Executive Summary

Turn a chart overview, supporting evidence and business takeaway into a concise written summary.

Open the writing lesson →

© 2026 Engduo Thailand · Authorized Engduo learning use