PTE Describe Image bar chart: template and sample answers

Use the template for the order of your sentences and fill every [slot] with facts from the bar chart in front of you. Start with the tallest bar and the shortest, then compare them. With two sets of bars, say which series is higher in every category.

This bar chart compares [what is measured] across [the categories].
[Top category] is clearly the highest, at about [figure], [well ahead of / nearly double] [second category] at [figure].
At the other end, [lowest category] has only [figure].
With two sets of bars: in every [category], [series A] is higher than [series B].
Overall, the chart suggests that [what the gap means].

What it shows: This [type of image] shows [what is measured] for [who or where], [unit or time period].
Main feature: The most noticeable point is that [the highest, largest or clearest change], at [figure].
Compare: By contrast, [the lowest or opposite item] is [figure], while [the middle items] are around [figure].
Relationship: [how two features connect: twice as many, both rise until, higher in every case].
Conclusion: Overall, the [image] suggests that [implication or likely reason].

About 70–90 words fills the 40 seconds at a natural pace. Drop the labels when you speak.

Keep it flexible: if the image is a photo or an unusual diagram that no frame fits, drop the wording and keep only the order (what it is, the main features, how they relate, what it suggests).

Do not memorise sentences. Generic filler that would fit any image, such as "The image gives a lot of useful information." Pearson treats memorised material as irrelevant, and a Content score of 0 means Pronunciation and Oral Fluency are not scored at all.

Speak your answer first, then open the sample. Sample answers are shown here only where the practice set already shows them; for the others, record on the set page to see the sample answer and key points.

1. Question 1 · Archaeology and Ancient History, question 1

   Excavation Trench Artefact Distribution

   Artefacts Recovered by Soil Stratum (items). Ceramic Sherds: Stratum A 120, Stratum B 340, Stratum C 210, Stratum D 50. Faunal Remains: Stratum A 80, Stratum B 190, Stratum C 150, Stratum D 30.

   • Ceramic Sherds
   • Faunal Remains

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   	Stratum A	Stratum B	Stratum C	Stratum D
   Ceramic Sherds	120	340	210	50
   Faunal Remains	80	190	150	30

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   The bar chart illustrates the number of ceramic sherds and faunal remains recovered across four distinct soil strata during an archaeological excavation. Stratum B yielded the largest quantity of material, with 340 ceramic sherds and 190 faunal remains. In contrast, Stratum D contained the lowest numbers, recording just 50 sherds and 30 faunal remains. Ceramic sherds consistently outnumbered faunal remains in every layer. Overall, both categories follow the same pattern across the strata: their counts are highest in B, followed by C, A and D.

   • Stratum B yielded the highest counts for both artefact types
   • Ceramic sherds consistently exceeded faunal remains across all strata
   • For both categories, the counts descend in the order B, C, A, D
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2. Question 2 · Art of Violin Making, question 1

   Wood Density for Instrument Components

   Wood Density by Instrument Component (kg/m3). Density: Spruce Top Plate 420, Maple Back Plate 610, Maple Ribs 590, Ebony Fingerboard 1150.

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   	Spruce Top Plate	Maple Back Plate	Maple Ribs	Ebony Fingerboard
   Density	420	610	590	1,150

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   The bar chart illustrates the density of different timber varieties used for violin components, measured in kilograms per cubic metre. It is clear that the ebony fingerboard has the highest density at 1,150 kilograms per cubic metre, whereas the spruce top plate registers the lowest at 420. The maple back plate and maple ribs show moderate values of 610 and 590 respectively. Overall, the data demonstrates that structural fittings require far denser materials than vibrating sound plates.

   • Ebony fingerboard has the highest density at 1,150 kg/m3 while spruce top plate is lowest at 420 kg/m3
   • Maple components exhibit intermediate densities around 590 to 610 kg/m3
   • Structural and handling components require significantly denser wood than acoustic plates
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3. Question 3 · Artisanal Hand Weaving Practices, question 1

   Natural Fibre Production Output

   Annual Handloom Fibre Consumption (tonnes). Cooperative Workshops: Cotton 450, Wool 320, Silk 180, Linen 210, Hemp 90. Independent Weavers: Cotton 280, Wool 190, Silk 140, Linen 110, Hemp 60.

   • Cooperative Workshops
   • Independent Weavers

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   	Cotton	Wool	Silk	Linen	Hemp
   Cooperative Workshops	450	320	180	210	90
   Independent Weavers	280	190	140	110	60

   Show sample answer

   The bar chart illustrates annual handloom fibre consumption in tonnes across five natural materials for cooperative workshops and independent weavers. Overall, cotton is the most widely utilised fibre in both sectors, reaching 450 tonnes in cooperatives and 280 tonnes among independent artisans. In contrast, hemp records the lowest figures, with cooperatives using 90 tonnes and independent weavers consuming just 60 tonnes. Cooperatives consistently process higher volumes than independent workers across all categories. In conclusion, traditional plant and animal fibres remain central to artisanal textile production.

   • Cotton is the most consumed fibre across both sectors, peaking at 450 tonnes.
   • Cooperatives use substantially higher volumes of every fibre compared to independent weavers.
   • Hemp represents the least utilised material, indicating specialised or limited application.
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4. Question 4 · Bus Rapid Transit Systems, question 1

   Peak Hour Passenger Throughput

   Peak Passenger Capacity by Mode (Passengers per hour per direction). Capacity: Mixed Traffic Lane 1600, Curbside Bus Lane 3800, Dedicated BRT Lane 12500, Light Rail Track 19000.

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   	Mixed Traffic Lane	Curbside Bus Lane	Dedicated BRT Lane	Light Rail Track
   Capacity	1,600	3,800	12,500	19,000

   Show sample answer

   The bar chart illustrates peak passenger capacity across four urban transport modes in passengers per hour per direction. Dedicated BRT lanes achieve a substantial capacity of 12500 passengers, which is well above the 3800 recorded for curbside bus lanes and 1600 for standard mixed traffic lanes. Although light rail carries the highest volume at 19000 travellers, the dedicated BRT corridor delivers nearly eight times the throughput of regular road traffic. Overall, reserving dedicated lanes for buses dramatically increases passenger movement along congested corridors.

   • BRT corridors carry 12500 passengers compared to 1600 in mixed traffic
   • Light rail provides the highest overall capacity at 19000
   • Dedicated rights-of-way vastly outperform standard mixed traffic lanes
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5. Question 5 · Community Gardens in Practice, question 1

   Produce Yield by Crop Type

   Annual Harvest Weight by Crop Category (kg). Standard Plots: Leafy Greens 120, Root Vegetables 180, Legumes 95, Soft Fruit 60, Culinary Herbs 25. Raised Beds: Leafy Greens 160, Root Vegetables 140, Legumes 110, Soft Fruit 85, Culinary Herbs 40.

   • Standard Plots
   • Raised Beds

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   	Leafy Greens	Root Vegetables	Legumes	Soft Fruit	Culinary Herbs
   Standard Plots	120	180	95	60	25
   Raised Beds	160	140	110	85	40

   Show sample answer

   The bar chart compares annual harvest weights across five crop categories grown in standard plots and raised beds. Root vegetables produced the highest yield in standard plots at 180 kg, whereas leafy greens dominated raised beds at 160 kg. Raised beds outperformed standard plots in four out of five categories, including legumes at 110 kg and soft fruit at 85 kg. Culinary herbs yielded the lowest volume in both cultivation methods. Overall, raised beds generally offer higher overall productivity across most edible garden crops.

   • Root vegetables had the highest yield in standard plots, while leafy greens led in raised beds.
   • Raised beds produced larger harvests than standard plots for most crop categories.
   • Culinary herbs produced the lowest harvest weight regardless of bed design.
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6. Question 6 · Dining Etiquette and Table Manners, question 1

   Perceptions of Dining Misconduct

   Perceived Severity of Dining Etiquette Breaches (Severity score out of 100). Older diners: Phone usage 88, Chewing loudly 82, Reaching across 64, Elbows on table 52, Wrong cutlery 41. Younger diners: Phone usage 62, Chewing loudly 79, Reaching across 58, Elbows on table 28, Wrong cutlery 22.

   • Older diners
   • Younger diners

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   	Phone usage	Chewing loudly	Reaching across	Elbows on table	Wrong cutlery
   Older diners	88	82	64	52	41
   Younger diners	62	79	58	28	22

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   The bar chart compares perceived severity scores for five dining etiquette breaches between older and younger diners. Phone usage is viewed as the most severe offence by older diners at 88, whereas younger diners rate it lower at 62. Chewing loudly receives similarly high severity scores from both groups, at 82 and 79 respectively. Conversely, using the wrong cutlery is considered the least serious violation across both age brackets. Overall, older diners consistently assign higher severity ratings to traditional etiquette violations than younger diners.

   • Phone usage is the most severe violation for older diners at 88.
   • Chewing loudly is rated severely by both groups, whereas wrong cutlery scores lowest.
   • Older diners judge dining etiquette breaches more harshly than younger diners overall.
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7. Question 7 · Food Culture and Heritage, question 1

   Diaspora Cooking Frequency Survey

   Weekly Traditional Meal Preparation by Generation (% of respondents). First Generation: Daily 58, 3-5 days 26, 1-2 days 12, Rarely 4. Second Generation: Daily 18, 3-5 days 34, 1-2 days 32, Rarely 16.

   • First Generation
   • Second Generation

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   	Daily	3-5 days	1-2 days	Rarely
   First Generation	58	26	12	4
   Second Generation	18	34	32	16

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   The bar chart illustrates how frequently first and second generation migrants prepare traditional meals each week. The most striking feature is that 58% of first generation respondents cook traditional dishes daily, compared to only 18% of the second generation. Conversely, second generation migrants are far more likely to prepare heritage meals 3 to 5 days a week at 34%, or 1 to 2 days at 32%. Overall, while daily preparation declines sharply across generations, regular engagement with traditional cuisine remains widespread among descendants.

   • First generation cooks traditional meals daily at 58% versus 18% for the second generation
   • Second generation clusters around preparing heritage meals 1 to 5 days weekly
   • Heritage cooking frequency decreases over generations but persists on a weekly basis
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8. Question 8 · Global Colour Symbolism and Meaning, question 1

   Primary Meaning of Red across Regions

   Dominant Associations of Red across Four Regions (% of respondents). Prosperity and Joy: East Asia 62, Western Europe 14, Latin America 22, Middle East 18. Danger or Warning: East Asia 12, Western Europe 54, Latin America 38, Middle East 41.

   • Prosperity and Joy
   • Danger or Warning

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   	East Asia	Western Europe	Latin America	Middle East
   Prosperity and Joy	62	14	22	18
   Danger or Warning	12	54	38	41

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   The bar chart illustrates dominant associations with the colour red across four global regions, measuring responses for prosperity versus danger. East Asia stands out distinctly, with 62% associating red with prosperity and joy, compared to only 12% linking it to danger. Conversely, Western Europe exhibits the reverse trend, where 54% view red as a signal of danger and merely 14% associate it with prosperity. Overall, the data demonstrates that colour interpretations diverge sharply between Eastern and Western cultural traditions.

   • East Asia has the highest association of red with prosperity at 62%.
   • Western Europe shows the strongest link between red and danger at 54%.
   • Cultural background heavily dictates whether red is perceived positively or as a warning.
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9. Question 9 · Global Cotton Production and Processing, question 1

   Global Cotton Fibre Production

   Annual Cotton Fibre Production by Region (million metric tonnes). Production Volume: East Asia 6.5, South Asia 6.2, North America 3.8, South America 3.1, Central Asia 1.4, West Africa 1.

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   	East Asia	South Asia	North America	South America	Central Asia	West Africa
   Production Volume	6.5	6.2	3.8	3.1	1.4	1

   Show sample answer

   The bar chart illustrates the annual production of cotton fibre across six major global regions measured in million metric tonnes. East Asia leads all regions with an output of 6.5 million metric tonnes, closely followed by South Asia at 6.2 million metric tonnes. In contrast, Central Asia and West Africa record much lower volumes of 1.4 and 1.0 million metric tonnes respectively. Overall, the data clearly indicates that Asian territories dominate worldwide cotton agricultural output, producing significantly more fibre than other continents.

   • East Asia is the largest producer at 6.5 million metric tonnes, closely followed by South Asia.
   • West Africa yields the lowest output among the regions shown at only 1.0 million metric tonnes.
   • Global cotton cultivation is heavily concentrated in the Asian continent.
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10. Question 10 · Global Greeting Customs and Practices, question 1

    Preferred Greeting Styles by Age

    Preferred Daily Greeting Style by Age Group (%). Under 35: Handshake 25, Nod or Bow 20, Verbal Only 45, Cheek Kiss 10. Over 55: Handshake 55, Nod or Bow 15, Verbal Only 15, Cheek Kiss 15.

    • Under 35
    • Over 55

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    	Handshake	Nod or Bow	Verbal Only	Cheek Kiss
    Under 35	25	20	45	10
    Over 55	55	15	15	15

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    The bar chart illustrates preferred daily greeting styles across two distinct age groups. Handshakes represent the most favoured greeting among individuals over 55 at 55%, compared to only 25% for those under 35. Conversely, verbal-only greetings dominate the younger demographic at 45%, whereas just 15% of older adults select this approach. Cheek kisses remain the least common for younger people at 10%. Overall, older generations favour formal physical contact, while younger individuals clearly prefer informal non-contact salutations.

    • Handshakes are the dominant greeting for adults over 55 at 55%
    • Verbal-only salutations are most popular among adults under 35 at 45%
    • Older generations favour physical greetings while younger cohorts prefer non-contact options
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