Describe Image(DI)
THE biggest Speaking task — 31% of your Speaking score, and human raters now check content.
The Format
- Image
- Bar/line/pie chart, table, map, process or photo
- Prep
- 25 seconds — title, axes, high, low, one trend
- Speak
- 40s window — aim to finish cleanly at ~30–35s
The Scoring
Intro · Features · Conclusion
Title, axis labels, the highest value, the lowest, and one trend or contrast — from different parts of the image.
"The given chart presents information about [topic]… It is evident that [highest]. Moreover, [contrast]. Overall, [summary]." Adapt wording per image — human raters penalize recited scripts.
A clean conclusion at 30–35 seconds beats being chopped mid-sentence at 40.
The 7 Data-Graph Takeaways
The Three Image Types
Every Describe Image question falls into one of three categories. The sentence structures below are built for data graphs — the most common type.
Bar, line and pie charts, tables — anything with numbers. The most common type, and where the templates below apply.
Processes and cycles — describe the steps in order.
Photos and maps — say what it shows, where things are, and the most noticeable features.
Answer Framework: Start → Body → Closing
One shape for every data graph. Three parts, about seven sentences, done by ~35 seconds.
During speech
- 1.Start line: clearly state the topic at the beginning.1 sentence
- 2.Main body: explain the picture information in the middle.4–5 sentences
- 3.Closing: summarize and explain the overall situation at the end.1 sentence
Start Line — Define the Topic
Clearly define the topic in a single sentence:
- The graph shows us the … (topic / theme)
- This image provides information about … (topic / theme)
- The graph outlines the … (topic / theme)
Example: “The graph shows us the general government revenues as a percentage of GDP.”
Main Body — Describe the Data
Mix three moves: describe single data points, compare two values, and give the maximum/minimum.
Read one value off the graph:
- It seems that the figure of … (in …) is …
- Based on the graph, it can be found that the value of … (in …) is about …
- It can be seen from the graph that the value of … (in …) is nearly …
- According to the graph, the value of … (in …) appears to be …
Example: “It seems that the figure of Greece in 2000 is 42.”
Put two values side by side:
- From the graph, it can be seen that the number of … (in …) is around …, which is greater/smaller.
- The graph reveals that the number of … (in …) is around …, which is higher/lower.
- Looking at the graph, I notice the number of … (in …) is about …, which is greater/smaller.
Example: “From the graph, it can be seen that the number of EU average in 2000 is around 45, which is greater.”
Name the highest and lowest points:
- The highest value of … is observed in …, which is …
- The largest amount of … is displayed in …, which is …
- The smallest value of … is found in …, with a total of …
- The least amount of … can be seen in …, with a sum of …
Example: “The highest value of EU average is observed in 1999, which is 46. The smallest value is found in 2002, with a total of 44.”
Closing — Wrap the Answer
Summarize the trend, compare the sizes — or at least clarify the topic again.
Best closing when there is a clear direction:
- The data on this picture fluctuate from …
- Overall, the graph shows an increase/decrease in …
- To sum up, the data shows a steady rise/fall in …
- In summary, we can see from the graph that … is going up/down.
Example: “The data on this picture fluctuate from 38–46.”
When two series differ clearly:
- Overall, … has a greater value.
- The data clearly shows that … accounts for a larger part.
- In summary, … has a higher figure.
The safe fallback — restate the topic:
- In summary, this graph shows details about …
- In conclusion, this graph provides information about …
- Overall, this graph outlines …
Example: “In summary, this graph shows details about the general government revenues as a percentage of GDP.”
These score nothing and waste seconds:
- “It’s a beautiful picture.”
- “The picture is informative.”
Complete Example — Government Revenues Graph
A line graph compares Greece vs the EU average, 1999–2010. The full answer, one template move per sentence:
Seven sentences, ~35 seconds
- 1.The graph shows us the general government revenues as a percentage of GDP.start line
- 2.It seems that the figure of Greece in 2000 is 42.describe data
- 3.From the graph, it can be seen that the number of EU average in 2000 is around 45, which is greater.compare
- 4.The highest value of EU average is observed in 1999, which is 46.maximum
- 5.The smallest value of Greece is found in 2009, with a total of 38.minimum
- 6.The data on this picture fluctuate from 38–46.closing — trend
Saying Years and Numbers
Numbers you cannot say smoothly become fluency killers — drill these patterns.
Years are read in pairs, not digit by digit:
- 2000 → “two thousand”
- Years ending in 00: 1800 → “eighteen hundred”
- Four-digit years: 1840 → “eighteen forty”
- Three-digit years: 423 → “four twenty-three”
The four shapes that appear on data graphs:
- Integers: 123 → “one hundred (and) twenty-three”
- Decimals: 3.14 → “three point one four”
- Fractions: 1/3 → “one-third” · 2/5 → “two-fifths”
- Percentages: 50% → “fifty percent”
The 4 Traps That Cost You the Task
Human experts check content since late 2024 — 'we can see many things' with zero image data scores near zero.
Data + direction ('rose sharply') is what scores.
Describe, don't editorialize.
Keep talking — connectors buy thinking time.
Daily Drills
- →3 images daily: 25s prep out loud, 40s description, self-review the recording.
- →Build one flexible frame per image type: chart, map, process, photo.