Using Visuals in

Business Reports
1. What is the title of this graph?
2. What are the units of the x-axis? What are the units of the y-axis?
3. Describe the change from 2008 to 2009.
4. Describe the change from 2009 to 2010.
5. Describe the overall trend for the entire period.
1. What is the title of this table?
2. What is the title of column 1? What is the title of column 2?
3. What is the name of the item in line (row) 1?
4. Compare line item 2 with line item 3.
5. Which two line items have the greatest impact on savings?
Introducing visuals
● According to Figure 1, …
● Figure 2 below...
● Table 1 above…
Verbs to refer to visuals
Figure 1 shows the average cost of starting a small
business in ten Latin American countries.
to show
Figures 2 and 3 display the average cost of starting a
small business in North America and Europe,
to display respectively.

Figure 4 lists the fifteen most common types of small

to list businesses opened in Latin America in 2014.

Figure 5 represents the number of new small

businesses expected in Latin America in 2015.
to represent
 Other ways to refer to visuals
The cost of opening a coffee shop is significantly lower
as + past than opening a restaurant, as shown in Figure 1.
participle + On average, starting a new business in North America or
Europe is 15% more expensive than in Latin America, as
in/by displayed in Figures 2 and 3.

Graphic design companies were the 7th most common

new small business in Latin America in 2014, as
__________ in Figure 4.

There are 28,000 new small businesses forecasted for

2015, as ___________ by Figure 5.
Comparisons
Comparative adj. + than
1. Restaurants are more expensive than coffee shops.
2. The cost is higher in North America than in Latin America.
3. Graphic design companies are _____ popular _____ electronic repair
shops.
4. Figure 4 indicates that there will be a _______ (great) number of graphic
design companies in 2015 ______ 2014.
 Comparisons
One syllable Two Syllable, End Others
Key patterns in -y
● add -er for one-syllable
adjectives big busy expensive
bigger busier more expensive
● add -er for two-syllable biggest busiest the most expensive
adjectives ending in -y
new heavy serious
● use more before all newer heavier more serious
newest heaviest the most serious
others
high lazy modern
higher lazier more modern
highest laziest the most modern
 Superlatives
One syllable Two Syllable, End Others
Key patterns in -y
● add -est for one-syllable
adjectives big busy expensive
bigger busier more expensive
● add -est for two-syllable biggest busiest the most expensive
adjectives ending in -y
new heavy serious
● use most before all newer heavier more serious
newest heaviest the most serious
others
high lazy modern
higher lazier more modern
highest laziest the most modern
Comparisons
Other comparison phrases
1. There were 30% more graphic design companies in 2014 compared to
2013.
2. In comparison, 2015 is expected to have more small business openings
than was seen in 2014.
3. By comparing the costs of small businesses across multiple regions, we
find that Latin America may have greater entrepreneurial potential than
Europe.
4. By comparing Latin America to North America, you can see that the
average cost of starting a small business is lower.
Use information from visuals to
write an analysis
Figures 2 and 3 show that starting a small business
North America or Europe is 15% more expensive than in
Latin America. Also, Figure 5 represents a high number of
new small businesses expected to open in Latin America in
2015. This suggests that Latin America would be a
strategic region for entrepreneurs looking for new locations.