In this post we’ll do two things. First, you will read a text and complete (draw) a bar chart based on the text. Next we’ll think about the use of ‘stood at’ in this kind of text, which is very similar to the writing you do in IELTS Task 1.

Reading (and drawing!)

1. Copy this chart to a piece of paper:

2. Read this article. As you read, complete the bar chart on your paper.
3. Check your completed chart against mine.

Stood at

Now let’s notice how the writer uses ‘stood at’:

1. The time frame in the ‘stood at’ phrase is past and finished.
2. The number being described in the ‘stood at’ phrase (in this case the price of Freddos) remained the same for a significant period of time (in this case 3 years).
3. The number is represented as a number (and not, for example, as a percentage).
4. The number is subject to some kind of change throughout the period.
5. The following structure is applied: subject + stood at + number + past time expression

Note that the time expression can also appear at the beginning:

past time expression + subject + stood at + number

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Completed chart:

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