What is really being assessed
What counts is the relevance of what you choose to comment on and the clarity with which you present it. You do not need to talk about every figure: what matters is selecting well and communicating, in an orderly way, what trend the graph shows, what stands out and why it might be happening. Interpretation rules over enumeration.
Selecting without wasting time
Before you write, look at the whole picture. If the graph is generous with data, filter: choose four or five figures that sketch the general trend, plus one that surprises you for being high, low or for moving in step with another. That selection already shows judgment, and that judgment earns points. If the graph comes with only a few data points—something increasingly common—focus on the comparison and on the change over time, even if the change is minimal: “apenas varía” (“it barely changes”) is also information.
Connecting data with reality
Your text gets better when the numbers land on believable consequences and plausible causes. You do not need absolute certainty; plausible hypotheses phrased in the conditional are enough. If a majority maintains their productivity and a not-so-small share improves, you could argue that, if the measure were kept in place, the company would tend to optimize costs or reduce sick leave. If a value plummets, you can suggest that it would be due to a regulatory change, to seasonality or to a shift in consumer preference. The key is that your explanation fits the figure and its context.
How to organize the paragraph
Start by stating the main idea of the graph in one clear sentence. Then bring in two or three representative figures to prove it. Next, interpret: add a possible consequence and a plausible cause. Close with a mini-conclusion that brings the reader back to the overall idea. That cycle—idea, data, interpretation, closing—is enough for a compact, high-scoring text.
Expressions that make your life easier
For consequences: esto conllevaría…, se traduciría en…, daría lugar a…, traería consigo…, tendría como efecto…, desembocaría en….
For causes: esto podría explicarse por…, podría responder a…, podría atribuirse a…, se debería a…, podría ser consecuencia de…, la razón subyacente sería….
A worked example
Overall idea: con la semana laboral de cuatro días, la productividad no cae y, en ciertos casos, mejora.
Representative figures: una mayoría se mantiene; un porcentaje relevante mejora.
Plausible consequence: de sostenerse en el tiempo, se traduciría en una reducción de costes operativos y mejor retención de talento.
Plausible cause: podría explicarse por un mejor descanso que disminuye la fatiga y mejora la concentración, de ahí que se haga lo mismo —o más— en menos horas.
Training at home
Always write from a prior selection of figures, and save a minute to think about causes and consequences. Practice the conditional for your hypotheses. Do timed mock tasks and, when you review them, ask yourself: does my text tell the trend? Have I justified why I talk about these figures and not others? Do I come across as someone who interprets, not someone who lists numbers?
Mistakes that cost you points (and how to avoid them)
Staying at a linear reading of the graph. Solution: open with a trend, not with a figure.
Trying to mention everything. Solution: limit yourself to four or five figures and say why you chose them.
Giving opinions without anchoring them in numbers. Solution: every interpretation is tied to at least one figure.
Categorical hypotheses. Solution: use the conditional and possibility markers.
If you want to practice with model texts and see writings commented on step by step, my courses include specific units to work on this task just like in the exam: with a time limit, a marking rubric and reasoned answers. You notice the difference when your eye stops “copying numbers” and starts building meaning: that is where the graph turns into points.
Resources
DELE preparation courses and community: https://aporeldele.com/cursos
Books with practice exam models: https://aporeldele.com/libros
