--- title: "Interpreting visual information in texts" description: "Interpret information in charts, diagrams, maps, tables and timelines, and explain how it supports or adds to an informational text" canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/interpreting-visual-information-in-texts-mt_KbCCmLmxYN source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/interpreting-visual-information-in-texts-mt_KbCCmLmxYN.md retrieved: 2026-10-19 --- > **Agent view.** This is the Markdown twin of the page, for tools and assistants. > When to use this site, and the call that answers each job: https://lightmysky.com/agent-instructions.md > API description (OpenAPI 3.1): https://lightmysky.com/openapi.json · Authentication: https://lightmysky.com/auth.md > Pricing: https://lightmysky.com/pricing.md · Catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms.txt · Full catalog: https://lightmysky.com/llms-full.txt > Every machine-readable file on this domain: https://lightmysky.com/.well-known/ai-catalog.json > Ask for Markdown with `Accept: text/markdown`, a `.md` address, or `?mode=agent`. # Interpreting visual information in texts Interpret information in charts, diagrams, maps, tables and timelines, and explain how it supports or adds to an informational text Subject: English · Area: Reading Comprehension · Ages 9 to 10 Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/interpreting-visual-information-in-texts-mt_KbCCmLmxYN ## Ready when they can - Read and interpret data from a chart, graph, or table included in an informational text and explain how it supports or extends the written information - Explain how a diagram, map, or timeline in an informational text helps the reader understand the topic in ways that words alone might not - Synthesise information from both the written text and a visual element (graph, illustration, infographic) to draw a conclusion that neither source provides independently ## Lesson: Reading the Whole Page: Text and Visuals Together You have used pictures to help you understand words. Informational texts also use charts, diagrams, maps and timelines. A visual may add details or show the same information in a way that makes comparisons easier. *(drawing: Rainfall in inches: March 2, April 4, May 7. The sentence 'rainfall increased' gives a pattern. The chart adds the monthly amounts.)* On a bar chart, each bar represents a category's amount. Taller bars show larger amounts on the same scale. Read the title, labels, caption and units before the values. Find the category you need, then read its printed value or use its scale. Units change what a number means: on a chart labelled 'in hundreds', a value of 2 means 200. Check whether the chart counts people, objects or measurements. **Example.** A practice article says a seedling needs at least 5 hours of light each day. 'At least 5' means 5 or more. Its chart shows North bed gets 3 hours and South bed gets 6. The text supplies the rule; the chart supplies the amounts. Together they show that South bed meets the rule. A bar chart compares amounts. A timeline orders events by date. Diagram labels name parts; arrows can show movement or steps. Maps show positions. Tables arrange facts in rows and columns. Choose a visual by the information you need. Counts can show which group is largest without explaining why. A change after an event does not prove that the event caused it. If words and a chart disagree, identify the mismatch and check the labels, dates and source. Either account could contain an error. Check which way a timeline's dates increase. Some run left to right; others run down the page. Spacing shows elapsed time only on an evenly scaled timeline. Subtract the earlier year from the later year to find a gap: 1970 minus 1940 is 30 years. A key explains symbols. If one symbol means 4 objects, two symbols mean 4 plus 4, or 8. Check scale intervals too. The scale below is marked 0, 4, 8 and 12. Each interval is 4. Halfway between 4 and 8 is 6: start at 4 and add half an interval, which is 2. Use printed distances or a map's scale to compare real route lengths. Labels of 4 km and 7 km give a difference of 3 km. A shorter drawn line need not mean a shorter real route. For a table lookup, find the named row and column, then read their meeting point. To compare amounts, subtract the smaller from the larger. To compare changes over equal periods, find each increase. These daily counts rise from 2 to 6, then from 6 to 7. The increases are 4 and 1. The increase from Monday to Tuesday is larger. **Recap.** Read the visual's labels and units, compare it with the words, and explain what each source supports. ## Practice 24 questions on this page, each with its working shown. ## Needs first - [Reading and comparing bar and line graphs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/mathematics/reading-and-comparing-bar-and-line-graphs-mt_H6LlpWgEYS) - [Pictures and Text Working Together](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/pictures-and-text-working-together-mt_OlhMP7ShFT) ## Opens up - [Multimedia elements in texts](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/multimedia-elements-in-texts-mt_xsk3iuNVVI)