---
title: "Bar graph of work schedule"
subject: "Communication English"
chapter: 4
key: "semester_5/communication_english:bar-graph-work-schedule"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/bar-graph-work-schedule
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Bar graph of work schedule

Communication English · Chapter 4: Introduction to technical writing process

- Asked in: 2082 Kartik (new course), 5 marks; 2081 Chaitra (new course), 5 marks (asked 2 times)
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_5/communication_english/bar-graph-work-schedule
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_5/communication_english/chapter-4

## Question

Create a bar graph to show the work schedule of any proposed work.

## Short answer

List all activities with their start week and duration, noting dependencies. Draw a horizontal time scale in weeks and plot each activity as a bar from start to end. Label axes and add a title. This Gantt chart visualizes the work schedule at a glance.

## Answer

A bar graph for a work schedule (also called a Gantt chart) shows each activity as a bar on a time scale. The following is a schedule for an illustrative project: **construction of a computer laboratory in a school (12 weeks)**.

#### Schedule data
| Activity | Start week | Duration (weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| A. Site survey and design | 1 | 2 |
| B. Approval and purchase | 2 | 3 |
| C. Civil and electrical work | 4 | 4 |
| D. Furniture and networking | 7 | 3 |
| E. Installation of computers | 9 | 2 |
| F. Testing and training | 11 | 2 |

#### Bar graph
```text
Week  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12
A    [##|##]
B       [##|##|##]
C             [##|##|##|##]
D                      [##|##|##]
E                            [##|##]
F                                  [##|##]
     -----------------------------------
      Weeks from start of project -->
```
Each `##` is one week. The vertical axis lists the activities and the horizontal axis shows time.

#### How to prepare
1. List all activities and estimate the duration of each.
2. Decide which activities depend on others (for example, C cannot begin until A is complete).
3. Draw the time scale on the horizontal axis and the activities on the vertical axis.
4. Draw a bar from the start to the end of each activity.
5. Add a title, labels for both axes and, if needed, a legend and the date.

The graph shows at a glance when each task starts and ends and where tasks overlap.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What does a work schedule bar graph (Gantt chart) show?
   A. Each activity as a bar along a time scale
   B. Only total cost
   C. Only the names of workers
   D. Pie slices of cost
   Answer: A. Each bar runs from the start to the end of an activity. (Key point: What a bar graph shows)

2. What goes on the vertical and horizontal axes?
   A. Activities on the vertical axis, time on the horizontal axis
   B. Time on the vertical, cost horizontal
   C. Workers on both
   D. Nothing
   Answer: A. Activities are listed down the side and weeks run across the bottom. (Key point: Axes)

3. What must be decided before drawing the bars?
   A. Which activities depend on others, e.g. E cannot begin before D
   B. The colour of the paper
   C. The sponsor's name
   D. The font
   Answer: A. Dependencies determine start times of tasks. (Key point: Dependencies)

4. What does the graph show at a glance?
   A. When tasks start, end and overlap
   B. The final profit
   C. The names of suppliers
   D. The weather
   Answer: A. Bars reveal timing and overlaps. (Key point: Reading the graph)

## Related in Communication English

- [Chart vs table; bar vs pie graph](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_5%2Fcommunication_english%3Adifferences-chart-table-bar-pie) — Communication English, chapter 4

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