Handout: Writing Task 1

(Dynamic charts – Line graph)

Useful Vocabulary
1. Introduction

shows ~ depicts / illustrates / delineates (liệt kê)/ Thể hiện / minh họa
describes / demonstrates (how ...)
So sánh / thể hiện sự
Reporting verbs compares/ shows contrast
tưởng phản
gives data on / gives information on/ presents
information about/ shows data about/
the rate / the proportion / the portion / the percentage / Tỷ lệ / phần / phần trăm
the share / the ratio …. of Số lượng / lượng
Objects the number of = the quantity of = the amount of ….
(Noun phrase + Clause) how S2 + V2 …
e.g. how much CO2 was emitted by …
Object (noun phrase) = S + V (Relative clause/ ….)
In the UK, Italy, Germany and France
= in four different countries/ (nations)
= in four European countrie
Place
The number of + N + in UK=the number of British +
N
In the UK= in Britain
A continual/ a constant period: e.g. over a period of 20
between...and... / from 1990 to 2010 years, starting in 1990
= over a period/span of …..years, beginning in 1990
= over a …-year period, commencing from ..... e.g. over a 20-year period,
commencing from 1980
In separate years:
In 2003 and 2013
= in the two years 2003 and 2013 = in two separate
Time
years 2003 and 2013
= in the years 2003 and 2013.

In a single year:
= in the year 2003 = in the separate year 2003

Other expressions: e.g. over a period of 2

Over a period of … decades / … century(ies) decades, starting from 1980

2. Overview

Beginning adverbs:

In general...= In common... = Generally speaking... (Nhìn chung)

1
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)
It is obvious that... = As it is observed... = As a general trend... = As can be seen... = As an overall trend/ As overall
trend... = As it is presented... = It can be clearly seen that... = At the first glance... = It is clear that … = A glance at the
graph(s) reveals that...

Collocations to describe trends:

We can use the verbs “experience, see and witness” with the word “trend”.

e.g. a rising trend, a falling trend, an upward trend, a downward trend, a clear trend, a global trend, the opposite trend

3. Verbs to show changes over time:

4. Adjectives & Adverbs to modify changes:

modify the size modify the time

Adj Adv Adj Adv
dramatic dramatically sudden suddenly
sharp sharply drastic drastically
marked markedly quick quickly
remarkable remarkably swift swiftly
considerable considerably rapid rapidly
substantial substantially steady steadily
noticeable noticeably gradual gradually
moderate moderately progressive progressively
relative relatively slow slowly
modest modestly
slight slightly

5. Words/ Phrases of Approximation:

Approximately, nearly, roughly, almost, about, around, more or less, just over, just under/ below, just around

2
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)
A little more than / A little less than.

6. Linking devices / Cohesive devices:

a. The 'normal' linking words that everyone learns
and, but, because, while, whereas, by contrast, however, furthermore etc.
b. Using pronouns and determiners to refer to a previous idea
- three main modifications were made... These involved
- there were three bus stops... These were
- the addition of a bus station... This bus station
- the car park, which was situated... this original car park
c. Using synonyms or paraphrasing to connect ideas
- some changes were made... three main modifications... the changes
- the hospital's transport infrastructure... the hospital's vehicle access
- at the intersection... at the junction
- parking facilities... parking areas... car park... area for parking
- public... visitors... members of the public

3
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)
MODEL ANSWERS

The line graph compares three companies in terms of their waste output between the years 2000 and 2015.

It is clear that there were significant changes in the amounts of waste produced by all three companies shown
on the graph. While companies A and B saw waste output fall over the 15-year period, the amount of waste
produced by company C increased considerably.

In 2000, company A produced 12 tonnes of waste, while companies B and C produced around 8 tonnes and 4
tonnes of waste material respectively. Over the following 5 years, the waste output of companies B and C rose
by around 2 tonnes, but the figure for company A fell by approximately 1 tonne.

From 2005 to 2015, company A cut waste production by roughly 3 tonnes, and company B reduced its waste
by around 7 tonnes. By contrast, company C saw an increase in waste production of approximately 4 tonnes
over the same 10-year period. By 2015, company C’s waste output had risen to 10 tonnes, while the
respective amounts of waste from companies A and B had dropped to 8 tonnes and only 3 tonnes.

4
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)

The graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040 in
three different countries.

The line graph compares the percentage of people aged 65 or more in three countries over a period of 100 years.

It is clear that the proportion of elderly people increases in each country between 1940 and 2040. Japan is
expected to see the most dramatic changes in its elderly population.

In 1940, around 9% of Americans were aged 65 or over, compared to about 7% of Swedish people and 5% of
Japanese people. The proportions of elderly people in the USA and Sweden rose gradually over the next 50
years, reaching just under 15% in 1990. By contrast, the figures for Japan remained below 5% until the early
2000s.

Looking into the future, a sudden increase in the percentage of elderly people is predicted for Japan, with a jump
of over 15% in just 10 years from 2030 to 2040. By 2040, it is thought that around 27% of the Japanese
population will be 65 years old or more, while the figures for Swedenand the USA will be slightly lower, at
about 25% and 23% respectively.

5
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)
The line graph shows thefts per thousand vehicles in four countries between 1990 and 1999.

The line graph compares the number of cars stolen for every 1000 vehicles in four countries from 1990 to 1999.
Overall, it can be seen that car thefts were far higher in Great Britain than in the other three counties throughout
the whole time frame.

To begin, car thefts in Sweden, France and Canada followed a fairly similar pattern over the first five years, all
remaining at between 5 and 10 per thousand. The general trend though for France and Canada was a decline in
the number of vehicles stolen over the period, with both at around 6 in 1999. In contrast, Sweden experienced
an upward trend, starting the period at approximately 8, and finishing at just under 15.

Interestingly, car thefts in Great Britain started at 18 per thousand, which far exceeded that of the other countries.
It then fluctuated over the next nine years, reaching a peak of 20 thefts per 1000 in 1996, and ending the period
slightly lower than where it began, at approximately 17 per thousand.

6
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)
Practice 1: Can you paraphrase (rewrite in a different way) the noun phrases below?
1. consumer spending on five different products
2. the consumption of rice and pasta in three European countries
3. changes in the cost of renting a home between 2009 and 2019
4. the market share percentage of four UK electricity suppliers

Practice 2: (Actual Test: January 7th 2023)

7
 Handout: Writing Task 1
(Dynamic charts – Line graph)

Practice 3: (Actual Test: June 21st 2023) The graph below shows consumers’ average annual expenditure
on cell phone, national and international fixed-line and services in America between 2001 and 2010.

Practice 4: (Actual test: 14/01/2023) The graph below shows the percentage of workers from five
different European countries that were absent for a day or more due to illness from 1991 to 2001.