UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO REPORT WRITING

AIM: This unit is aimed at providing students with an overview of report writing. This unit
highlights
- two types of charts (charts with trends and comparative charts)
- the question and sample report for each type of charts,
- the general structure of a report, and
- the assessment criteria.

OVERVIEW

A report is the type of writing which describes the information shown in some kinds of charts. It is
usually a minimum of 150 words and it is recommended that you spend about 20 minutes on this.
The prompt for a report is always a type of charts. You have to write about the information shown,
describing the main features and making comparisons whenever relevant. You have to refer closely
to the charts and, where relevant, illustrate your main points with figures. You are not required to
give any explanation for the data, but have to describe only the information given in the task.

There are four different types of charts classified on the basis of format.

- Line graphs

- Bar charts

- Pie charts

- Tables

There is another way to classify the charts, which is based on the language used to describe them
as follows.

- Graphs/charts with trends

- Comparative charts (charts with no trends)

This course book is designed to approach report writing in the second way.

1
TYPES OF GRAPHS
The four different types of charts are illustrated as follows.
1. Line graphs
Line graphs use one line (single line graphs) or more than one line (multiple line graphs) to
compare items over time, to show frequency or distribution, and to show correlations. There are
horizontal and vertical axes. When time is a variable, it is put on the horizontal axis.

 Multiple line graph with trends

  Single line graph with no trends

35

Internet use (hours)

30

25

20

15

10

0
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Annual household income ($000)

Annual household income and Internet use

2. Bar charts
Bar charts use thick lines or bars or columns to compare sets of figures. Bars can be horizontal,
vertical or extended. Horizontal bars are used when labels are long; when the labels are short,
either horizontal or vertical bars will work. Bar charts are easy to interpret because they ask people
to compare distance along a common scale, which most people judge accurately. Bar charts are
useful in a variety of situations: to compare one item to another, to compare items over time, and
to show correlations.

 Vertical bar chart with trends

 Horizontal bar charts with no trends

Factors affecting work performance at a major company in Australia

Team spirit
Chance for personal development
Relaxed working environment
Competent boss
Job security
Respect from colleagues
Promotion prospects
Job satisfaction
Work
environment
Money

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

45- 60 18-30

3. Pie charts

Pie charts show proportions, normally presented as percentages. The data in any pie chart can be
put in a bar chart. Therefore, a pie chart is used only when to compare one segment to the whole.
When one segment is compared to another segment, a bar chart, line graph, or a map is used– even
though the data may be expressed in percentages.
 Pie charts with trends

Main sources of energy in USA in 1980s and 1990s

1980
Nuclear power, 5%

Coal, 22% Oil, 42%

Natural gas, 26%

5
 Pie charts with no trends

Electricity generated in Germany and France

from all sources and renewables in 2009.
4. Tables
A table is a display of information usually given in numbers. It is arranged in some orderly
fashion, usually in columns and rows. Tables provide us with an effective way of looking at
groups of related numbers. They present us with many specific pieces of information in a form
that makes it easy for us to compare those bits of data with each other.
 Tables with trends

Worldwide mobile phone sales in 2005 and 2006 (% share of market)

Company 2005 % Market Share 2006 % Market Share
Nokia 32.5 35
Motorola 17.7 21.1
Samsung 12.7 11.8
Sony Ericson 6.3 7.4
L.G 6.7 6.3
BenQ Mobile 4.9 2.4
Others 19.2 16.2
Totals 100 100

 Tables with no trends

FAVORITE PASTIMES FROM 30 - 50 YEARS OLD

TV Sport Reading Hobbies Music Beach Sleep
Canada 60 22 15 40 3 0 2

France / / 30 20 4 / /
England / / 30 21 4 / 20
Australia 65 30 15 45 5 30 4
Korea 22 21 60 45 2 2 4
China 15 25 60 50 0 5 5
USA 60 23 15 42 23 30 2
Japan / / 62 / / / /
QUESTION AND SAMPLE
1. Charts with trends
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table below shows the number of tourists from five countries to Australia in different
years from 1991 to 1999.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Number of visitors to Australia (in thousands)

Country of Residence 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999

United States 259 267 288 310 393
Canada 51 48 55 61 75
United Kingdom 258 302 335 388 509
Germany 75 102 120 125 140
Other Europe 172 200 259 319 389

The table illustrates the number in thousands of visitors to Australia from the United States,
Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and other European countries over the 1990s.

Overall, the number of visitors from all these countries increased significantly over the decade. It
is also noticeable that the biggest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom.

The biggest increase was in the number of visitors from other countries in Europe, which more
than doubled over the period, from 172,000 to 389,000. The largest number of visitors came from
the United Kingdom, which rose from 258,000 to 509,000. The number of visitors from the United
States also increased over the decade. There were considerably fewer visitors from Canada
although the figure rose over the same period from 51,000 to 75,000, with most of the increase
occurring in the second half of the decade.

There were almost as many visitors from the United Kingdom as from all of the other European
countries, including Germany. However, by 1999 there were nearly as many tourists from the
other European countries as from the United States.
(Adapted from IELTS foundation by Rachael Roberts, Joanne Gakonga and Andrew Preshous)
2. Charts with no trends
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The pie charts show the main reasons for migration to and from the UK in 2007.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

Main reasons for migration to/from the UK - 2007

Immigration

No reason , 6% Definite job,

Others, 11% 30%

Looking for
job, 12%

Accompany ,
15%
Formal study ,
26%

Emigration

No reason , 18% Definite job,

29%
Others, 14%

Formal study ,
Looking for 4%
job, 22% Accompany ,
13%
 The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons why people came to and left the UK in 2007.

Overall, the main factor influencing this decision was employment. It is also noticeable that
many more people immigrated for formal study than those who emigrated for the same
purpose.

Having a definite job accounted for 30% of immigration to the UK, and this figure was very
similar for emigration, at 29%. A large number of people, 22%, also emigrated because they
were looking for a job, though the proportion of people entering the UK for this purpose was
noticeably lower at less than a fifth.

Another major factor influencing a move to the UK was for formal study, with over a quarter of
people immigrating for this reason. However, interestingly, only a small minority, 4%,
emigrated for this.

The proportion of those moving to join a family member was quite similar for immigration and
emigration, at 15% and 13% respectively. Although a significant number of people (32%)
gave ‘other’ reasons or did not give a reason why they emigrated, this accounted for only 17%
with regards to immigration.

REPORT STRUCTURE

An interpretation of a table/line graph/bar chart ... usually contains 3 structural parts which can be
arranged in two different ways. The following illustrates the first way of arrangement as shown in
the above sample report.

- An opening statement

- An overview paragraph

- Body paragraphs
1. Opening statement
The opening statement explains what you are describing. It should include the following
information:

kind of the graph + verb + what + where + when

- The table illustrates the number of visitors to Australia from a number of other
countries worldwide over the 1990s.
- The pie charts illustrate the primary reasons why people came to and left the UK in 2007.
2. Overview paragraph

FIRST, an overview includes a short summary of the main/ most important feature(s) seen in a
graph or chart, illustrating overall/ general changes/trends from the beginning to the end and/or
illustrating comparisons, i.e. differences between/among items.

- It can be clearly seen that the number of visitors to Australia from all these
countries increased significantly over the decade.
- Overall, the main factor influencing this decision was employment.

SECOND, an overview could include the following sentences where relevant: an additional
comment on a special feature, an overall summary of the main ideas or future implications
- It is also noticeable that the biggest number of visitors came from the United Kingdom.
- It is also noticeable that many more people immigrated for formal study than those who
emigrated for the same purpose.

3. Body paragraphs

The number of paragraphs in the body varies based on the data shown in the graph/chart. The way
the information is grouped in body paragraphs will be presented in detail in the following units.
Note: Another way of arranging the information is as follows.
- Opening = an opening statement + overall trends/features

- Body paragraphs
- Closing statement: special feature(s)
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Report writing scripts are marked on four basic criteria and each one has equal weight.

WHAT IS THE EXAMINER LOOKING FOR?

Task achievement  Have you written at least 150 words?
 Have you understood and reworded the topic of the chart(s)?
 Have you made an overview of the data?
 Have you grouped the data in a way that helps the reader to
understand the information?
 Have you included some data to support your description?
 Have you compared and contrasted the data in the chart(s)?

Grammatical Range  Have you used a variety of sentence structures?

and accuracy  Have you used noun phrases to express your ideas?
 Have you used appropriate verb tenses?
 Have you controlled your subject-verb agreement?
 Have you used correct prepositions?
 Have you used correct punctuation?
 Overall, is your grammar accurate?
Lexical resources  Have you used a variety of appropriate and academic words?
 Have you used correct word forms?
Have you spelled the words
correctly?
Coherence and  Have you organized your answer in some logical way to
cohesion describe the data from the chart(s)?
 Have you included an overview sentence to tell the reader
the main idea of the chart(s)?
 Have you used a variety of appropriate linking expressions?
Have you used referencing pronouns and synonyms to avoid
repetition?

(Adapted from Lessons for IELTS advanced writing by NEWoriental)

PRACTICE
Can the numbers in the following charts be displayed in another kind of charts? If yes,
display the data in as many kinds of charts as you can.

Task 1

Worldwide mobile phone sales in 2005 and 2006 (% share of market)

Company 2005 % Market Share 2006 % Market Share
Nokia 32.5 35
Motorola 17.7 21.1
Samsung 12.7 11.8
Sony Ericson 6.3 7.4
L.G 6.7 6.3
BenQ Mobile 4.9 2.4
Others 19.2 16.2
Totals 100 100

Task 2
FAVORITE PASTIMES FROM 30 - 50 YEARS OLD
TV Sport Reading Hobbies Music Beach Sleep
Canada 60 22 15 40 3 0 2

France / / 30 20 4 / /
England / / 30 21 4 / 20
Australia 65 30 15 45 5 30 4
Korea 22 21 60 45 2 2 4
China 15 25 60 50 0 5 5
USA 60 23 15 42 23 30 2
Japan / / 62 / / / /
Task 3

Main reasons for migration to/from the UK - 2007

Immigration

No reason , 6% Definite job,

Others, 11% 30%

Looking for
job, 12%

Accompany ,
15%
Formal study ,
26%

Emigration

No reason , 18% Definite job,

29%
Others, 14%

Formal study ,
Looking for 4%
job, 22% Accompany ,
13%
Task 4
Electricity generated in Germany and France from all sources
and renewables in 2009.
Task 5
SECTION 1 GRAPHS/CHARTS WITH TRENDS
UNIT 2: OVERVIEW ON GRAPHS/CHARTS WITH TRENDS

AIM: This unit is aimed at providing students with an overview of a REPORT on graphs/charts
with trends. This unit highlights the
- the general structure of a report on graphs/charts with trends
- the techniques in writing the opening statement and the overview
- the techniques in grouping the data or outlining the information shown

TRY IT FIRST

1. Study the following question.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph shows the income of four cafes in New York over last year.

Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
2. Think about these questions before you start.

a. What is the main idea of the line graph?

b. What are the trends for the four cafes’ sales over the whole period?
c. Can you give a comment on a special feature shown in the line graph?
3. Are these sentences about the data shown in the line graph TRUE (T) or FALSE
(F)?
a. There are two basic general trends: downward and fluctuation.
b. The earnings for the Tea Room were down over the year, falling significantly from almost
$160,000 a month to just under $40,000 in December.
c. There was a rise in Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months, followed by a sudden
increase to $120,000.
d. The income for Wi-fi Café was upward, doubling from $50,000 to nearly $100,000
between January and June, and then rocketed to around $190,000 in December.
e. The income for the Tea Room was lower in the winter months than for the other three cafes.

4. . Read the following report and make an outline for it.

The line graph illustrates how much money was earned by four cafes in New York during 12
months last year.
It can be clearly seen that the earnings of the Tea Room fell while that of the others rose. It is
also noticeable that the income for the Tea Room was lower in the winter months than for the
other three cafes.

As regards the downward trend, the earnings for the Tea Room were down over the year, falling
significantly from almost $160,000 a month to just under $50,000 in December.

By contrast, the income for the other three cafes went up by varying degrees. There was a rise
in Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months from about $30,000 to $60,000, followed by a
sudden increase to $120,000. The income for both Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café also
ended the year up in December. The former experienced a steady fall from $100,000 to
$80,000 in June, but after that, income rose steadily, ending the year at approximately
$130,000. Likewise, the trend for Wi-Fi was upward. Between January and July, earnings
doubled from $50,000 to nearly $100,000 and then rocketed to around $190,000.
(Adapted from Improve your IELTS writing skills by Sam McCarter and Norman Whitby)
LANGUAGE NOTES
1. Writing the opening statement
The opening statement usually explains what a graph or chart shows. It should include the following
information:

Type of chart Verb Description (what / where / when)

The line graph illustrates the number of ….
pie chart compares the proportion of...
bar chart presents the sales figures of...
table describes how many …

provides information on how much …

Use your own words to write the opening statement. If you copy the title of an illustration or the
question word by word, the examiner will regard this as plagiarism and ignore the sentence. This could
affect your score. To avoid plagiarism, change the structure, the words and the way you express the
time period.

For example, the question for a report above reads as follows.

- The graph shows the income of four cafes in New York over last year.

This question can be rephrased in the following ways:

- The graph presents the earnings of four cafes in New York during 12 months last year.

Subject + verb + noun phrase + …

- The line graph provides information on/about the amount of money which was earned
by four cafes in New York last year.

Subject + verb + noun phrase (+ relative clause) + …

- The line graph illustrates how much money was earned by four cafes in New York during
12 months last year.
Subject + verb + noun clause + …
 2. Writing the overview paragraph

 Writing (an) overall trend(s)/ changes

FIRST, an overview includes a short summary of the overview. In particular, in graphs/charts with
trends, this statement states the overall trends which will be described in detail in body paragraphs.

- It can be clearly seen that there are two basic general trends: downward and upward.
- Overall, the income of the Tea Room fell while that of the other cafes went up by varying
degrees.
The following expressions can be used to begin the this statement.
It can be seen from the graph / table that
As the graph / table shows,
As can be seen from the graph / table,
As is shown by the graph / table,
From the graph / table, it is clear / obvious / apparent / that

 Writing special/significant feature(s)

SECOND, an overview also indicates a special point - the most significant/ noticeable/important
feature(s) shown in the graph/chart and written in general terms.

- It is also noticeable that the income for the Tea Room was lower in the winter months than
for the other three cafes.

To signal the special features, you can use one of the following signals.

Overall,
It is noticeable to see that
In general,
It is not surprising that

NOTE: An overview DOES NOT INCLUDE personal opinions and reasons for the overall trends or
pattern shown in the graphs/charts.
 3. Grouping data – Outlining

It can be seen from the sample report on the income of four cafes above that there are two trends:
the downward trend for the income of the Tea Room and the upward trend for the sales of Café
Cool, Internet Express and Wi-fi Café. In the body of the above report, there are two paragraphs:
the first describes the downward trend and the second describes the upward trend.

Grouping the data into different body paragraphs based on the trends shown in the graphs with
trends is the most common way. The number of paragraphs you have in the body depends on how
many trends you identify from the graph and how complex the information is. If there are three
trends, for example upward, downward and stability, you may want to have one paragraph
describing the upward trend and downward trend and the other paragraph for the stability.
Otherwise, you can combine the upward trend and stability in one paragraph and the downward
trend in the other paragraph. In case there is one trend, you can group the information by describing
the items with the same or different levels of increase or decrease.

Look at the following line graph and think about the best way to group the data.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The line graph describes the number of people attending the cinema once a month or
more by age in Britain from 1984 to 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

21
As can be seen, one effective way is to group the data into two body paragraphs. The first
paragraph is to describe the data of the people aged 15-24 and those aged 35 and over because they
are different in the level of increase (the former had the strongest rise while the latter had the
lowest rise). The second paragraph focuses on the data of those aged 7-14 and 25-35 because they
had somehow the same increasing level of rise. In a word, the way you group the information in
the body paragraphs varies, mainly depending on the trends shown in the graph.

Read the following sample report to see how the data is grouped and make a brief outline for the
main features shown.

The line graph presents the percentage of people who went to the cinema once a month in
Britain from 1984 to 2000.

Generally, cinema attendance increased significantly over the period though the number of
people watching films at the cinema varied with age. It is also noticeable that the most regular
cinema goers were aged from 15 to 24 while the least frequent ones were from 35 years old
onwards.

From 1984, cinema attendance rose considerably across all age groups, but the increase was
the greatest for the 15-24 age group, which rose substantially from about 18% in 1984 to over
50% in 2000. Though the figure fluctuated between 1990 and 1995, this age group still went to
the cinema most frequently. Meanwhile, although older people (35 plus) were the least frequent
cinema goers, their cinema attendance also experienced a considerable rise with the figure
increasing from about 2.5% to over 10%.

Cinema attendance of 7 to 14 and 25 to 35-year olds followed a similar pattern from 1984 to
about 1997, which was characterized by a gradual increase to an average of 30% in 1994
followed by a decline after this date. However, from 1999 the trends differed in that 7 to 15 year
olds went to the cinema less frequently while cinema attendance of 25 to 35 year olds rose.

(Adapted from IELTS Masterclass by Simon Haines and Peter May)

22
 Study the question below and make an outline for it. Then, read the sample report, noticing the
way the information is chosen and arranged.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The following pie charts show the results of a survey into the most popular leisure
activities in the USA in 1999 and 2009.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

Leisure activities 1999

Leisure activities 2009

bicycling
 The two charts illustrate how the preferred leisure activities of Americans changed between
1999 and 2009.

Generally speaking, while the list of activities remained almost identical over the decade, there
were a number of changes in their relative popularity. Overall, walking and soccer remained the
two most popular leisure activities in two years given.

It is immediately evident that walking was by some distance the most popular pastime in both
years, accounting for just under a third of the preferences expressed. Of equal note is that by
2009, yoga had disappeared from the list of preferred activities and had been replaced by
weightlifting, which was chosen by one in ten Americans.

Among the less popular activities, the most notable development was that the proportion of
people who went swimming doubled, making it equal second in popularity with soccer at
18%. In stark contrast, around as half as many Americans went cycling in 2009 as compared to
ten years earlier, with the result that it became less popular than camping, at 7% and 9%
respectively. Likewise, the number of people who went jogging and did aerobics also
dropped significantly, with less than 5% of respondents to the survey choosing them.

As can be seen, there are 8 different activities with 16 different figures over two periods of time.
The writer of the report bases on the trends and the differences between the data to group the data.
In the body, you can see two paragraphs. The first paragraph is to compare the activities based on
their popularity and they are the most important details: the biggest number (walking) and the
smallest number (yoga, which then is replaced by weightlifting). The second paragraph describes
the two opposite trends: upward trend for walking and swimming and the downward trend for
aerobics, jogging and cycling.

It is usually harder to describe tables than bar charts and pie charts mainly because they lack the
visual organization in the latter. However, the same principles apply as to graphs: look for trends
and compare where relevant.

When you are given a table to describe, you should look for the data from both the rows and the
columns. When you look for the data from the rows (across), you look for the trends (upward,
downward, fluctuate and stable). When you look for the data from the columns (down), you look
for highest numbers and lowest numbers.
 trends

high numbers
low numbers

Look at the following table and apply the principles shown above.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table below highlights data on the number of travelers using three major British
airports between 1998 and 2003.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

Airport visitors, 1998 – 2003 (millions of travelers per year)

Airports 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Heathrow 27.2 36.4 48.2 37.1 33.2 45.6

Gatwick 36.5 41.9 44.4 47.3 51.1 69.3
Stansted 17.3 26.6 39.9 43.3 43.3 43.3

If you look across the table, you have the information about the trends over the years. You can see
that all the three airports became more popular but the number changed differently (upward with
fluctuation for Heathrow, consecutive upward for Gatwick and upward and then stability for
Stansted). You can also see the biggest rise in Stansted, followed by Gatwick and then Heathrow.

If you look down the table, you have the information about the most popular airport and the least
popular one. According to the table, Gatwick had the highest number of passengers, followed by
Heathrow and then Stansted. One special feature is that although Stansted was the least popular
airport, it witnessed the largest rise compared to the other airports.

Therefore, you can group the information in the body paragraphs as follows.
- The most popular airport and its consecutive rise in the number of passengers (Gatwick)
- The second most popular airport and its fluctuating rise in the number of passengers
(Heathrow)
- The least popular airport and its rise and then stability in the number of passengers (Stansted).
The following is the sample report of the above table. Read the sample carefully and make a
simple outline for it.

The table provides information about how many people visited the UK through three major
airports over a five-year period between 1998 and 2003.
Overall, it can be seen that there was a fluctuating trend in the number of travelers who travelled
via Heathrow, while the other two airports saw an upward trend. It is also noticeable that Gatwick
airport was always the most popular over the period.
Looking at the details, the number of passengers at Heathrow started at 27.2 million in 1998 and
then increased remarkably to reach the highest point of 48.2 million in 2000. In 2002, the figure
dropped to 33.2 million. In the last year, there was a slight growth to 45.6 million. On the other
hand, Gatwick began at 36.5 million in 1998. After that, the figure rose substantially for the next
three years to 47.3 million. In 2003, Gatwick hit a peak of 69.3 million passengers.

However, looking at Stansted Airport, the number of passengers using this airport started at the
lowest point of 17.3 million travelers in the first year. After this point, the trend increased
significantly to 43.3 million in 2001. In the last two years, it remained stable at 43.3 million
passengers.

(Adapted from IELTS advantages: writing skills by Richards Brown and Lewis Richards, IELTS Advantage)
PRACTICE
Practice 1: Study the following line graph. Then decide if each of the opening statements
and the overview paragraphs is appropriate or not. Write A if it is appropriate, I if it is
inappropriate and explain why.

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows the percentage of young people taking part in different outdoor
sports from 1975 up till now in the South West of England.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons
where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.

Opening 1
The line graph presented the proportion of young people who take up four different
kinds of outdoor sports in the South West of England from 1975 up till now.
Overview 1
It is noticeable that the percentage of young people who swim rose sharply from under
15% to 35%.
Opening 2
The line graph illustrates the percentage of young people taking part in
different outdoor sports from 1975 to the present year in the South West of England.
Overview 2
Overall, there are two basic general trends: upward and downward. It is also
noticeable that ball games were the most popular in the past.

Opening 3
The line graph provides information on the proportion of young people who
participate in four outdoor sports in the South West of England from 1975 up till now.
Overview 3
Overall, during the period, there has been a fall in the percentage of young
people who take part in certain outdoor sports, but not all the outdoor sports have become less
popular. It is also obvious that swimming is the most popular sport now.

Opening 4
The line graph presents how many young people join four different kinds of
outdoor sports in the South West of England since 1975. Obviously, swimming is the most
popular sport now.
Overview 4
Obviously, swimming has become more and more popular because it is an easy
way to help people keep fit and healthy.
Practice 2: Study the charts below. Then, write an outline grouping the information shown
in each of them. After that, write an opening statement and an overview paragraph for
each of them.
Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows the number of marriages and divorces in the United Kingdom
from 1961 to 2001.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
Task 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The graph below shows the percentage of households who had cars in Great Britain
from 1961 to 2000.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
Task 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The charts show changes in spending habits of people in the UK between 1971
and 2001.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant.
You should write at least 150 words.
Task 4

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The table shows spending in the UK by visitors from Europe and purpose of visit
between 2002 and 2006.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make
comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

Spending in UK: visitors from Europe and purpose of visit 2002 to 2006
Spending (£ million) Growth 2005
Europe 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Holiday 1,640 1,784 2,141 2,373 2,655 11.9

Business 1,833 1,848 1,994 2,237 2,614 16.9
Visiting friends /relatives 1,061 1,273 1,471 1,655 1,830 10.5
Miscellaneous 1,001 962 1,002 1,365 1,454 6.5
All visits 5,549 5,882 6,623 7,656 8,573 12.0
 THINGS TO REMEMBER
1. Kinds of graphs/charts
 Line graphs with trends
 Bar charts with trends
 Pie charts with trends
2. Structure of a report  Three structural parts:
Option 1
 Opening statement = main idea (what where
when) - Note: Rephrase the question.
 Overview paragraph = Overall trends
+ Comments on (a) special feature(s)
 Body paragraphs
Option 2
 Opening statement + Overall trends
 Body paragraphs
 Closing statement = special feature(s)
Note: Do not include your personal opinions or reasons.

3. Assessment criteria  Task achievement

 Grammatical range and accuracy
 Lexical resources
 Coherence and cohesion

4. Grouping the data Depending on the trends shown, you have different ways
of grouping the data.
 Upward vs. Downward
 Upward + downward vs. Fluctuation
 Upward (from strongest rise to the lowest rise)
 ….