PART 2.

WRITING SKILL (3)

Dr. Minh Anh TRAN

MAIN CONTENT

BASIC WRITING SKILLS

Correct and effective

sentences

Writing description of a
chart / table / figure
1. CORRECT AND EFFECTIVE SENTENCES

• Academic writing employs the standard written form of the language. You
must, therefore, be able to use your English precisely and accurately.

• Avoid wordiness, and redundancy. An effective sentence must be simple

and direct.

• Wordiness: using more words than necessary to express and idea.

• Redundancy: expressing an idea again

• Improve clarity.
1.1. Verb – subject agreement

• Complete the following sentences with is, are, has or have

1. The number of people who are suffering from stress … on the increase.

2. The fact that people live longer nowadays … led to an increase in the number
of elderly people in society.

3. Predictions about how long a patient with cancer will live … often inaccurate.

4. A ban on advertising all types of junk food … probably the only way to stop the
spread of obesity.

5. The pressurized situation in many hospitals … resulted in a stressed workforce

and low morale amongst nurses.

6. The reason why allergies are becoming more common … still not known
1.2. Wordiness

Read the following sentences and identify the unnecessary words. Rewrite the
sentence to make it more concise.

1. At this point in time, we are in need of a solution to the problem.

2. There were 34 people who attended the meeting.

3. The investigators are unable to ascertain the reason as to why the aircraft
crashed.

4. This example was chosen for the purpose of illustrating the principle of strategic
management.
1.3. Redundancy

Each sentence below contains redundant phrases. Rewrite the sentences

to remove the redundancies.

1. A total of 68 people completed the questionnaire.

2. They were both alike in their behaviour.

3. This version is shorter in length.

4. She made a plan in advance for the upcoming trip.

1.4. Clarity

Rewrite the following sentences to improve clarity by using precise words

and logical flow.

Note: When writing numbers larger than 10, numerals are used. However, if the
number comes at the beginning of the sentence, it must be spelled.

1. Quite a large part of the survey addresses demographic factors.

2. Very few of the factors listed in Table 2 had an observable effect on behaviour

3. A large number of classroom observations were conducted at the school.

SPOT THE PROBLEM

• Wordiness, redundancy, clarity

Rewrite these 1. We monitored the activities in a careful manner.

sentences:
consider 2. It is surrounded on all sides by vegetation.
wordiness,
redundancy 3. Nearly all the students in the class completed the
and clarity
questionnaire.

4. We usually classify words on the basis of their

grammatical form.
2. WRITING DESCRIPTION OF A CHART / TABLE / FIGURE

● Start by saying what the charts show. In an exam, change the words in the
question to write the first sentence of your answer, e.g. These charts
show = These charts illustrate.

● The second paragraph should provide an overview of the key features of the
information.

● The other paragraphs should describe the patterns or trends in more

detail. However, only select the most important ones to write about, and
don't write about your own ideas.

● Use linking words and a range of vocabulary to describe what you see in the
charts. (You can write % or percent but be consistent.)

● Be careful to use the correct tenses to describe the time periods shown.
2. WRITING DESCRIPTION OF A CHART / TABLE / FIGURE (CONT’D)

● Keep the description as short as possible.

● Consider both the content and the function of the figure.

● Focus the description on the essential new information in the figure

● Go from general to more specific details.

● Use the same writing style

● Don’t repeat information that is already in the text.

● Write out abbreviations and symbols in full

2. WRITING DESCRIPTION OF A CHART / TABLE / FIGURE (CONT’D)
2. WRITING DESCRIPTION OF A CHART / TABLE / FIGURE (CONT’D)

The first chart illustrates the percentage of the population who owned a smartphone from
2011 to 2016, and the second breaks the percentages down by age for 2011 and 2016.

Overall, smartphone ownership increased during the six-year period. In general, the
younger people were, the more likely they were to own a smartphone. However, the most
significant increases in smartphone ownership between 2011 and 2016 came from people
aged 45 to 54, from 46% to 84%; from those in the 55 to 64 category, from 9% to
59%; and from those aged 65 to 74, from 5% to 50%.

The percentage of people who owned a smartphone rose steadily, starting at around 35%
in 2011 and reaching about 77% by 2016. People aged 16 to 24 represented the greatest
percentage of smartphone ownership in both 2011 and 2016. 75% of people aged 25 to
34 and 72% of those aged 35 to 44 owned a smartphone in 2011, rising to 88% and 86%
respectively by 2016.

https://ielts-up.com/writing/ielts-describing-graphs.html
2.1. Describing trends

1. For describing upward trend: Go on, rise, rocket, jump, climb, increase,
incline

2. For describing downward trend: Decline, decrease, drop, plummet,

plunge, go down, fall

3. For describing a stable trend: Maintain, remain, steady, stable,

unchanged, constant, reached a plateau, leveled off

4. For describing any major or minor trend: Reach peak, Highest or lowest,
Least, Maximum, Minimum, minimal
2.1. Describing trends (cont’d)
2.1. Describing trends (cont’d)

• Rewrite the following sentences

1. Spice reports from Africa fluctuated wildly over the period. → There were …

2. The development of new products fell gradually. → There was …

3. There has been a noticeable decrease in research investment. → Research …

4. The purchases of tickets dropped significantly last month. → There was …

5. On the Internet, the number of sites rose significantly. → There was …

6. There was a sudden decrease in the sale of mangos. → The sale …

7. At the theme park, there were very slight fluctuations in the number of visitors →
The number …

8. There was a gradual decline in sugar imports. → Sugar…

2.2. Comparing information

• What do you think the bar chart provides information about?

2.2. Comparing information (cont’d)
2.3. Describing proportion

• The phrases in the list are alternative ways of describing proportion.

Divide the list into four groups that each have similar meanings.

Three quarters 26 percent 48 percent

Almost half about one in four 33 percent

One third three out of four just under one half

75 percent just over a quarter close to one half

One in three nearly half

2.4. Using adverbs to evaluate data

• Rewrite each sentence using an adverb or starting with it

• E.g. Clearly, the trend is upward

It is clear that the trend is upward

1. It is significant that the number of scientists per head of population has

declined in recent years.

2. Interestingly, the sales failed to recover.

3. It is probable that numbers will continue to fall over the period.

4. It is not surprising that there were skills shortages in the chemical

industry.

5. Evidently, investment needs to be increased.

PRACTICE 1
PRACTICE 1 (CONT’D)

• What general trend can you see in the chart?

• What general pattern can you see in the table?

• Which is clearly the main source of funding in the bar chart?

• Which piece of data in the table can you use as a standard for
comparison?

• Which pieces of information in the table are significant?

30
PRACTICE 1 (CONT’D)

31
PRACTICE 2

The bar chart illustrates the percentage of businesses in the UK who had a social
media presence from 2012 to 2016. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
PRACTICE 2 (CONT’D)

The bar chart displays data concerning the social media presence of small, medium and large
businesses in the UK between 2012 and 2016. Looking from an overall perspective, it is
readily apparent that figures for all types of businesses grew
despite a widespread and significant pullback in 2015. Large businesses increased the least
yet had by far the greatest presence each individual year.

In terms of small businesses, less than 30% (the lowest data point on the chart) had a social
media presence in 2012. This number then rose to 35% by 2014, before a pullback to 30%,
and a final surge to fewer than 50% with a presence to end the period. The trend for medium-
sized businesses was similar, beginning at 31%, rising significantly to slightly under 50% in
2013 and 2014, falling to 30% in 2015, before finally growing to 52% by 2016.

The proportions for large businesses were more than double small and medium enterprises to
begin the period (78%). This figure largely plateaued until 2015 when it fell to its nadir of at
51%, preceding a final recovery to 79% in 2016.
THANK YOU !