Writing Task 1

Meeting 2
Writing Introduction and
Overview
Today’s content
1. Introductory paragraph and;
2. Overview (general trends of data);
3. Language of changes (Verb and
adverb)
Introductory
Paragraph
Structure of Writing Task 1

Introduction + Overview (1)

Body paragraphs (2 & 3)

Wirdatul Khasanah
What is introduction?

Re-state the topic

of the essay →
paraphrase the
question, use some
basic facts (from
the data).
• Paraphrasing is expressing (either spoken or written)
one’s idea or the meaning of a text or a sentence using
our OWN WORDS. It means that DO NOT RE-WRITE
the question precisely

• However, NOT all words can be replaced.

• The key point of paraphrasing is maintaining the

meaning or the idea but changing the way it is
presented.
Wirdatul Khasanah
How to paraphrase?
- Changing the vocabulary/words = synonymy
- Changing the sentence structure. For example, from an active sentence to a
passive one and vice versa.
- Break the information to separate sentences, etc.

- For a more comprehensive explanation, please check the following links:

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MwAHsgABHk https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/how-to-
paraphrase/
How to paraphrase?
Model answer:

“The line graph represents individual’s CO2 production in the

UK, Sweden, Italy and Portugal over forty-year period from
1967 to 2007”

Paraphrasing
Wirdatul Khasanah
a good introduction will
always consist of “What”
“where” “when”

Wirdatul Khasanah
 Useful
phrases
to start

For example:

The given table presents the proportion of usable straw in 3 developed countries in the 21st
century.

Wirdatul Khasanah
 Time
expression

For example:

The given table presents the proportion of usable straw in 3 developed countries over a decade starting
from 2003.

Wirdatul Khasanah
Things to remember

1. What, where, and when

2. In introduction part, always use present tense.

3. Never mention any kind of preposition

mentioning where the data is. (above, below, etc)
Ways to change the
“what”s
 Mini Practice
Writing
The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand an Introduction
between - Paraphrasing
1901 and 2101. Summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant!

The given figure depicts the data on natality and

mortality rates in New Zealand over two centuries
starting from 1901.
What did we have?

Changing the “what” completely

 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

The table below gives information on consumer spending on different

items in five different countries in 2002. Summarize the information by
selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison where
relevant.

Wirdatul Khasanah
 Mini Practice
Writingcountries
The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different an Introduction - Paraphrasing
in 2002. Summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparison where relevant.

The depicted table shows the number of consumer

expenditure on several distinct items in the five
selected countries in 2002.
Wirdatul Khasanah
What did we have?

Changing the “what” using the title of the data

 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

Wirdatul Khasanah
 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

The shown pie charts provide information on the production

of Gas, Coal, Petro, Nuclear and other energy in France in
the two mentioned years, 1995 and 2005.
What did we have?

Changing the “what” by mentioning all variables of the

data
The bar chart below
shows the number of
students who chose
certain university
subjects in 2005.

Wirdatul Khasanah
The bar chart below shows the number of students who chose certain university subjects
in 2005.

The representation of male and female’s choices on various

university subjects in 2005 is represented on the bar graph.
Wirdatul Khasanah
What did we have?

Changing the active form into passive form

to summarise
1. Changing the “what” completely with other words
2. Changing the “what” using the title of the data
3. Changing the “what” by mentioning all variables of
the data
4. Changing the active form into passive
How to make an
overview (general
trends)
What is overview?
SUMMARISING the main idea(s) / general trend(s) /
significant change(s) in one or two sentences.

This will be the focus of your second (and/or third) sentence

in paragraph 1 or in a separate paragraph.
 Paraphrased question

“The line graph represents

individual’s CO2 production
in the UK, Sweden, Italy and
Portugal over forty-year
period from 1967 to 2007”

Wirdatul Khasanah
 Paraphrased question

“The line graph represents

individual’s CO2 production
in the UK, Sweden, Italy and
Portugal over forty-year
period from 1967 to 2007”

Overview

Overall, the amount of CO2

emissions increased
continuously in Italy and
Portugal, while there was a
decrease trend in United
Kingdom and Sweden.
What about this one?
 Useful phrases to start

▪ In general ...

▪ In common, ...

▪ As is presented, ...

▪ Generally, ...

▪ As is observed, ...

▪ Overall ...

Wirdatul Khasanah
Wirdatul Khasanah
Let’s analyse the pattern of these overview sentences
None of them mentioning the “details” of the data.

it’s just “increase” without mentioning how much/many.

So in overview, you don’t need to mention the numbers

of the data. The details will be in your body paragraphs.
Then, what
tense to
use?
Use the right tense!

No dates = present tense

Dates in the past = past tense
Dates in the future = future forms
Dates spanning both past and future = both past tense and
future tense
 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

The graph below gives information about changes in the birth and death rates in New Zealand between 1901 and 2101. Summarize the
information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant!

The given figure depicts the data on natality and mortality rates in New Zealand
over 2 centuries starting from 1901.

Wirdatul Khasanah
 The graph below gives information about Mini Practice
changes in the birth and death rates in New Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing
Zealand between 1901 and 2101.
The given figure depicts the data on
natality and mortality rates in New
Zealand over 2 centuries starting from
1901. Generally, it is clear from the chart
that birth rate experienced a fluctuate
trend and is expected to decline until the
end of the period. Meanwhile the death
rate, apart from experiencing an increase
trend, it did not have any significant
difference each year, but it is projected to
rapidly incline at the second half of the
survey.
Wirdatul Khasanah
 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

The shown pie charts provide information on the production of Gas, Coal, Petro,
Nuclear and other energy in France in the two mentioned years, 1995 and
2005.
 Mini Practice
Writing an Introduction - Paraphrasing

The shown pie charts provide

information on the production of
Gas, Coal, Petro, Nuclear and
other energy in France in the
two mentioned years, 1995 and
2005. In a glance, it is crystal clear
that there was a decrease trend in
the production of Petro while the
other four sectors experienced an
increase trend with coal being the
highest energy in the two years.
Let’s write your own
introduction and
overview
The line graph depicts data on the
number of population changes
since 2000 to the forecasted year
in 2050, in China and India,
measured in billions.

In general, India’s population was

lower than China’s and this figure
is predicted to have a steady
increase until the end of the
survey; however, the counterpart
will see the opposite.
The given line chart compares
the changes in the population
size in billions in India and China
for a period of five decades
starting in 2000 which also
indicates the projections until
2050.

Overall, China’s population was

higher than India at the start of
the survey; however, this figure
will be superseded by India in the
future.
The given line graph illustrates the
population growth in two countries
from 2000 to the predicted year
2050 measured by billions.

Overall, in the first 25 years, both

two countries showed an upward
trend in total population with China
having more, while the remaining
period witnessed an opposite
condition as the number of people
living in China will drop, and that of
India will have surpassed the
counterpart by 2030.
Let’s Practice!
Click this link:
What did we learn today?
Any question?