Writing the main body
1. Selecting important information 2. Grouping information 3. Comparing and contrasting data N: 1)Word selection and variation 2) Time description 3) Coherence and cohesion 4) Fixed / standard expressions
Part 2: Structure Planning
两段： 1. 描写实线的走向，实线由三段组成， 故第一段由三部分构成； 2. 描写虚线的走向， 虚线由四段组成，因此第二段应由四部分构成。
两种方案： 1. 按照Office Grade的高低来进行逐级描述，从Office Grade E 到Office Grade A，共分成五个小段，每段中进行男女员工的 人数比较； 2. 按照浅色柱和深色柱来分别进行描述，共分两大段，每段中 进行Office Grade 的相互比较。
1. The company’s earnings decreased by nearly $50 million between 1970 and 1980. 2. They hit a low point at $25 million in 1980. 3.There was a steady increase in earnings until the year 1990. 4. The company earned just above $50 million in 1990. 5. The earnings decreased over the next five years to $50 million in 1995. 6. Over the next nine years the earnings rose. 7. The earnings first rose slowly. 8.The earnings then rose dramatically. 9. They exceeded $100 million in 2004.
Sample 4 The table below shows social and economic indicators of four countries in 1994, according to United Nations statistics.
Step 1: observe the horizontal and vertical column Step 2: observe the data and group them roughly Step 3: take one column as the base and compare the data, paying attention to the maximum, minimum and zero
the number of… the proportion of… information on… data on… the percentage of…
The graph shows the area of landharvest from which grain The graphbelow reveals the total world grain area in was harvested. Writeover a report for a period. university lecturer millions of hectares a 46-year describing the information inarea the graph. In general, the total harvest increased until 1980,
Describing Charts
Strategies and Techniques
Lesson Core
Task analysis Structure planning
Chart description Introduction Main body Conclusion
Part 1: Task Analysis
Sample 2 The graph shows the percentage of men and women employed in executive positions in ACME Oil Company from July 1993 to June 1994.
Step 1: observe x-axis and y-axis Step 2: examine the representations of different graphs Step 3: observe the trend, including the highest point and the lowest point
Part 3: Chart Description Writing the introduction
of chart Appropriate Verb shows illustrates presents compares represents Description
The
illustration graph pie chart bar chart table
Mexico
Surinam Jamaica Cuba
4,300
3,700 2,600 2,100
10.5
7.0 15.2 4.4
97
122 63 118

Sample Answer 1 It can be seen from the table that the Bahamas and Argentina had GDP of $13,000 and $9,100 per capita respectively and the adult illiteracy rates were 4.4 and 3.6 in the two countries. Brazil and Mexico had GDP of $4,900 and $4,300 per capita, and their adult illiteracy rates were 16.8 and 10.5. Surinam, Jamaica and Cuba had $3,700, $2,600, and $2,100 respectively, with the adult illiteracy rate at 7.0, 15.2, and 4.4. The table shows that another indicator, Newspaper Sales per 1,000 people had a huge number more than 100 of Argentina Surinam and Cuba. This was followed by the Bahamas 99, Mexico 97, Jamaica 63, and Brazil 40.
Table 1 Country
GDP per Adult illiteracy capita (USD) rate 13,000 9,100 4,900 4.4 3.6 16.8
Newspaper sales per 1,000 people 99 123 40
the Bahamas Argentina Brazil
Sample 1 The graph shows the demand for energy and the energy available from fossil fuels in Freedonia from 1985 to 2005. Step 1: observe x-axis and y-axis; what do they represent Step 2: examine the meanings of different lines Step 3: observe the trend, including the highest point and the lowest point
at which point there was a reduction in the area harvested due to retrenchment.

The It istwo often pieclaimed charts represent, that women in 6 have broad achieved areas which greater arefreedom separated into and manual have access and non-manual to the same occupations, opportunities the asproportion men. The pie of men and women chartsemployed. below show some employment patterns in Great Britain. In general, a greater percentage of women work in non-manual occupations than work in manual occupations, and the reverse is true for men.

Sample Answer 2
We can see that GDP per capita varies substantially from 2,100 USD in Cuba to 13,000 USD in the Bahamas, with 5 of the 7 countries below 5,000 USD. The illiteracy rates also differ considerately. The highest illiteracy rates are for Brazil (16.8%) and Jamaica (15.2%), whilst Argentina has the lowest rate, at 3.6%. Mexico (at 10.5%) and Surinam (7%) lie in the middle. Surprisingly, the adult illiteracy rate for Cuba and the Bahamas is the same, at 4.4%. Newspaper sales per 1,000 people are also diverse …