1

In writing task 1 you will be presented visual information and asked to describe it.

CHAPTER 1
Understand Different Kinds of Graph
Dynamic Static
1. Comparing two or more data that CHANGE 1. Comparing data among different categories
continuously over time period – TRENDS inside one time frame or have no time reference
at all
 How is the data from starting point to finishing
 2

point?  What are the highest/lowest values?

 Overall trends: How many increases or  What are bigger or smaller values?
decreases or fluctuations are there? (A group  What are the most noticeable differences?
of data)  Any similarities?
 Is there any outlier? (a significant difference  Any significant exceptions?
from general trends)
 Hitting a peak or low?

2. Making predictions based on a data history

over time

_______________________________________________________

Exercise: Identify types of graph below whether they are dynamic or static?

1. ..................................

2. ..............................
 3

3. ................................

4. ....................................

CHAPTER 2
 4

Understand the Structure of Writing Task 1 for Line Graph, Bar

Chart, Table, and Pie Chart

2.1 Time Management

Within 20 minutes, you are going to do these following tasks swiftly and effectively:
o 3 minutes = Planning
o 15 minutes = Starting to write
o 2 minutes = Checking your work

2.2 The Structure of Writing Task 1 for Line Graph, Bar Chart, Table, and Pie
Chart
You are required to write 150 words within 20 minutes, so it will be easier to take it like this: among
150 words you should write 7 sentences. Each sentence has its own functions. This is significant for
you to keep in mind.

The functions of 7 sentences for line graph, bar chart, table and pie chart:
Paragraph 1
Sentence 1: Introduction You have to paraphrase the information in the question and add
(presented in a general statement) every detail in the figure. If you cannot find synonyms for your
paraphrasing, you should change the grammatical structures.
* Make sure you answer: what, where, when

Paragraph 2
Sentence 2: Overview / Overall As the task 1 has no conclusion, we will summarise the main feature or
trends (presented in a general the most important pattern right here, the second sentence. Refer back
statement) to the evaluation sheet in the task achievement section; you will see that
it is mandatory to do this to be fully satisfied.

Sentence 3 & 4: Details Amongst these sentences, you have to select only important trends or
(presented in Specific Statements) patterns, not every detail. Then, compare and contrast them logically.
Do not present a single detail without showing the connection to the
prior sentence.

Paragraph 3
Sentence 5: Another main point Choose another important point to mention in a general statement.
(presented in a general statement)

Sentence 6 & 7: Details Other details that relates to the general statement 2.
(presented in Specific Statements)

*Conclusion This is just your option. You will need it when your word count is
insufficient. *But when you do, you don’t summarise any specific detail
(no number anymore). You can predict and restate the outstanding point.

2.3 Understanding General and Specific Statement

 5

Descriptions contain general and specific statements. Specific statements contain reference to data,
whereas general statements do not. Which statements above are general and specific?

Exercise: Divide the following sentences into general and specific statements.
Examples
General: Postgraduate students tended to be better off than other students.
Specific: Seventy-five percent of school children read comics each week.
a. Far fewer female lecturers as opposed to male lecturers are employed at the university, 25 and 75
respectively.
b. We can see that there are considerable differences in the proportion of nationalities in each
course.
c. Only ten per cent of students preparing for their Masters attended taught classes.
d. Overall, women were more likely to read novels than men.
e. Students preparing for their doctorate read the greatest number of journal articles.
f. The sales for all four companies showed similar trends.
g. The pattern for senior lectures was very different.
h. The vast majority of those students preparing for PhDs read twelve or more journal articles each
week.

2.4 Understand Task 1 Structure and Writing Patterns in the Text

 6

Identify the main trends in this below graph and use the words or phrases in the box to fill in
the blanks in the model answer.

as regards between approximately similarly decline

an increase frequent overall by comparison

The chart provides information about cinema attendance among a range of age
groups in the UK between 1997 and 2009.
………….., it is clear that while cinema admissions within the four age groups
fluctuated, the general trend was upward from ………………… 140 million in
1997 to 170 million in 2009. There was a noticeable rise in cinema admissions
for those aged 45 and over. ………... 1997 and 2009, admissions more than
doubled from approximately 20 million to around 43 million, peaking in 2008
at about 50 million. …………, the trend for those aged 35-44 was upward,
rising from 20 million admissions to just over 30 million, ………………….. of
approximately 50 per cent.
…………………., for those in the 15-24 age group, the most ……….. cinema-
goers, the overall trend is flat, fluctuating between about 60 million and 62
million admissions. ………….. those aged 25-34, this was the only group
where there was a ……………… in admissions with a fall from about 40
million in 1997 to roughly 36 million in 2009.
 7

CHAPTER 3
Writing Task 1 Step-By-Step

Step 1: Planning
(3 minutes)

FIRST, understanding the information in the picture

1.1 Make sure you

understand the graph
before you start to write.

1.2 Understand the

timeframes of the trends
to decide what tenses
that you need to use.

SECOND, identify the overall trend and find outlier?

THIRD, find the trends and group them together: falling trends, increasing trends, remaining
steady, peaking, bottoming out and fluctuating.
Planning
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
 8

Step 2: Starting to write

(15 minutes)

o Writing introduction
o Writing an overview
o Writing details

2.1 Writing the Introduction

You can write your introduction by doing these:
 using a synonym of the words in the question.
 changing the form of a word (e.g. changing a verb into a noun).
 writing in the present simple form.
 9

Source: The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS

Useful Words and Phrases for Writing an Introduction

Verbs Example
indicate The graph indicates the growth in the service sector and the decline in
the manufacturing sector.

show / -This graph shows how two programs performed over a ten-year period.
illustrate /
-The pie charts show exports from various EU countries to India and
present / depict / China in 2000 and 2011.
delineate /
-The table illustrates the breakdown of scores for the IELTS Academic
outline Paper in 2010.

- The graph delineates/outlines the ratio of Taiwanese internet users

based on their ages from the year 1998 to 2000.

compare The graph compares changes in the annual rainfall in four cities.

provide / give - This graph gives/provides the gradual growth of productivity for
several firms.

summarise The chart summarises the weight measurements of people living in

Newtown in 2010.

demonstrate / The flow chart demonstrates the lifespan of salmon.

describe

Nouns Example
a breakdown The table below shows a breakdown of companies advertising
expenditure in different media sectors in three countries: Australia,
South Korea and Brazil.

the average (of) The table below shows the average band scores for students from
different language groups taking the IELTS Academic paper in 2015.

the percentage of The line graph shows the percentage of tourists to England who visited
certain Brighton attractions between 1980 and 2010.
the number of The graph shows the number of books read by men and women at
Burnaby Public Library from 2011 to 2014.
(countable)
the amount of The graph shows the amount of money spent on books in Germany,
France, Italy and Austria between 1995 and 2005.
(uncountable)
the changes in The graph shows the changes in food consumption by Chinese people
between 1985 and 2010.

information/data The graph gives information/data about international tourist arrivals

in five countries.
 10

the figure for/of The graph shows the population figures of/for different types of turtles
in India between 1980 and 2012.

the rate of The graph shows waste recycling rates in the U.S. from 1960 to 2011.
the process / The diagram illustrates the process of how to launch, fly and land a hot
air balloon.
method /
procedure of
how .... The diagram shows how a car’s tyre can be changed.

Preposition Example
from ...... to from 2001 to 2015
between ...... and between 2001 and 2015

An introduction can also be written in the passive form. Write passive-form sentences
following these active-form sentences.

Active form Passive form

The graph indicates the growth in the service sector The growth in the service sector and the decline in the
and the decline in the manufacturing sector. manufacturing sector are indicated in the graph.

-This graph shows how two programs performed

over a ten-year period.

-The pie charts show exports from various EU

countries to India and China in 2000 and 2011.

The graph compares changes in the annual rainfall

in four cities.

- This graph gives/provides the gradual growth of

productivity for several firms.

The table illustrates the breakdown of scores for

the IELTS Academic Paper in 2010.

The chart summarises the weight measurements of

people living in Newtown in 2010.
 11

Write an introductory sentence for this below graph

Make sure you

understand the graph
before you start to write.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
 12

2.2 Useful Words and Phrases for Writing Trends 1

Verbs and Adjectives

 13

Adverbs and Adjectives

Up or Down Quickly
Adverbs Adjective

Up or Down Slowly
Adverbs Adjective

Approximation
The population grew by around a million people in that decade.
According to the chart, about 45% of all people surveyed believed in UFOs.
Roughly 300,000 units were manufactured in factory A in 2005.
Approximately 4,000 more people attended this year’s parade.
The vacancy rate for hotel rooms is almost zero in August.
90% of people in the country agreed with this decision.
The amount of cooling use was practically the same as its greenhouse gas emission.
Just over 2.5 billion people worldwide own digital cameras.
This state has just under 300 days of sunshine a year.

Numbers and Amounts

the number of The number of serious storms affecting New England rose to 21 this year.

the amount of The amount of natural gas produced this year increased sharply.

* a number of A number of people have written in about this subject.

Compare:
The number of people we need to hire is thirteen.
 14

Match each graph (a-h) with the most appropriate description below (1-10).

1. Sales of audio cassettes fell steadily.

2. iPod sales rose gradually.

3. Plasma TV sales fluctuated wildly, but the trend was upward.

4. Sales of video cassettes fluctuated wildly, and the trend was downward.

5. Total digital camera sales dropped slightly.

6. Sales of audio cassettes fell and then levelled off.

7. The sales of MP3-players rose gradually and then climbed sharply.

8. Purchases of video cassette recorders declined dramatically.

9. Sales of games consoles decreased and then levelled off.

10. CD sales dropped suddenly.

 15

2.3 The Patterns for Writing Trends

Basically you can do so three manners:
A verb + adverb
- The consumption of chocolate fell steadily.
- The price of laptops dropped followed by a period of stability.
B There + v.to be + Noun Phrase
- There was a steady fall in the consumption of chocolate.
- There was a drop in the price of laptops followed by a period of stability.
C Noun Phrase + see / experience / show / undergo + Noun Phrase
- Sales of coffee showed a slight increase between 2004 and 2006.
- The domestic car market showed an impressive growth of 50% for three consecutive
years from 2001 to 2003.
- The world population experienced a dramatic growth between 1950 and 2005.

Rewrite the sentences following the above examples and construct an appropriate noun phrase.
Example:
The consumption of chocolate = Chocolate consumption
The production of films = Film production

1. The amount of money spent fell slightly and then quickly recovered. (B)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Visitor numbers to the website plunged in the first quarter of the year. (C: undergo)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Book purchases increased slowly but surely over the year. (C: experience)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The number of students applying to the university stabilised over the decade. (C: show)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Attendance at the conference decreased steadily last year. (B)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. The growth rate was erratic during the previous year. (B)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. There has been a dramatic rise in the production of films. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Spice exports from Africa fluctuated wildly over the period. (C: see)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
 16

9. There was a gradual fall in the development of new products. (A)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. There has been a noticeable decrease in research investment. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
11. There was a significant drop in the purchase of tickets last months. (C: show)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
12. There was a significant rise in the number of sites on the Internet. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
13. There was a sudden decrease in the sales of mangos. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
14. At the theme park, there were very slight fluctuations in the number of visitors. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
15. There was a gradual decline in sugar imports. (C)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
16. The quality of food in supermarkets has increased slowly. (B)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
17. There were remarkable fluctuations in the number of air travellers. (A)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
18. The number of British households using their own shopping bags when shopping fell steadily
between 1965 and 2005. (B)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
19. House prices climbed steeply during the first half of the year before falling sharply in August.
(C: see)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Technique: Include a variety of structures in your writing.

 17

2.3.2 The patterns for Writing Prediction

Using the passive voice helps to show you are describing the visual information, rather
than giving your own ideas. To describe future prediction, we often use the passive form
of the verbs estimate, predict, forecast, project and anticipate. These sentences often start
with It.

Rewrite these sentences, describing the graph above.

1. I predict that sea levels will continue to rise.

It is predicted that _________________________________________________________

2. I estimate that sea levels will have increased by 200mm by the year 2050.
It is ____________________________________________________________________

3. I forecast that sea levels will rise more rapidly between 2050 and 2100.
Sea levels_______________________________________________________________

4. I estimate that by 2100, sea levels will be 500 mm higher than they are at present.
By 2100, sea levels _______________________________________________________
 18

2.4 Writing an Overview Statement

It is very important to give an overview or summary of the main trends in the chart or graph in 1-3
sentences long. You will not achieve a good Task Achievement score if your answer does not
include an overview sentence.
The Characteristics of An Overview Statement
1. The overview is the most important in the whole writing.
2. The overview will be the second sentence.
3. The overview is a short summary of the main features in the graph/diagram.
4. The overview does not give specific information: just write about what you can see visually.
(general statement)
5. The overview is a controlling idea telling the reader what details you’re going to write in the rest
of the writing.

When we are looking for an overall trend, we should be looking out for:
 How many items being compared?
 From the beginning to the end, do they go up/down?
 Can I group them into group, like going-up or going-down group?
 Any significant difference from the general trend? (outliers or fluctuations)

Example 1

Overview:
Clearly, London is the coldest city and has the fewest hours of sunshine. New York has the hottest
summers, but Sydney enjoys the warmest overall climate.
 19

Example 2

Overview 1:
Overall, fossil fuels have been the dominant type and will continue this trend into the future. Nuclear
and renewable energy sources have represented a small but significant proportion of total energy use;
in the future it is projected that they will continue doing so.

Overview 2:
Overall, fossil fuels have shown increases in consumption since the start of the period, with
expectations for even more reliance on these fuel sources. Cleaner energy sources have accounted for
considerably less consumption with predictions for a similar trend.
 20

Example 3

Overview:
Overall, the United Kingdom and Sweden, which initially showed a high CO2 output, saw a decline in
emissions throughout the period. Conversely, Italy and Portugal, which started with relatively low
emissions, witnessed big increases by the end of the period.

Example 4
 21

Overview:
Overall, the quantity of these four categories of birds fluctuated considerably during this period, and
the trends were downward, except for coastal species and all species.

2.4.1 Useful Words and Phrases for Writing an Overview Statement

- Overall, .......
- In general, .........
- It is clear / evident / obvious / apparent / noticeable that
- Overall, it is clear that ...............
- It can be clearly seen that …….…..
- A glance at the graph reveals that ……..
- According to the chart, ……
- As shown in the figures, ………….
- As can be seen from the table, ……….
- As a general trend, it can be seen that ...............
- In common, ……..
- Generally speaking, ………...
- One of the first things to note is that ….
- On the whole, it can be seen that ….
- One thing that clearly stands out is ……
- The most noticeable trend is….
- We can see immediately that ..............
- From an overall perspective, ..........
- Looking at the chart from an overall perspective, ..................
- Firstly, there was a general upward/downward trend in ...............
- Firstly, the most noticeable feature / pattern of the chart is that .............
- From the information in the chart, it is clear that ..................
 22

Use the words in 1-8 below to create sentences that provide a suitable overview for a Task 1
question. Make any necessary changes to the words.

Example:
book sales overall rise period
Overall, it can be clearly seen that book sales rose during the period.
1. trend attendances clear upward
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. increase student numbers over the year

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. market share fall overall past decade

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

4. trend cost train journey flat generally speaking

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

5. trend prices downward overall

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

6. miles covered shoppers declined

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

7. price of grain steady rise in the last six months

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. clear downward trend flight abroad

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
 23

 Order sentences correctly.

A. Germany saw a gradual drop in emissions from 2006, falling from around 850 to just under 800
metric tons annually. …..
B. However, the falls in Russia and Japan occurred more suddenly. Both countries showed a
decrease in emissions in 2008. …….
C. The line graph shows the amount of CFC emissions produced by four different countries from
2005 to 2009. ……..
D. Another important feature to note is that emissions in India, by contrast, increased over the same
period. ……..
E. Before this time, Japan had been producing a fairly constant level of emissions, around 1400
metric tons each year, whereas emissions from Russia had been gradually increasing until
2008…….
F. In 2005 India produced just under 1200 metric tons, but 2009 this had increased to over 1500
metric tons. ………
G. The main point to note is that CFC emissions had gone down in all countries except India……..
H. If these trends continue, production of emissions by India will overtake that of Russia in the
future…..
I. In 2005 India produced fewer emissions than Japan and Russia, but the graph shows that in 2009
both Russia and India were producing equal amount of emissions, just over 1500 metric tons.
………
 24

Modal answer and exercise, filling in the blanks

steadily then rocketed doubled significantly

also ended the year up a steady fall a rise

The graph provides information about the income trends of four cafes over the last year.

There are two basic general trends: downward and upward. As regards the first, the earnings for The
Tea Room were down over the year, falling …………………………. from almost $160,000 earnings
a month to just under $50,000 in December.

By contrast, the income for the other three café went up by varying degrees. There was
………………… in Café Cool’s sales over the first ten months, followed by a sudden increase to
$120,000. Furthermore, the income for both Internet Express and the Wi-Fi Café
…………………………………… in December. The former experienced …………………….. to
June, but after that income rose …………………. ending the year at approximately $130,000.
Likewise, the trend for Wi-Fi was upward. Between January and July, earnings
……………………………… from $50,000 to nearly $100,000 and …………………… to around
$190,000.
 25

fluctuated rapidly striking concerning similar negligible

approached while on the other hand minority a drop

The graph presents data ....................... communication by youths in the USA between November
2006 and September 2009. The most ..................... feature is a sharp rise in text
messaging, ........................ other methods of communication for this group of people kept a
fairly ...................... level with minor fluctuation.
The level of text messaging by these young people ........................30% in November 2006
and rose steadily to just under 40%, but then in February 2008 it climbed ..................... to become a
common means of communication for over half of US teenagers. Using a cell phone to make
calls, .........................., remained fairly flat with a ..................... rise from approximately 35 t0 38%.
 26

In the same area of the graph figures for talking face-to-face ........................ between 30 and
39%, whereas email remains more of a ......................... method for teenagers, fairly level at around
15%. Subsequently, there had been ...................... to below 10% by September 2009.
(154)

CHAPTER 4
The Introduction to Writing Task 2

STEP 1 Plan 5 minutes

STEP 2 Write 30 minutes

STEP 3 Revise 5 minutes

RUBRIC SCORE
 Task Response
 Coherence and Cohesion
 Lexical Resource
 Grammatical Range and Accuracy
 27

4.1 Understand Task 2 Questions

Complete each Task 2 question below with organising words from the box. You may use each
item more than once.

agree or disagree agree disagree advantages disadvantages causes solutions

measures benefits reasons suggest To what extend opinion these views

think an important part outweigh

1. Obesity is an increasing public health problem in some parts of the worlds.

Explain some possible ................................ for this problem, and suggest some ...........................

2. People should never eat meat because raising animals for human consumption is cruel.
................................................ do you agree or disagree with this ................................?

3. Some people say that physical education classes are an important part of a child’s education.
Others believe that it is more important to focus on academics during school time.
Discuss both ......................................, and give your opinion.

4. In some educational systems, children are required to study one or more foreign languages. In
others, foreign language study is not a requirement.
What are the potential ............................. of foreign language study?
Do you .................... foreign language study is .................................... of education?

5. A growing number of people rely on restaurants and convenience food (frozen food and packaged
meats) rather than home-cooked food to supply most of their meals.
What are ......................................... and ........................................... of eating this way?

6. What are the .................................... of learning skills in the modern world?

7. Any attempts to preserve the natural world will always hinder economic development. The
benefits will however far ......................... the ......................... Do you agree or disagree?

8. Volunteer work with disadvantaged groups like underprivileged children is the best way for young
people to learn about the real world. What are the ...................... of such work?

9. Every day, animals are becoming extinct throughout the world. What do you think
the ..................... of this are? What ......................... can you suggest?
 28

10. Overcrowding in large cities has always been a problem, but with populations around the world
about to double, the social problems are certain to multiply. What ................................... can you
suggest to control the problems?

4.2 Understand the Essay Structure

INTRODUCTION

HOOK
TOPIC / ARGUMENT
CONTROLLING IDEA / THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH 1

TOPIC SENTECE
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
CONCLUDING SENTENCE

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

TOPIC SENTECE
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
CONCLUDING SENTENCE

CONCLUSION

TOPIC SENTENCE:
Restated controlling idea or thesis statement
FINAL THOUGHT:
Personal opinion or comment /
Suggestion, solution or recommendation /
Prediction / Generalisation / Question
 29

CHAPTER 5
Writing Controlling Idea or Thesis Statement
After you finish your hook statement, you are going to paraphrase or raise the arguments, topics or
problems presented in the question for reader to understand the controlling idea or thesis statements.

The controlling idea/thesis statement for your Task 2 essay should do two things:
 Address the task – It should do what the task asks for – agree or disagree, describe advantages
and disadvantages, etc.
 It should tell the reader what the essay is about.

1. ‘Do you agree or disagree?, Do you agree?, How far do you agree?’ question
You can approach these questions in two ways:
1.1 present Two Sides of the arguments (for and against essay)
1.2 Agree or Disagree (thesis-led approach)
 30

Exercise: Organising your essay

What is the function of each paragraph? Label the paragraphs 1-4 and each sentence following
the items in the box. Some items can be used one more time.

Hook Argument 1 Argument 2 Controlling idea

Topic sentence (it tells the reader what this paragraph is about and also controls the content of the paragraph.)

Supporting sentence (information for supporting the topic sentence)

A concluding sentence (summarise the reasons in the paragraph)

Introduction Body paragraph 1 Body paragraph 2 Conclusion

Prison is a cure for crime.

To reduce crime in the long-term, courts should reduce prison sentences
and focus on education and community work to help criminals not to re-
offend.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

There are many different opinions on the best way to reduce crime. The traditional
solution is to be hard on criminals and put them in prison for a very long time. An opposing
view is expressed by people with more modern idea. They think that education and
community work are the log-term solutions to cutting crime. So who is right – the
traditionalists or the modernists?
People in favour of reducing prison sentences often argue that prisons should not
simply be places of punishment. In traditional prisons, people learn a lot about crime, so
when they leave prison, they will commit more crimes. Education, however, gives people
the skills to get a job when they leave prison, which means that they will probably not re-
offend. Part-time work experience in the community is also very helpful, as it is a step back
into everyday life in society. People can be in prison, but they can also feel they are doing
useful work.
On the other hand, some people argue that long prison sentences are right because
the punishment should fit the crime. If, for example, someone commits a serious crime such
as bank robbery, they should go to prison for a long time. They also believe that reducing
prison sentences substantially reduce people’s fear of prison and consequently, people will
commit more crime. People will not be frightened of going to a prison which is like a
university with learning and work experience opportunities.
In short, I agree that education and community work can have an important role in
 31

In some countries in the world, the health service is free.

Some people feel that smokers should not get free treatment for
smoking-related illnesses because they are knowingly harming
themselves.

To what extend do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Smokers know the risk of smoking, so why Is it right for smokers to pay, while drug
should society have to pick up the bill? As a non- addicts and alcoholics receive expensive medical
smoker myself, I totally agree with this statement treatment free? I completely disagree with the idea
that smokers should pay for any treatment for that smokers should not receive free treatment for
smoking-related illnesses. smoking-related illnesses if other people in the
Looking at the smokers’ argument, they say country are receiving free medical treatment without
that they should receive free health treatment like any limits or conditions.
everyone else because they also pay taxes like Anti-smokers think that smokers have
everyone else. However, I don’t think this argument chosen a ‘dangerous lifestyle’ and should therefore
is valid because they are using many more health not expect free health treatment paid for from general
services than non-smokers, but they pay the same taxes. The problem with this argument is that we are
amount in taxes. Smokers also say that they pay making a judgment about someone’s lifestyle before
very high cigarette taxes, which covers the cost of we decide to give them free treatment or not. Do we
higher health costs for smokers. I disagree with this refuse to give medical treatment to someone who has
too, because in many countries people buy a car accident driving dangerously on the motorway
cigarettes on the black market at a very low price, without a seatbelt? Of course not. Most reasonable
and so the government receives no money in taxes. people would argue that it is impossible to decide
Smokers are killing themselves and killing who has a dangerous lifestyle’ and who does not.
other people too. Smokers pay more for life Smokers already pay a huge amount to the
insurance and health insurance to private government every time when they buy a packet of
companies, so it is fair that they also pay more for cigarettes through cigarette taxes. In Greece for
treatment in the public health service. In fact, they example, we pay 70% tax on cigarettes, which means
should be contributing to the health care of non- that I pay almost three euros to the government for
smokers too, as passive smoking causes major every packet of cigarettes I buy. The government uses
health problems. some of that money to finance the health treatment? I
To summarise, I would say that it is right pay more money in taxes than a non-smoker, so I
that smokers pay extra for all the extra costs that should get more from the health system. That is
they place on society. If smokers paid more to cover logical.
their extra health costs, it would help smokers and In conclusion, I would say that it is very
the government. Unfortunately, it would not help important that smokers are treated in the same way as
 32

4.4 Other types of questions with different types of a controlling idea

Some people think that school should use teaching methods that encourage
students to cooperate. Other people think that schools should use teaching methods
that encourage students to compete.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these two methods.

Hook: Education is a very big idea and there are some different ways to understand what it means.

Argument 1: Children at school can be taught to work together in groups and therefore achieve a result
that we call cooperation.

Argument 2: Conversely, they work against each other, so there is only one winner and many losers,
which is competition.

Controlling idea: There are strengths and weaknesses with both ideas.

Look at these example questions and choose or discuss their correct controlling ideas.

1. Some people say that the best way to discourage smoking is to make smoking
illegal in public places. Other people say that this is not enough and that other
measures are needed.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

Controlling idea A
In my opinion, laws against smoking are an important part of discouraging this bad habit, but I agree
that there are more other actions need to be done.

Controlling idea B
In my opinion, it is unpleasant to be in public places where people are smoking.

Controlling idea C
In my opinion, laws against smoking in community area will have a great influence on this unpleasant
and unhealthy habit, and I don’t believe any further measures are necessary.
 33

2.
Obesity is an increasing public health problem in some part of the world.

Explain some possible reasons for this problem, and suggest some solutions.

Controlling idea A:
Obesity is a big problem in many places because it can cause serious health problem.

Controlling idea B:
There are several reasons why obesity has become such a widespread issue, but there are also ways
we can solve this problem.

Controlling idea C:
Obesity has become a serious public health issue for a variety of reasons, but, fortunately, there are
ways we can deal with this problem.

3.
Some people say that physical education classes are an important part of a child’s
education. Others believe that it is more important to focus on academic during
school time.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

Controlling idea A:
While there are people who think that school should only be about academics, others believe that
physical education is also important, and I agree with this point of view.

Controlling idea B:
In my opinion, a child’s education should focus on academics.

Controlling idea C:
The best schools are the ones that have a strong physical education program.
 34

4.
In some educational systems, children are required to study one or more foreign
languages. In others, foreign language study is not a requirement.

What are the potential benefits of foreign language study?

Do you think foreign language study is an important part of education?

Controlling idea A:
Foreign languages can be difficult to thrive, but my opinion is that children should study them.

Controlling idea B:
Foreign language study improves children’s minds as well as their understanding of the world, and I
believe it should be a requirement in all school.

Controlling idea C:
Studying foreign languages has some benefits for children; however, I don’t believe it is an essential
part of education.

5.
A growing number of people rely on restaurants and convenience food (frozen food
and packaged meals) rather than home-cooked food to supply most of their meals.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating this way?

Controlling idea A:
Meals prepared at home are much cheaper than convenience food, and it is also better for your health.

Controlling idea B:
Convenience food has become very popular, but it also has benefits and drawbacks.

Controlling idea C:
Many people don’t know how to cook or they don’t enjoy it, so they prefer to eat their meals in
restaurants.
 35

Write your own ‘hook’, ‘arguments’ and ‘controlling idea/thesis statement’.

1. Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause
serious social problems, as well as practical problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Hook:
...................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Argument / Topic:
...................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Controlling idea / Thesis statement:
...................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

2. Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Hook:
...................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Argument / Topic:
...................................................................................................................................................................
 36

....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Controlling idea / Thesis statement:
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

CHAPTER 6
WRITING BODY PARAGRAPH

6.1 The Body Paragraph

INTRODUCTION
HOOK
TOPIC / ARGUMENT
CONTROLLING IDEA / THESIS STATEMENT
BODY PARAGRAPH 1
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.1 Topic sentence

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.2 Supporting sentences

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.3 Concluding sentence

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
 37

____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

TOPIC SENTECE
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
CONCLUDING SENTENCE

CONCLUDSION
Example of Planning a Body Paragraph

In some part of the world, the rate of divorce has increased dramatically over the
past few decades.

Explain some possible reasons for this problem and suggest some solutions.

Controlling idea: The divorce rate is a problem, but it can be solved.

Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence / Main idea: 1. Breakdown of the extended family
2. Stress in the workplace

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence / Main idea:

Practice

Some people say that the best way to discourage smoking is to make smoking
illegal in public places. Other people say that this is not enough and that other
measures are needed.

Discuss both these views, and give your opinion.

Controlling idea:
In my opinion, laws against smoking are an important part of discouraging this bad habit, but I agree
that there are more other actions need to be done.

Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence / Main idea: ................................................................................................................

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence / Main idea: ................................................................................................................
 38

6.2 Supporting Sentences

In some part of the world, the rate of divorce has increased dramatically over the
past few decades.

Explain some possible reasons for this problem and suggest some solutions.

Controlling idea: The divorce rate is a problem, but it can be solved.

Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence / Main idea: Reasons of divorce
Supporting ideas: 1. Breakdown of the extended family
1.1 Past – family help with expenses
1.3 Now – people don’t have this support
2. Stress in the workplace
2.1 Less time with family
2.2 Feel tired and irritable
A concluding sentence Family life is unhappy.

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence / Main idea: Ways to solve these problems
Supporting ideas: Live closer to extended family
Find a less demanding job
Change lifestyle – a happier life

Concluding paragraph: Restatement

 39

Compare the outline and discuss the following essay.

The divorce rate is increasing in many places. I believe that the breakdown of the extended
family and the stresses of work are the major causes of this situation. Fortunately, although these
issues have led to a rise in the divorce rate, there are ways we can solve this problem.
In my opinion, the biggest cause of divorce is that many families in today’s society are
becoming more nuclear families. In the past, a family was made up of parents, grandparents, children
and other relatives; therefore, there was always somebody available to help with childcare. In contrast,
these days, people often don’t have this kind of support from their families, and this puts more stress
on a marriage. Moreover, stress in the workplace is another cause of divorce, because at the present
time people are often expected to work longer hours than they did in the past. This means they spend
less time at home with their families. It also means that when they are at home, they are tired and
probably irritable, too. All of this adds up to an unhappy family life.
Fortunately, there are things that can be achieved to address some of these problems if
people really want to. Firstly, people can decide to live closer to their extended family, or they can
invite their elderly parents to live with them or look for a job closer to their relatives’ homes.
Secondly, people can also look for less demanding jobs or decide to have one parent stay at home
instead of working. These matters require changing one’s lifestyle in some big ways, but they can lead
to a happier marriage and family life.
There are a lot of demands in modern life that place pressure on a marriage and lead to
divorce. However, people can choose to make changes to their ways of life that can result in a better,
stronger marriage.
40
 41

Exercises
42
43
 44

CHAPTER 7
WRITING CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
 45

7.1 The Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

HOOK
TOPIC / ARGUMENT
CONTROLLING IDEA / THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH 1

TOPIC SENTECE
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
CONCLUDING SENTENCE

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

TOPIC SENTECE
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
CONCLUDING SENTENCE

CONCLUSION

TOPIC SENTENCE:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

FINAL THOUGHT:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Identify Each Type of a Concluding Statement
 46

Introduction:
If governments continue to spend such large sums of money on treating illness and disease
instead of preventing these diseases; they perhaps should rename our national health services ‘national
illness service’. Obviously, I strongly agree with the statement that governments are not spending
their health budgets in the best possible way.

Conclusion:
To sum up, I think the governments should reconsider about their vast expenditure on
merely curing sicknesses, and focus more on promoting knowledge of healthcare as a foundation laid
to prevent maladies. If they still deny doing so, they will end up using up their budget on healthcare
and cannot develop other sectors in their countries.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction:
There are many different opinions on the best way to reduce crime. The traditional solution is
to be hard on criminals and put them in prison for a very long time. An opposing view is expressed by
people with more modern idea. They think that education and community work are the log-term
solutions to cutting crime. so who is right – the traditionalist or the modernist?

Conclusion:
In short, I agree that education and community work can have an important role in helping
reduce crime, but there should be strict controls on the type of community work prisoners can do. It is
important to understand that some people are a real danger to society and need to stay in prison for a
very long time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction:
Many modern couples are beginning recognize that it is better to have a parent at home to
take care of the children, rather than relying on a full-time babysitter or pre-school. I agree that this is
a good idea. First, no one can care for a child as well as his own parents. Parents also have to face the
fact that child care costs are very high. Finally, it is my belief that family life is better when one of the
spouses devotes his or her time to maintaining the home and family.

Conclusion:
All in all, I would have to say that life is better for families when one parent stays home with
the children. Both the parents and the children benefit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 47

Introduction:
These days, people around the world use the Internet to get news and information. There are
both advantages and disadvantages to this situation. On the one hand, the Internet has many
advantages because it provides instant access to huge amounts of information that might be difficult to
get otherwise. On the other hand, the Internet has certain problems, including the fact that much of the
information you find there is unreliable.

Conclusion:
In the future we will rely on the Internet for quick access to all of our news and information.
This will bring us many benefits as long as we remain aware of the potential pitfalls.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction:
Physical education is an important part of every child’s education. In the first place, children
learn better if they spend part of each day getting some physical exercise. Additionally, physical
education teaches children important skills such as teamwork. Also, it contributes to their overall
physical and mental health.

Conclusion:
Physical education is an essential part of any educational programme. What would happen to
our children’s energy level if they didn’t get a chance to be active every day? How would they learn
to be part of a team if they didn’t play sports? How would they stay healthy? Physical education
meets all these needs.
 48

Practice

1. Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause
serious social problems, as well as practical problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Introduction
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence / main idea .....................................................................................................................
Supporting sentence ...............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence / main idea .....................................................................................................................
Supporting sentence ...............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

Conclusion
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
 49

2.
Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices?

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Introduction
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Body paragraph 1
Topic sentence / main idea .....................................................................................................................
Supporting sentence ...............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

Body paragraph 2
Topic sentence / main idea .....................................................................................................................
Supporting sentence ...............................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................

Conclusion
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
 50

CHAPTER 8
COHESION AND COHERENCE

READER EXPECTATION
Both in reading and in conversation our language is loaded with expectations; we have a
sense of direction about language. Although we may not know exactly what’s coming next,
when we hear it – or read it – we recognize if it’s appropriate. It’s when the ideas take an
unexpected turn that “awkward” response can set in, when a passage fails to fit that
expectation, that sense of appropriateness: “I didn’t know exactly what was coming next – but
I certainly didn’t expect that!”
In conversation, we can call a halt to the speaker: “Wait! What was that you just said?”
But as readers, we don’t have that option. Instead, we find ourselves thinking, “Why am I
reading this now?” Even though it’s only a fleeting thought, it doesn’t take many such
interruptions – the pause, the second thought, the backtracking – to obstruct the cohesive flow
of a piece of writing.
Where do a reader’s expectations come from? Obviously, from what has gone before,
from the prior text, or, in the case of an opening paragraph, from the title or, possibly, from
the author’s reputation.
Within a paragraph, reader expectation begins with the opening sentence. The writer, of
course, has all manner of possibilities for setting up that expectation. The first sentence of this
paragraph, because it is a question, sets up the expectation of an answer – or perhaps a second
question.
Here are some examples that illustrate the importance of connecting your ideas more
effectively in writing.

There is strong evidence to suggest that obesity is a growing problem in many countries of the world. Many
people, including doctors and teachers believe that junk food advertising should be banned because they
encourage people to eat bad food such as fizzy drinks and chocolate bars. They think that advertising to
children is effective and influences what they choose to buy and eat.

There is strong evidence to suggest that obesity is a growing problem in many countries of the world.
However, people say that junk food advertising does not contribute to the problem of obesity. They feel that
that the problem of obesity is caused in large part by the fact that people are less physically active now
compared with the past.

There is strong evidence to suggest that obesity is a growing problem in many countries of the world. In fact,
it would appear that the problem starts in childhood with many children becoming fatter because they are
eating junk food. These eating habits continue into adulthood. It is a very worrying trend indeed.

To become aware of the reader’s expectations means to put yourself in the reader’s shoes – or head.
It requires the ability to read your own ideas objectively, to see and hear your own words as someone
else might read them.
 51

The hotel is famous. It is one of the most well-known hotels in the country. The latest
international dancing competition was held at the hotel. The hotel spent a lot of money to
advertise the event. Because the hotel wanted to gain international reputation. But not
many people attended the event.

The hotel, which is one of the most well-known hotels in this region, wanted to promote its
image around the world by hosting the latest international dancing competition. Although the
event was widely advertised, not many people participated in the competition.

The latest international dancing competition was held at the hotel, which is one of the most
well- known hotels in this region. The hotel spent a lot of money on advertising the event since
it wanted to enhance its international reputation; however, it failed to attract many people

From: University of Washington Bothell, https://www.uwb.edu/wacc/for- students/eslhandbook/coherence

 52

COHESION

Cohesion refers to the connection of sentences to one another, to the flow of a text, to the
ways in which a paragraph of separate sentences becomes a unified whole. In the prior
chapters, we discussed the role coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions,
conjunctive adverbs, and transitional phrases play in connecting clauses. They may signal
that the content in the second of two adjoining clauses contrasts with the content in the first.
But, while, however, and on the contrary all indicate contrast. Other connections commonly
signaled by conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs, and transitional phrases include addition,
result, time, concession, and reinforcement.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cohesive Devices

1. Repetition of a Key Term or Phrase

This helps to focus your ideas and to keep your reader on track.
Example:
The problem with contemporary art is that it is not easily understood by most people.
Contemporary art is deliberately abstract, and that means it leaves the viewer wondering what she is
looking at.

2. Synonyms
Synonyms are words that have essentially the same meaning, and they provide some variety in your
word choices, helping the reader to stay focused on the idea being discussed.
Example:

Myths narrate sacred histories and explain sacred origins. These traditional narratives are, in
short, a set of beliefs that are a very real force in the lives of the people who tell them.

3. Pronouns
This, that, these, those, he, she, it, they, and we are useful pronouns for referring back to something
previously mentioned. Be sure, however, that what you are referring to is clear.
Example:

When scientific experiments do not work out as expected, they are often considered failures until
some other scientist tries them again. Those that work out better the second time around are the
ones that promise the most rewards.
 53

4. Transitional Words
There are many words in English that cue our readers to relationships between sentences, joining
sentences together. See below for a table of transitional words. There you'll find lists of words such
as however, therefore, in addition, also, but, moreover, etc.
Example:

I like autumn, and yet autumn is a sad time of the year, too. The leaves turn bright shades of red and
the weather is mild, but I can't help thinking ahead to the winter and the ice storms that will surely
blow through here. In addition, that will be the season of chapped faces, too many layers of clothes
to put on, and days when I'll have to shovel heaps of snow from my car's windshield.

Note that transitional words have meaning and are not just used at beginnings of sentences. They
can also be used to show relationships between different parts of the same sentence. As mentioned
above they cue readers to relationships between sentences/clauses. If you use the wrong transitional
word then you confuse your reader. It would be better if you didn’t use any transitional word rather
than the wrong one. Furthermore you do not need a transitional word at the beginning of each
sentence. Good writers rarely use them as they achieve coherence by using other techniques. Many
students overuse transitional words. Your instructor will guide you as to what problems you may
have with transitions.

5. Sentence Patterns
Sometimes, repeated or parallel sentence patterns can help the reader follow along and keep ideas tied
together.
Example: (from a speech by President John F. Kennedy)

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for
your country.

Source: This page is located at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/general/gl_cohere.html

Copyright ©1995-2002 by OWL at Purdue University and Purdue University. All rights reserved.
 54

EXERCISE

Choose which phrase or sentence best completes the paragraph and makes it cohesive. Use the
italicized phrases to guide you in your choices.

1. The best thing about TV is that there is a variety of programmes. There are news programmes for
serious people. There are films and cartoons for people who want to be entertained.
The variety of TV programmes needs to be protected even if it means allowing some of
them to show violence.

A.People also enjoy watching baseball and football games.

B.There are baseball and football games for people who enjoy sports.
C.We can see baseball and football games, too.

2. I am responsible about my finances. Your records will show that I have always paid my credit
card bills on time. My makes me a desirable customer, and I
am sure you wouldn‟t want to lose my business.

A.punctuality
B.financial know-how
C.honesty

3. By the year 2050, the suburban population will have increased to almost 60% of the population of
the entire region. This will put heavy demands on public services.
The regional government will have to start making adjustments now in order to meet the

A.area A. people
B.number B. needs
C.growth C. services

4. Art brings beauty into our lives. It enriches us in many ways. It nourishes our minds. It nourishes
our spirits. . Without access to art, our lives would be greatly impoverished.

A. It is good for our bodies, too.

B. It also contributes to our physical health.
C. You could even say it nourishes our bodies.
55
 56

COHERENCE

Generally, the extent to which writing “flows” is referred to as coherence. Coherence is the
result of tying information in your writing together so that connections you have made in your
own mind are apparent to the reader. (You may hear this explicitness referred to as
“signposting.”) Especially in academic, professional, and technical communication in the
United States and in many international contexts, coherence specifically results from honoring
the given-new contract that you, as a writer, implicitly make with your readers. That is, your
readers will tend to expect that you will start with familiar information and then use that
information as a basis to lead them to new information. This implies that you need to make
solid assumptions about what your readers already know, since they will often expect you to
start at the level of their understanding.

Source: Pennsylvania State University, http://pwr.la.psu.edu/resources/graduate-writing

center/handouts/handouts1/Coherence%20in%20Academic%20 Writin%20Fall%202010.pdf
 57

For most people, when they get their first job, they have little idea whether or not they will
remain in the same organization throughout their working life. If they decide to change, they
need to consider how this will impact on their career overall.

People who stay with the same organization have the advantage of thoroughly understanding
how it works and also becoming familiar with the staff and processes. If they work hard, their
promotion prospects are good and there is likely to be greater job security, with the promise
of a good pension when they retire. Employers value loyalty and may offer additional
incentives to long-term employees, including bonuses and reward schemes.

However, one of the drawbacks of staying with the same organisation is that the person may
get stuck doing the same job year after year. In some cases, this can lead to boredom and
disillusionment. Moving from one organisation to another can be a strategic decision in order
to have variety and acquire a range of skills and experience. A friend of my father started out
as a sociology teacher, he then joined the Social Services and is currently managing a care
home in Western Australia. This has made him incredibly knowledgeable in a range of related
fields and, in my view, has provided him with a much more interesting working life.

Although there are benefits to working for one organisation, I feel that it is also valuable for
an employee to be able to offer a wide range of experience having worked for different
companies. As long as it is planned carefully, I feel that change is good and will ultimately
benefit the employee and the employer.

(281 words)
 58

The coherence of this essay: Match the right details to the each topic.

if they change, what’s the impact / discuss both sides

people / same organisation
give suggestion (plan carefully) + emphasise the benefits of changing
promotion and job security/pension
stay with the same organisation
people with job want to change it / is this
good? doing the same job
understand works, staff,
processes boredom &
disillusionment
+ change company
+ same company
being loyal to the boss = get more bonuses &
rewards have variety, skills & experience
example of father’s friend + personal comment
general idea + personal = good to change to have experience

INTRODUCTION
Hook: background / argument over the background
________________________________________________________________________________
Controlling idea: tell the readers the propose of this essay
________________________________________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1: _______________________________________________________________
Topic sentence: __________________________________________________________________
Benefit 1: _______________________________________________________________________
Benefit 2: _______________________________________________________________________
Benefit 3: _______________________________________________________________________
Body paragraph 2: _______________________________________________________________
Topic sentence: __________________________________________________________________
Opposite result 1: ________________________________________________________________
Opposite result 2: ________________________________________________________________
Benefit 1: _______________________________________________________________________
Supporting idea: _________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
Topic sentence: __________________________________________________________________
Supporting idea: _________________________________________________________________
 59

Additional Practices for Coherence and Cohesion

60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
 74

CHAPTER 9
WRITING STATIC GRAPH

Revise:

What is static graph?

1. Containing data points to either a single time frame or have no time reference at all
2. Comparing data among different categories
 What are the highest/lowest values?
 What are the most noticeable differences?
 Any similarities?
 Any significant exceptions?

Example:
 75

Revise: Introduction, Overview statement, Details

Fill in the blank and discuss the functions of each paragraph and sentence

that respectively for example how but

which meanwhile whereas and

Paragraph 1 The three pie charts show ………………. many articles from
S.1 Introduction academic journals are read weekly by PhD students ……………….
junior lecturers compared to other students at an Australian university.
Paragraph 2 It is clear ………………. those students who are researching for a
S.2 Summarising statement PhD read more articles than both junior lecturers and other students.
(also functions as a topic ………………., the overwhelming majority of those studying
sentence) doctorates read at least twelve articles per week in comparison with the
S.3 Detail 1 supporting s.1 average student. The figures were 80 per cent and twelve per cent
S.4 Detail 2 supporting s.2 ……………….. Furthermore, only five per cent of PhD level students
S.5 Detail 3 more detail relating read between one and five articles, ………………. the average for all
to s.1 with comparison to another students in this category is a hefty 67 per cent.
group
Paragraph 3 ………………., for junior lecturers the pattern appears to be
S.6 Contrasting point slightly different. Most read six or more articles per week (99 per
(also functions as a topic cent), ………………. out of this total 24 per cent read twelve or more,
sentence) ………………. is almost a third of the corresponding figure for PhD
S.7 Detail 4 supporting s.6 level students.

From writing modal answer, which are general and specific statements?

General: …………………….. Specific:…………………...

76
77
78
79
80
 81

The chart provides information about how two age groups participate in several clubs at a centre for
adults. In general, the younger age group is significantly/ almost/ noticeably more involved in the
various societies than the 45-65 year-olds.

In addition to/ What’s more/ Furthermore we can see from the data that the archaeological, keep fit,
and social clubs are popular with both older and younger people. While/ However/ By contrast, the
historical and arts and crafts societies clearly appeal more to one of the age groups.

In the historical society, 50 of the members are between 45 and 65, but/while/however there are only
25 from the younger age group. For the arts and crafts society, the pattern is reversed. There are about
60 members aged between 20 and 30, but/ whereas / in comparison with the number of people in the
45 to 65 age group is far/ slightly/ considerably lower. The keep fit and social clubs are popular with
both age groups, however/ but/ although there are slightly fewer older people. Membership of the
archeological society stands at 45 for both groups.
82
 83

The chart shows the percentage of people aged 65 and over in the United States between 1900 and
2000. In the year 1900 just over 4% of the population was (be) aged over 65. However, by 1960 this
figure ………..….…. (double).

The number of people aged between 75 and 84 ………….…. (remain) fairly steady between 1900 and
1930 , making up only 1-1.3% of the population. The figure ……..………….(begin) to rise more
significantly in 1940 and by 1970 it ……………..…. (triple) to reach 3% of the population.

Although there ………(be) no change in the number of people aged 65-74 between 1960 and 1970,
the number of people aged 75 and over …..………… (increase) during this time. By the year 2000,
12.4% of the US population ………………. (reach) the age of 65 or more, although this was slightly
lower than in 1990 when it ………….……. (peak) at 12.6%

The chart shows that today people in the United States can expect to live longer than in 1900. By the
year 2000 more than 12% of the population ……….……….. (manage) to live to the age of 65 and
over compared to only 4.1% in 1900.
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Fill in the blank by using phrases from the box below.

married women in the 24 to 44 age group aged 45 to 64 the same age do aged 24 to
44 the greatest number of aged 45 to 64 a summary of average three times longer

The chart provides …………………………. the average number of hours married men and women
work every day both inside and outside of the home.

In both age groups shown, the total number of hours worked by …………………is greater than the
total number of hours worked by men. Whilst women …………..…….may work fewer hours inside
the home, they work ……………………….. hours per day due to the extra hours of paid work that
they do. Men ………………………….. spend only slightly more time working outside of the home
than men ……………………….., but this figure is significantly higher than the number of hours of
paid work that women of ………………………………....

Women ………………………….. work almost as many hours inside the home as outside, and there
is only a slight difference in the 45 to 64 age group. However, men work on
…………………………….. outside of the home than inside.
(171 words)
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Fill in the blank by using phrases from the box below.

a notable increase some similarities significant differences the largest proportion

roughly the same a great difference accounting for just a significant rise
compared to only

The two pie charts give information about household expenditure on goods and services in 1920 and
2000. It is immediately obvious that there are some quite …………………………between the two
charts.

In 2000, …………………….. of expenditure was on recreation and other items whereas in 1920 it
was on food, with recreation and other items …………………………….7.7%. There is
……………………..in terms of food expenditure between the two years. In 1920, nearly 72% of the
total household budget went towards food, …………………………. 22% in 2000. There has been
………………….. in the amount of money spent on travelling and communications between the two
dates. In addition, the charts show …………………………….in the proportion of money spent on
clothing in 2000 compared to 1920.

There are………………………., however. For example, in both 1920 and 2000, the proportion of
fuel and lighting expenditure was ……………………………...
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(157 words)
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CHAPTER 10
WRITING TASK 2: BUILDING SKILLS 1
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CHAPTER 11
WRITING TASK 1: DIAGRAM & MAP
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CHAPTER 12
WRITING TASK 2: CAUSES AND SOLUTION
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CHAPTER 13
WRITING TASK 2: FINAL PRACTICE
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