Map structure

Paragraph 1 – paraphrase sentence

paraphrase question using synonyms

Paragraph 2 – Overview

Make two general statements

 Describe the maps generally and write about the most noticeable differences between the
two maps
 Ask yourself the following questions to identify general changes:
 Is the map more or less residential?
 Is there more or less countryside?
 Are there more or fewer trees?
 Were the changes dramatic or negligible?
 Were there any major infrastructure improvements?
 How have the buildings and leisure facilities changed?

Paragraph 3 – Main body 1

2 to 3 sentences about specific changes that have occurred

Paragraph 4 – Main body 2

2 to 3 sentences about specific changes that have occurred

You can group information in paragraphs 3 and 4 by time or location, depending on the
question asked

Buildings – demolished, knocked down, flattened, replaced, renovated, built, constructed,

Trees and Forests – cleared, cut down, chopped down, removed, planted

Roads, bridges and railways lines – constructed, built, extended, expanded, removed

Leisure facilities – opened, set up, developed

The two maps below show an island, before and after the construction of some tourist
facilities.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The two maps below given illustrate the before and after of an island which proposed
redevelopment for tourism proposes.

Overall, as can be seen, the island experienced complete changes. Before redevelopment, it was
empty without any basic facilities. After the reconstruction, it transformed into a more rural area
with some sort amount of amenities that are needed for tourism.

To begin, the green areas with some trees, have remained while a restaurant and a reception are
constructed in the centre of the island. Moreover, on the west side, the beach has remained and a
swimming area is added as well.

Looking at the west and east side of the restaurant and the reception, some accommodations are
installed for tourists. Furthermore, a footpath are added all around the village to make more access
for visitors. Just to the south of the reception, tow boats and a pier are established for
entertainment reasons.
Chart question

1. Line chart
2. Bar chart
3. Pie chart
4. Proportional Bar chart

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Sentence 1 – Paraphrase question

Paragraph 2 – Overview

Sentence 1 – overview of first main feature

Sentence 2 – overview of second main feature

Sentence 3 – make general comparison, if appropriate

 Overview is a general statement highlighting the most important information in the table
 Not include any numbers , just a summary of the main features
 Examiner tests your ability to identify the most important information and then
summarise it.
 Able to include general trends, increase/decreases, differences, comparisons

Paragraph 3/4 – Details of significant feature 1/2

Sentence 1 – Supporting details

Sentence 2 - Supporting details

Sentence 3 - Supporting details/comparison/details/exceptions, if appropriate

Things that you should be looking for include:

 High/low values
 Erratic values
 Biggest increase/decrease
 Volatile date
 Unchanging data
 Biggest majority/minority
 Biggest difference/similarities
 Major trends
 Notable exceptions
Line graph question

The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about energy consumption in the USA
since 1980, with projections until 2030.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making
comparisons where relevant.

The line graph shows the energy consumption by fuel type in the United States from 1980-2008,
with projected use until 2030.

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, and despite small projected gains, they are projected to continue doing so.

Petrol and Oil command the biggest share with 35 quadrillion units (35q) in 1980, rising to
approximately 40q in 2008, and this trend is set to continue with a projected value of nearly 50q in
2030. In 1980 natural gas and coal came in second and third, with around 16q and 20q, respectively.
However, coal overtook natural gas in 1990 and, despite some fluctuation, is et to be the second
most used fuel in 2030 with just over 30q. it is predicted that natural gas will level off and remain
relatively constant at about 25q.

Nuclear and renewable energies all represented around 4q in 1980 and fluctuated up until 2008. It is
speculated that nuclear energy will reach 10q by 2030 and solar/wind around 5q, with hydropower
dropping and then remaining constant at approximately 2q.
Bar chart question

The bar chart below shows the number of employed persons by job type and sex for Australia
last year.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The bar graph provides statistics about how many people were employed according to their
professions depending on gender in Australia last year. Units are measured in thousands of people.

Looking from an overall perspective, it is readily apparent that the trends for men were generally
higher than women in virtually every occupation, except in professional jobs and clerical.

Moving to a more detailed analysis, male managers showed 3 times higher numbers than female
directors respectively 600 and 200, while semi-professionals and labourers experienced the same
discrepancy between sexes, at nearly 400 and approximately 500 for the first and at precisely 400
and slightly under 300 for the latter.

In terms of other professions, the figures for tradespeople had the highest difference between
ladies and gentlemen with exact numbers at 900 and 400, whereas the proportions for production
witnessed the second highest discrepancy at 550 for men and 100 for women. Females who worked
in clerical had the highest data at roughly 1000, followed by males at almost 900 for a similar job.
Pie chart question

The charts below give information on the ages of the populations of Yemen and Italy in 2000
and projections for 2050.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The pie charts compare the proportion of Italian and Yemeni citizens in three age groups in 2000
and projections for 2050.

It is clear that Yemen had the younger population in the year 2000, and the same is predicted for
the year 2050. The populations of both countries are predicted to get older over 50 year period.

In 2000 just over half the Yemeni population were under 14, compared to just over 14% of Italians in
the same age group. Only a very small percentage of people in Yemen were over 60 at 3.6%, in
contrast to nearly a quarter of the Italian population. The largest group for Italy was the 15-59-
year-olds with just over 60% while Yemen had 46.3% of its population in this category.

Yemen’s average age is set to increase with the proportion of over 60s increasing by just over 2%
and the middle group rising by 11%, leaving the youngest group with a decrease of nearly 13%. It is
envisaged that by 2050 the number of people in Italy over 60 will jump to 42.3%, the percentage of
those in the youngest bracket will drop to 11.5% and the share in the middle category will decrease
to 46.2%.
Proportional Bar question

The bar chart shows the number of overseas students enrolled in a third year Computer
Science course at a Canadian college.

Summarise the information by selecting and report in the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The bar chart depicts how many international students joined at a Canadian college in the
Computer Science course.

Form an overall perspective; several Chinese students were higher as compared other nations’
students. On the other hand, students of France were at least at a Canadian college.

At first glance, female students of Singapore, Malaysia, and China were more than male students of
these countries. In terms of Chinese students, seven female students enrolled in the network core,
whereas only 2 of them joined the database core option. However, several boys enrolled in the
database core were 7, while one boy chose a networking core option. Regarding Malaysian students,
girls who enrolled in networking core were six times than the boys. In contrast, three boys joined
the database core compared to only one girl.

Moving further, the number of female Singaporean students was five times that of males who
pursed database core options. The total girls of Sri Lanka were twice than of boys in a Canadian
college, and the number of boys was eight and only four girls. It is surprising to see that all girls in
France joined the database core option. Male students from France were two. One chose a
networking option, and the other one in the database core.
Multiple question

Paragraph 1 – Introduction

Sentence 1 – Paraphrase question sentences

 two question sentences and combine them into one sentence by using ‘and’ or ‘while’
 Produce a complex sentence and gain points for grammatical range and accuracy

Paragraph 2 – Overview

Sentence 2/3 – overview of two of the main features from graph number 1/2

Sentence 4 - overview of any comparisons if necessary (optional)

Paragraph 3 – Details

Sentence 5/6 – Details of first/second main feature of graph number 1

Paragraph 4 – Details

Sentence 7/8 – Details of first/second main feature of graph number 2

Sentence 9 - Details of any comparisons (if any)

1. Writing too much

 you only have 20 minutes to answer task 1 questions and you therefore don’t have
time to write about everything
 the question asks you to ‘summarise’ and ‘report the main features’, therefore you
have to pick only a few features and report them
➢ pick 2 of the most obvious features from each graph and limit yourself to writing
about these things and these things only.

2. Not grouping information into paragraphs

 get confused between the multiple pieces of data in the question and group data
from different graphs into one paragraph
➢ don’t write about both graphs in one paragraph

3. Making comparisons

 there will be a relevant comparison to make, but in some questions there will not
 spend too long looking for a comparison
➢ don’t notice a obvious comparison → stop looking for one and don’t write about one
Multiple question

The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less productive.
The table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world during the 1990s.

The pie chart illustrates the percentage of different factors causing degraded land around the world
and the table presents those factors in 3 separate continents from 1990 to 1999.

It is clear that the main reason for worldwide land degradation was over-grazing by types of cattle,
followed by deforestation. Besides, Europe took up the largest proportion of total land degraded,
while the opposite was true for North America.

As can be seen, over-grazing was recorded to be at the top of the list with 35%, yet the fraction of
deforestation made up 30%. Moreover, over-cultivating was also a big problem causing damage to
the soil as it accounted for 28%, compared to only 7% for other reasons.

Regarding some regions in the world, Europe had the biggest figure for the total of land broken
down, at 23%, in comparison with only 5% in North America. Additionally, while deforestation was
the principal factor in Europe with 9.8%, it was true for over-grazing in Oceania with 11.3%. As well,
over-cultivation in North America comprised 3.3%, but no data for that was found in Oceania.
Process question

5 step plan

1. Understand the process. Find the start and the end of the process. Count how many
stages there are and understand what each stage does and the relationship it has with
the stage before and after it.
 The examiner knows that you have probably never seen this process before and
you have only 20 minutes to write about it
 You can quickly understand any process by asking yourself these questions:
- Where does the process start and where does it end?
- How many stages are there?
- Is it a man-made process or natural process?
- Is it a cyclical or linear process?
- Are there any materials that need to be added to the process?
- What is produced?
- What does each stage of the process do?
- What are the relationships between each stage?
2. Paraphrase the question.
 Question 1: The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis
➔ The illustration demonstrates how plants produce energy from sunlight.
 Question 2: The diagram below shows how electricity is produced in a nuclear
power station.
➔ The illustration below shows the process of how nuclear power plants make
electricity.
3. Describe what is happening generally in 2 sentences. This is your overview paragraph
and I will show you how to write this in more detail below.
 Most important paragraph in the whole essay
 Answers to questions used in first step will allow you to form 2 overview
sentences:
4. Divide the process in two and write two separate paragraphs detailing each stage of
the process.
 Tell the examiner about each stage in more detail. You can:
- Say what each stage does
- What it produces
- If any materials are added
- And/or discuss the relationship with the previous or subsequent stages
5. Check your work.
 Try to leave 3-4 minutes at the end to check and improve your work
 Better to try and get everything done in 15 minutes and then check and refine
your work
Process question

The diagram below show the stages and equipment used in the cement-making process, and
how cement is used to produce concrete for building purposes.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

The diagrams illustrate the phases and apparatus to make cement and how cement is utilized in the
production of concrete for construction.

The production of cement involves a 5 stage, linear process that begins with the mixing of raw
materials and culminates in the packaging of new cement. Making concrete is a simpler process that
involves mixing four ingredients in a concrete mixer.

Limestone and clay are crushed and the resulting powder is then mixed before being passed
through a rotating heater. Once heated this mixture travels over a conveyor belt and is ground
through a grinder. Now that the cement has been produced, it is packaged and transported to a
building site where it can be used to make concrete.

Concrete is made up of half gravel, quarter sand, 10% water and 15% cement. All of these are
added together in a cylindrical drum and rotated until concrete is yielded.