WRITING TASK 1

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Lesson Objectives:
After the lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand Writing Task 1 requirements
- Know common types of charts/graphs in Writing Task 1
- Understand two key features in producing a Writing Task 1 essay:
Structure and Language
- Practice the process of making an outline

1. TASK DESCRIPTION
• The task is to describe what you see. Write a report. Don’t give
opinions.
• No conclusion. Instead write a summary (the overview).

2. TYPES OF CHARTS
Question types:
• Line graph
• Bar chart
• Pie chart
• Table
• Diagram
• Map
• Process
Note: The first 4 types (with numbers): you need to learn language
describing figure, compare numbers in a sentence, changes/trends
(increase/decrease language)

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3. TASK SAMPLE
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The table below gives information about changes in modes of travel in
England between 1985 and 2000.
Describe the information in the table and make comparisons where
appropriate.
Write at least 150 words.

4. STRUCTURE

Model Essay:
The chart shows average distances that people in England travelled
using different forms of transport in the years 1985 and 2000.

It is clear that the total number of miles travelled by English people

using all modes of transport increased significantly between 1985 and
2000. The car was by far the most used form of transport in both
years.

In 1985, the average person travelled 3,199 miles by car, and this rose
to 4,806 miles in the year 2000. The figures for miles travelled by train,
long distance bus, taxi and other modes also increased from 1985 to

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2000. Travel by taxi saw the most significant change, with more than a
threefold increase from 13 miles per person per year in 1985 to 42
miles in 2000.

There was a fall in the average distances for three forms of transport,
namely walking, bicycle and local bus. In 1985, English people walked
an average of 255 miles, but this figure fell by 18 miles in 2000. Bicycle
use fell from 51 to 41 miles over the period shown, while the biggest
downward change was in the use of local buses, with average miles
per person falling from 429 to 274 over the 15-year period.

Read the sample and answer these questions:

1. How many paragraphs are there?
2. How many sentences are there in each paragraph?
3. What is the function of each paragraph?

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Analyse the structure:
INTRODUCTION
The chart shows average distances that people in England travelled
using different forms of transport in the years 1985 and 2000.

OVERVIEW
It is clear that the total number of miles travelled by English people using
all modes of transport increased significantly between 1985 and 2000.
The car was by far the most used form of transport in both years.

BODY PARAGRAPH 1
In 1985, the average person travelled 3,199 miles by car, and this rose
to 4,806 miles in the year 2000. The figures for miles travelled by train,
long distance bus, taxi and other modes also increased from 1985 to
2000. Travel by taxi saw the most significant change, with more than a
threefold increase from 13 miles per person per year in 1985 to 42 miles
in 2000.

BODY PARAGRAPH 2
There was a fall in the average distances for three forms of transport,
namely walking, bicycle and local bus. In 1985, English people walked
an average of 255 miles, but this figure fell by 18 miles in 2000. Bicycle
use fell from 51 to 41 miles over the period shown, while the biggest
downward change was in the use of local buses, with average miles per
person falling from 429 to 274 over the 15-year period.

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[Link]
Find the phrases in the following 7 Task 1 language groups:
1. Language for Change
2. Language for Compare
3. Language for Describing figures
4. Language for Time
5. Language for Future
6. Language for Paraphrase
7. Common structures

Model Essay:
The chart shows average distances that people in England travelled
using different forms of transport in the years 1985 and 2000.

It is clear that the total number of miles travelled by English people

using all modes of transport increased significantly between 1985 and
2000. The car was by far the most used form of transport in both
years.

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 In 1985, the average person travelled 3,199 miles by car, and this
rose to 4,806 miles in the year 2000. The figures for miles travelled by
train, long distance bus, taxi and other modes also increased from
1985 to 2000. Travel by taxi saw the most significant change, with
more than a threefold increase from 13 miles per person per year in
1985 to 42 miles in 2000.

There was a fall in the average distances for three forms of transport,
namely walking, bicycle and local bus. In 1985, English people
walked an average of 255 miles, but this figure fell by 18 miles in
2000. Bicycle use fell from 51 to 41 miles over the period shown,
while the biggest downward change was in the use of local buses,
with average miles per person falling from 429 to 274 over the 15-
year period.

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[Link] AN OUTLINE

The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about

consumption of energy in the USA since 1980 with projections until
2030.
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features,
and making comparisons where relevant.

What are the most outstanding features in the chart?

+ the most consumed energy sources was always fossil fuel (petrol and
oil)
+ renewable energy (solar/wind, hydropower) were least used in the US
+ consumption of all sources is predicted to increase

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Find 2-3 outstanding features of the chart. This will help you write the
OVERVIEW paragraph.
How to group the data into two paragraphs?
+ 1st body paragraph: petrol and oil, coal and natural gas
+ 2nd body paragraph: nuclear, solar/wind, hydropower
There can be several ways to group the data. When grouping the data, it
is important to consider the length of the paragraphs.

What should you write in the 1 st body paragraph? (about petrol &
oil, coal and natural gas)
+ Petrol and Oil were consumed the most (35q) in 1980, the
consumption rose to approximately 40q (2008) is set to reach nearly 50q
(2030).
+ Natural gas and coal came in second and third, with around 20q and
16q respectively (1980).
+ Coal overtook natural gas in 1990 and is set to be the second most
used fuel in 2030 (just over 30q).
+ It is predicted that natural gas will level off at about 25q.

What should you write in the 2nd body paragraph? (about nuclear,
solar/wind and hydropower)
+ Nuclear and the renewable energies: 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.
+ hydropower is predicted to drop and then remain constant at
approximately 2q.
The more detailed you plan, the easier it is to write the body paragraphs.

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WHAT ARE 3 GUIDING QUESTIONS IN MAKING AN OUTLINE FOR
A TASK 1 ESSAY?

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 TAKE-HOME LESSONS

The task is to describe what you see. Write a report. Don’t give
opinions.
No conclusion. Instead write a summary (the overview).

Question types:
1. Line graph
2. Bar chart
3. Pie chart
4. Table
5. Diagram
6. Map
7. Process

The first four question types (with numbers): describe figure, compare
numbers in a sentence, changes/trends (increase/decrease language)

3 main tasks:

- Describe changes
- Describe figures
- Make comparisons

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ESSAY STRUCTURE
4 paragraphs:
1. Introduction
2. Overview/Summary
3. Details
4. Details

1. Introduction: one sentence: paraphrase the question: take the

question, go through it bit by bit, try to change key words

2. Overview: 2 sentences: The main, general things: look for 2 main

points: overall trend, the highest/lowest (Don’t desribe figures)

3+4. Details: This is where you include numbers and do comparisons,

describe trends

Why 2 paragraphs?: This makes you organise or “group” the information

better.

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(for example: higher numbers in one paragraph and lower numbers in
the other, the first half of the period in paragraph 3 and the second half
of the period in paragraph 4) => boost score Coherence and Cohesion,
make your structure better.

No conclusion!

MAKING AN OUTLINE
3 Guiding questions:
• What are the most outstanding features in the chart?
Find 2-3 outstanding features of the chart. This will help you write
the OVERVIEW paragraph.
• How to group the data into two paragraphs?
There can be several ways to group the data. When grouping the
data, it is important to consider the length of the paragraphs.
• What should you write in the 1st body paragraph? What
should you write in the 2nd body paragraph?
The more detailed you plan, the easier it is to write the body
paragraphs.

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 LANGUAGE

1. Language for Change

2. Language for Compare
3. Language for Describing
figures
4. Language for Time
5. Language for Future
6. Language for Paraphrase
7. Common structures

HOMEWORK:

1. Write a Line graph essay based on the given outline on pages 8,9.

2.

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