Graphs, Charts, tables -Written expressions -IELTS

     Writing Task 1 (Academic) at IELTS

http://www.ieltsbuddy.com/ielts-practice.html 

Lesson 1: Describing a Graph Over Time
This important lesson shows you what you must do to properly describe a graph or chart that has a period of time.

Lesson 2: Describing an IELTS Pie Chart
In this lesson you'll learn how to write about a pie chart, with tips on how to best organize your answer and advice on the language to use.

Lesson 3: Describing an IELTS Process
In this lesson you'll learn how to describe an IELTS process diagram, with information about organizing your answer and using the passive voice.

Lesson 4: Describing two graphs together
Sometimes you get two graphs to describe together. This lessons shows you how to organize your answer if you do.

Lesson 6: Gap Fill - Bar Chart
This lesson is a gap fill in order to help you practice the language of comparison, contrast and percentages.

TASK_10.  Analyse a table

 The following table gives statistics showing the aspects of quality of life in five countries.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the table below. Draw cultural conclusions from the reality behind the info.

         Table: The Quality of Life in Four Countries

Country	GNP per head  (1982: US dollars)	Daily calorie supply  per head	Life expectancy at birth  (years)	Infant mortality   (per 1000  live births
Bangladesh Bolivia Egypt Indonesia USA	140    570    690    580 13.160	1877 2086 2950 2296 3653	40 50 56 49 74	132 124 97 87 12

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• As with all graphs and charts, when describing tables:
  • Do not describe all the data presented - present the main points of each feature (you should make sure you mention each feature though)
  • Look for significant data; e.g. the highest, the lowest etc
  • Try and group the data.  This may require you to use some general knowledge about the world, such as recognising developed and developing countries
• What is the table measuring?
• What type of language do you need to use (Change? Comparing and contrasing?)
• What tense would you use?
• Which country has the best quality of life and which has the worst?
• What information could you use for an overview / conclusion?
• How could you group the information?
• How many paragraphs would you have and what you would write about in each one?

The groups chosen that are similar are grouped together into paragraphs.

The language is focused on the language of comparison and contrast as the table is not over time. The compare and contrast structures have been highlighted so you can see how they are used.

Sample Answer

The table uses four economic indicators from GNP and Daily calorie supply per head to Life expectancy at birth to Infant mortality in order to show the standard of living in five selected countries in 1982 spanning across the globe,  belonging to the three continents. All criteria can be mingled along the idea of "more is better", but is it really so? 

Overall, it can be seen that the quality of life in the USA was far higher than the other four countries. To begin, the USA, which is a developed country, had the highest GNP as expected at over 13,000 dollars per head.  It also had a much higher daily calorie intake and life expectancy, and the lowest rate of infant mortality. The other developing countries had quality of life ratings that were significantly lower.  

The range of indicators for Egypt, Indonesia and Bolivia were similar, with Egypt having the highest quality of life amongst the three.  However, the infant mortality rate in Egypt’s was slightly higher than Indonesia’s at almost a hundred deaths per 1000 compared to 78 in Indonesia.  

Bangladesh had by far the lowest quality of life in all the indicators.  Its GNP was one hundred times smaller than the USA’s.  Its calorie intake and life expectancy were about half those of the USA, and its infant mortality rate was 10 times greater.  

As a way of conclusion, we can gather .....