©2015 Paul Read Describing Diagrams in Part One /sizes/z/in/photostream/

©2014 Paul Read Describing Diagrams in Part One What kind of information is contained in a diagram? What makes a good answer? How to plan an answer Worked example Extra practice

What kind of information is contained in a diagram? Usually a process, such as how something works, or two maps showing the same place in two times All kinds deal with ideas of “before” and “after” or how things change over time ©2015 Paul Read

What makes a good answer? The reader must understand the main points of the diagram and what it wants to show You must select the main features: don’t write about everything. Choose 2 or 3 important facts Write a short introduction to explain what the diagram shows, without copying from the question Write a sentence to summarize the general information contained in the diagram ©2015 Paul Read

How to plan an answer Spend a few minutes looking carefully at the diagram. If it’s a process, you will probably need to describe each stage of the process. If it’s a map, you need to look at how the maps are different. Write a brief paragraph to explain to the reader what the writing is about – do not copy the information from the question You will probably need to use the passive voice to describe a process, and language of comparison for a map. Choose a logical place to start describing the process and continue from there. Remember to include a short summary of the whole diagram and don’t speculate about why things are as they are ©2015 Paul Read

Worked Example ©2015 Paul Read The diagram shows the lifecycle of a species of insect. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and making comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Nymph – immature form of an insect Moult = shed or lose old feathers, hair or skin to allow for new growth

Worked Example - Introduction ©2015 Paul Read The diagram shows how a particular insect changes over its life cycle.

Worked Example – Main Body 1 ©2015 Paul Read The cycle begins when a female insect lays its eggs. These eggs are laid in groups of 1 or 2 every 3 days. After 9 or 10 days thee eggs hatch and a baby insect emerges from the egg as a miniature form of the adult insect.

Worked Example – Main Body 2 ©2015 Paul Read This immature insect, called a “nymph”, loses its skin three times during the process of growing, in order to create space to grow. This is a process called moulting. The total period of growth lasts about 21 days from hatching.

Worked Example – Main Body 3 and Summary ©2015 Paul Read After this, the young adult form finally emerges, and lives for 4 days until it reaches its final, mature state. At this point the female forms of the adult lay eggs and the life cycle repeats itself. In general, the whole lifecycle of the insect takes about 34 to 36 days.

Extra Practice Go to The English Site website to find another table writing practice exercise Look at some student answers to the exercise and read my comments on these answers ©2015 Paul Read