1. DATA ANALYSIS
WRITING TASK 1
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2. Mohd. Khairul bin Abu Sufi
English Language Division
CELPAD
International Islamic University Malaysia

3. Agenda Introduction Planning Vocabulary Input Sentence Patterns
Answering Task 1
Students’ Errors
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4. 1 INTRODUCTION
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5. BAND 6
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6. Task 1 … how do I attempt it?
When writing Task 1 bear these in mind:
Task Fulfillment
answer the question completely
UNDERSTAND THE TASK!
Coherence
use sequencing words e.g. Firstly, Secondly, Finally
Vocabulary
use a wide range, appropriate and academic
Sentence Structure
be concise but not simplistic
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7. continued Language Input: Tenses used to describe charts
Use present tense to describe the chart.
Use past tense to describe things in the chart that have passed.
Use present perfect to describe issues that have started in the past up until today.
Use the future tense for information after today.
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8. 2 PLANNING YOUR ESSAY
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9. Preparation for Task 1 Identify the OVERALL trend (if any)
REMEMBER THAT NOT ALL GRAPHS CONTAIN TRENDS
Graph 1
Graph 2
Identify the main trends for each mode (if any)
Identify any large increases or decreases.
Group information, if possible! Graph
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10. Trend or no trend?
The graph below illustrates the number of Roti Canai eaten for breakfast by Br. Martunis , Abdallah and Hakim on four different days last week.
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11. Trend or no trend?
The following graph illustrates Sr. Sahara, Huda and Amel’s shopping expenditure for different personal items during this month’s “Mega Sale Carnival”.
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12. Grouping Information / Data
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13. Preparation for Task 1 Are there any clear and consistent directions?
Are there any changes?
Does anything seem particularly significant?
Are there any clear relationships between modes or percentages?
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14. 3 VOCABULARY INPUT
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15. Useful Vocabulary Trend Verbs Adjectives Adverbs
Comparatives and Superlatives
Approximations
No Trends
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16. Trend Verbs increase decrease fluctuate incline decline unstable grow
rocketed
slump
plunge
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17. Adjectives Describing the degree of change
There was a slight increase in the value of the Ringgit.
dramatic
sharp
huge
enormous
steep
substantial
considerable
significant
marked
moderate
slight
small
minimal
Describing the speed of change
There was a rapid increase in the value of the Ringgit.
rapid
quick
swift
sudden
steady
gradual
slow
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18. Adverb Describing the degree of change Describing the speed of change
dramatically
sharply
enormously
steeply
substantially
considerably
significantly
markedly
moderately
slightly
minimally
Describing the speed of change
rapidly
quickly
swiftly
suddenly
steadily
gradually
slowly
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19. Vocabulary for NO TREND(S)
fell by halved
a quarter a third doubled rose by
tripled
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20. A word of caution…
When pairing trend verbs / nouns with either adverbs / adjectives, ensure that the pairing is suitable.
dramatic plateau
sharp slump
plunged slightly
rocketed swiftly
marked fluctuation
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21. Comparatives and Superlatives
the biggest
larger
more expensive
worse
the least
better
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22. Approximations around one third about half more than 100
less than half
approximately
just under
over
slightly over
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23. Exercise
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24. 4 SENTENCE PATTERN
(Describing Trends)
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25. Verbs vs Nouns Verbs Nouns Actions Quantity is not involved
Inflect based on TIME
Things
Countable / Uncountable
Inflect based on QUANTITY
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26. Sentence Pattern 1 (describing trends)
There + verb to be + article + adj + noun
There was a slight decrease in the number of tourists to Penang.
There was a slightly decreased in the number of tourists to Penang.
verb adverb verb
article
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27. Sentence Pattern 2 (describing trends)
[subject] + transitive verb + article + adj + noun
The number of tourists to Penang experienced a slight decrease.
The number of tourists to Penang was a slight decrease.
verb (to be)
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28. Sentence Pattern 3 (describing trends)
verb + adverb
The number of tourists to Penang decreased slightly in 2011.
The number of tourists to Penang was a slight fluctuation in 2011.
adjective
noun verb (to be)
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29. Sentence Pattern 4 (describing trends)
adverb + verb
The number of tourists to Penang slightly decreased in 2011.
The number of tourists to Penang slight fluctuated in 2011.
adjective
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30. 5 ANSWERING TASK 1
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31. Commuter Transport in London
Task 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below shows the different modes of commuter transport used in London in 1960, 1980 and 2000.
Commuter Transport in London
Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown. You should write at least 150 words.
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32. Plan! Read the question carefully.
Understand the visual presented to you.
Type of graph
Static or dynamic
Axis
MEASUREMENT
Group information together.
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33. Introduction
The introductory paragraph states the main purpose of the chart, written in paraphrase using the writer's own words.
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34. Model answer for Introduction
The vertical bar graph shows the changing patterns in commuting by train, car, tube or bus for commuters  in London in the years 1960, 1980 and Overall, it can be seen that commuter figures were erratic for all transport types throughout the 3 years.   
Introductory Sentence
Overall View
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35. Analysis 1: train
The second paragraph describes the data for the use of trains given in the chart, written in the writer's own words.
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36. Model answer for Analysis 1
BODY:
Firstly, the number of people who used trains was somewhat unstable as it ranged from slightly under 20% to 30% in the three years with the highest percentage recorded in 1980.
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37. Analysis 2: the Tube
The third paragraph describes the data for the use of the tube given in the chart, written in the writer's own words.
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38. Model answer for Analysis 2
BODY:
Next, the usage of the tube was relatively stable, as it made up a total number of around 20% to 30% of commuters throughout the three stated years.
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39. Analysis 3: cars and buses
The fourth paragraph describes the data for the use of cars and buses given in the chart, written in the writer's own words.
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40. Model answer for Analysis 3
BODY:
To continue, the percentage of car commuters increased steadily from just over 5% in 1960 reaching almost 40% by 2000, whereas in contrast, those for buses declined since 1960, falling from just under 35% to a low of 15% in 2000.
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41. Conclusion
The concluding paragraph summarizes the main findings of the chart, written in the writer's own words.
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42. Model answer for Conclusion
In conclusion, the graph indicates that the usage of cars, for commuting to work, grew throughout the three stated years, as well as the corresponding decline in the usage of buses from the years 1960 to 2000.
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43. Answer analysis
The text above given in the model answer consists of 161 words in a few paragraphs which describe the data in the chart.  These paragraphs can be further analyzed as comprising:
Introduction
Figures on the use of trains
Figures on the use of the tube
Figures on the use of cars and buses
Conclusion
Body
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44. 6 STUDENTS’ ERRORS
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45. Common error 1 Not understanding the data presented
Students do not correctly understand the data in the charts
Look at the following example
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46. Example Error 1 “40 people were unemployed in Malaysia in 2010”
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47. Explanation: Students often do not carefully read the labels
e.g. student writes ‘250 people were unemployed in Kuala Lumpur in 2010' , when they should have written ‘250 thousand people were unemployed in Kuala Lumpur in 2010'
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48. Common error 2 Not ‘translating' note form to grammatical English
Students often write the labels or titles directly as they appear in the chart. However, these are usually in ‘note form', so need to be changed into grammatically correct English in your writing.
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49. ‘the average life-expectancy of Malaysia non-smoking in the year 1980 was around 70'
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50. In the previous chart describing the life expectancy of smokers and non-smokers, one label read ‘Non-Smoking' - meaning ‘non-smoking people
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51. We need to change the label to a grammatically correct form such as
‘the average life-expectancy of Malaysian non-smokers in the year 1980 was around72' .
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52. Common error 3 Using detailed figures when they can be approximated
Firstly, x started at %. Then it increased to percent. Then it climbed to percent. After that it inclined again to percent.
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53. Common error 4 Fail to provide ‘measurement’ of data
The unemployment rate in the UK rose by 2% between 2008 and 2009, whereas Canada decreased by about 1%. The USA was the highest, at just over 4 %.
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54. Common error 5
Describing every number in a chart or graph (unless there are only a few).
A key skill in task 1 is being able to choose the key information and describe or compare it well.
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55. © Khairul Sufi

56. Firstly, at 6am, the number of people stood at 100, then at 7am, it increased to 200, after that it shot up to 400 in the next hour. In contrast, at 9am, it dropped slightly to 300 and at 10am, it continued to decrease until 200 people.
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57. Common error 6
Errors in pairing verbs/adverbs or adjectives/nouns when describing trends.
The number of tourists abroad slightly plunged in 2005.
In 2008, the number of tourists minimally rocketed to its highest point.
There was a gradual boom in the number of tourists last year.
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58. Common error 7
Grammar
In 2011, there is a decline in the imports of wheat.
In 2020, Malaysia was a well developed country.
There were an increased steadily in the number of tourists to Langkawi island.
Last year, the numbers was declined for about 24.
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59. Do not forget! EDIT YOUR ESSAY! Spelling SUBJECT VERB AGREEMENTS
Tenses
Articles
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60. What you would have done …
The main writing skills performed in Task 1 are:
Describing numerical data
Identifying differences and similarities
Comparing and contrasting
Identifying and describing trends
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61. QUESTIONS???
Feel free to ask!

62. You may contact me through email at
Further Questions?
You may contact me through at
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63. A word of wisdom
“Remember that just the moment you say, ‘I give up,’ someone else seeing the same situation is saying, ‘My, what a great opportunity.’”
H. Jackson Brown
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64. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
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