Task 1 - Overview Sentence

• We need to provide a short summary of the main features.

• Picking up out 3-5 of the most significant things you can see and writing them in general terms.

• Do not support anything with data from the graph or chart, just write what you can see visually.

• An overview is one of the first things an examiner looks for because it shows them that you can identify the most important information from the graph or chart and clearly identify overall trends and comparisons.

• An overview paragraph should normally be 2 sentences and state the main features in general terms.

• Never support the main features with data in the overview. Dates are fine, but don’t use any other numbers.

• There are generally two different kinds of charts and graphs: dynamic and static.

  1. Dynamic Chart: show data overtime ==> General Trends

     • What does the data do from the start to the finish?

     • Do they generally go up or down or do they fluctuate?

     • Any significant difference from the general trend?

     • Overall increase/ decrease?

     • Peaks/ lows?

  2. Static Chart: show data at just one point of time ==> Ranking

     • What are the highest/ lowest values?

     • What are the most noticeable differences?

     • Any similarities?

     • Any significant exceptions?

Complex Sentence:

• Write the complex sentences by making subordinate clause.

• Making these clauses by joining two pieces of information with words:

  1. While

  2. Although

  3. With

  4. Even though

  5. Whereas

  6. And

Short phrases:

• 1. To summarise, the most marked change is….

  2. Overall, it is clear….

  3. Overall, the majority/minority….

  4. In sum, the most noticeable trend is….