IELTS_Writing Task 1_Language Improvement.pdf

8/10/2019 IELTS_Writing Task 1_Language Improvement.pdf

1/41


2/41

1 Quantities

Amount

Quantity

Figure

The majority

The maximum

The minimum

Number


3/41

Amount + uncountable nounthe amount of something

The amount of taxyou pay depends on how much you earn.

a small/tiny amount

The water here contains small amounts of calciumand other minerals.

a large/an enormous/a considerable amount

He knows an enormous amount about Italian paintings.

! The whole amount / the full amount / the total amount /the greatest amount


4/41


5/41

Figurerefers to the actual number itself, not thething that the number refers to

While the number of Internet users

was only 2.6 million in 1990 , this figurehas more than doubled in the last 3 year


6/41

The majoritymore than half of the people or

things in a large group

A poll of Democrats shows that a majority support thePresident.

the/a majority ofIn June the majority of our students will be takingexaminations.They claim their campaign is supported by a majorityof residents.

the vast/great/overwhelming majority (=far morethan half)The great majority of accidents in the Alps occur whileclimbers are coming down.an education policy that will please the vast majorityof parents


7/41

The maximumthe maximum number or amount is the largestnum ber or amount th at is po ssib le, norm al, oral lowed

After leaving Calais, the train soon reaches itsmaximum speedof 300 kph.Forty is the maximum number of passengersthisbus is allowed to carry.Ditikins faces a maximum sentence of15 years in

prison.

the maximumYou don't have to wait long for a new passport - 3weeks is about the maximum.

a maximum of 10/50%/30 degrees etcIndividuals may donate a maximum of $1000to thecampaign.


8/41

The minimumthe smal lest pos sib le num ber or amount of som ething or thesmallest number or amount that is al lowed

The minimum salary for this post is $25,000.We need a minimum number of two staff members on

duty at lunchtime.

minimum height/length/age/wage etcThese workers are being paid less thanthe min imum wage.

The min imum ageat which you can legally buytobacco is 18.

reduce/keep something to a minimum(=make the amount or number of something assmall as possible)Interruptions should be kept to a min imum.The library book stock has already been reduced to amin imum


9/41

Number

a growing number/an increasing number of

Hong Kong was having to provide for a growing numberof refugees.an ever-increasing/ever-growing number of(=a number that is increasing all the time)

The islanders are trying to protect their environment

from the ever-increasing number of Australian tourists.in growing/increasing numbers

"Suite" hotels -- with full kitchens and sitting rooms --are dotting the roadside in increasing numbers.

A number of Ns V

The number of Ns Vs


10/41

Warning !All of population F All of the population T

The whole of energy F The whole of the energy T

All + Ns V

All + UCN Vs

Most + Ns V

Most + UCN Vs

A lot of + Ns / UCN

A great deal of + UCN


11/41


12/41

Other measurements

2 length

weightdistance

height

altitude

area

volume

size

frequencyduration


13/41


14/41

Rate (t l)

a quantity such as value , cost, or speed ,measured by its relation to some other amount

Refugees were crossing the border

at the rate of1000 a day.

success/failure rate

Penicillin has a high su ccess rate intreatingbacterial infections.

birth/unemployment/crime / divorce etc rate

Australia's unemp loyment raterose to 6.5% inFebruary.

high/low rate of something


15/41

rate ofthe speed at which something happens over a

per iod of t ime

an attempt to slow down the rate of econom icgrowth

at (a) ... rateChildren learn at different rates.

Our money was running out at an alarming rate.

at a rate of somethingIceland is getting wider at a rate of abou t 0.5 cmperyear.

! first-rate/second-rate/third-

rate = of good, bad, or very badquality:

a cheap third-rate motel

L l ( f)


16/41

Level (of)the amount o r degree of som ething, compared toanother amount o r degree

Increased supplies are needed to meet the level ofdemand.

high/low levelInflation dropped to i ts low est levelin 30 years.

At the moment, public interest is at a high level.

water/oil etc level

(=the height of the water etc from the ground or thebottom of a container)

! The level of production = The rate of production

The level of expenditure = The rate of expenditure

The level of unemployment = The rate of unemployment

! Level being represented by a bar graph

Rate being represented by a line graph! Level + rise

! Rate + increase


17/41

Degreeto a certain extent/degree

(=part ly, but not com pletely)

I do agree with his ideas to a certain extent.

degree ofthe level or amount o f something

1960s Britain was characterized by a greater degreeof freedom than before.

Newspapers vary in the degree to which theyemphasize propaganda rather than information.

by degreesvery slowly [= gradual ly] :

By degrees, Huy forced himself into a sittingposition.


18/41

extent ofhow large, impo rtant, or ser ious something is,especia lly som ething such as a prob lem o r in jury

Considering the extent of h is injur ies, he's lucky tobe alive.

It's too early to assess the ful l extent ofthe damage.


19/41

scale ofWe had underestimated the scale of the problem.

on a large/small/grand etc scaleThere has been housing development on a massivescalesince 1980.

Most alternative technologies work best on a smallscale.

A structural survey revealed the fu l l sca le ofthe

damage.I was shocked by the sheer scale(=very big scale) ofthe destruction.

on a global/international/world scalePollution could cause changes to weather patternson a global scale.

Large firms benefit from econom ies of scale(=waysof saving money because they are big).


20/41

Proportion ofa part of a number or amount, cons idered in relat ionto the whole

The proportion of women graduates has increased

in recent years.Every parent is asked to contribute a proportion ofthe total cost.

high/large/small etc proportionThe decision affects a significant proportion of thepopulation.

Although the majority of offenders are men, a smallproportion - about 5 percent - are women.

Proportion of

the relat ionship between two th ings in

size, amount, importance etctheproportion of something to somethingWhat's the proportion of boys to girls inyour class?


21/41

Ratioa relat ionsh ip between tw o amounts , represented by

a pai r of numbers show ing how much bigger one

amoun t is than the other

the ratio of something to something

The ratio of nursing staff to doctors is 2:1.

ratio between

the ratio between profits and incomes


22/41

Percent & percentage5 % (percent)100%(percent)

Percentagean amount expressed as if i t is part of a totalwh ich is 100

The percentage of school leavers that go touniversity is about five per cent.

Tax is paid as a percentage of total income.

high/low/small percentage

A high percentage of married women have

part-time jobs.


23/41

Related Verbs

Be

make up

consist ofconstitute

comprise

amount to

Equal

account forRepresent

Include

Record

reach

stand at

become

predominate


24/41

The number of unemployed was 10 of the population.

The percentage of women in the workforce was higher than in the

previous year.

Women made up / const ituted a signif icant percentage of the

workforce.

Food and garden materials *comprise nearly half o f all household

waste.

Paper and cardboard amounted to 21 of the total household

waste.

The population of Al ia stood at 21 mill ion at the turn of the

century.

Fossil fuel emissions account for the majority of greenhouse

gases.

The consumption of fossil fuels reached the highest levels in

recent years.

*Note:

It is diff icult to use comprise correctly; since it has several related

meanings, and can also be used in the passive. It is best to avoid

using this word, unless you are very confident


25/41

Mathematical Expressions

half n. halve vb. double n. / vb.

triple n. treble vb. threefold adj.

quarter n. / vb multiply vb. divide vb.

average adj. / vb / n. total adj. / vb. partial adj.

equal adj. / n. fraction n.


26/41

Note especially the use of the prepositions at, in and with in

some of the following, and try to learn these phrases, as they

are very useful:

production rose at a rate of 20% per year / per annum / p.a.consumption stood at the same level in the following decade

the annual increase was in / within the range of 10% and 20%production increased / decreased by 20%

the increase was very significant, at 50%

X was the largest producer, with 45% ofthe total productionthe number remained steady at 300 for the next year.

Exports doubled, to reach 80% of importsin 1990

There were three times as many users as in the previous year

The number of users increased fivefold


27/41

Common Adjectives:

These are some of the more common adjectives, with

examples of appropriate collocations:

high / low: a high / low percentagelarge: a large number

great: a great number

significant: a significant number /percentage / amount

considerable: a considerable amount / increasesubstantial: a substantial increase / decrease

major: a major increase / decrease

remarkable: a remarkable increase

steady: a steady decreasewidespread: the widespread consumption


28/41


29/41

Similarity can be shown by using:Similarly

In the same wayBoth .and....

AlsoAs.as....

LikewiseThe same

As well asToo

Just as x, y...Equally

In a similar way / fashionNot only... but also

Like x, y....Just as x, so y....

Just as x, so y....


30/41

Contrast -which is more common -can be expressed by using:

but

however

nevertheless

yeton the other hand

unlike

while

whereas

althougheven though

as opposed to

in contrast to

by contrast

instead of

apart from

except for


31/41

Other Parts of SpeechContrast can also be shown by using specific verbs, adjectives and nouns:

Verbs: Adjectives: Nouns:

compare (with Ito) compared (with Ito) comparison

in comparison with

contrast (with) contrasting contrast

in contrast to

differ (from) different (from) difference (between)

differentiate (between)

distinguish (between) distinct (from) distinction (between)

as distinct from

resemble same resemblance (to Iwith)

the same as

similar (to) similarity (with)

vary (from Ibetween) variation (between)

change (from Ito) change (from)


32/41

The following are the most commonly usedcombinations:

the number of employ ees; smokers; years

the amount of GDP; unemp loyment ; produ ct ion;grow th; arms sales; incom e;

expendi ture ; cigaret te consump t ion;

the size of the populat ion

the degree of unemploym ent; l i teracy;c igaret te cons umpt ionthe quantity of prod uct ion; arms sales; cigaret te cons umpt ion

the rate of unemployment ; l i teracy; product ion; growth;c igaret te consump t ion; expendi ture.

(Better is: the unemp loym ent rate, the l i teracy rate,the grow th rate).

the level of GDP; unemploym ent; l i teracy; incom e;expendi ture.


33/41

A Conjunctions, within sentences are:But

While

Whereas

Although

even though

B New sentences must be started with:HoweverNevertheless

Yet

On the other handBy contrast.


34/41

C Prepositions are:Unlike

as opposed to

in contrast to

instead of

apart from

Except for

These must be followed by nouns, not clauses.


35/41

These are the most id iom atic combinat ions . Othersmay occu r which are not n ecessar i ly wrong, but areunusual or odd.

the number of+ workers + all the verbs except: shrank; dropped; reduced

the quantity of+ consumption + all the verbs except reduced

the proportion + the workforce; the banking sector; ( the) workers; consumption;

production; + all the verbs except dropped; reduced

the rate of+ consumption; production; employment + all verbs exceptreduced

the level of+ the same as above for the rate ofthe percentage of+ the workforce; the banking sector; (the) workers;

consumption; production + rose; fell; increased; decreased;declined; grew; dropped; fluctuated

the size of+ the workforce; the banking sector + increased; decreased;

declined; grew; expanded; shrank; fluctuated

the amount of+ consumption; production; employment + all the verbs except

reduced

Note: reduced cannot be used in any of the above because it is a transitiveverb and must have an object! It is possible to use it in the passive; e.g.the number of workers was reduced after the business shrank.


36/41

Making Predict ions .

Occasionally a graph showing trends predicts what may happen infuture. In that case you cannot say that something will happen, onlythat it mayor could.

The modals, may, might or could are generally too vague anduncertain to be used, however.

The most common expressions for discussing possible

future trends are:

it is predicted / forecast / expected / suggested /

likely / probable that...If these are used, then the future tense should also be used, ratherthan mayor could because the combination would be too weak. Inother words, *It is predicted that the population may increase to 6billion is too uncertain, and should be written as:

It is predicted that the population will increase to 6 billion.Another possible structure is:

An increase in the population to 6 billion is expected.


37/41

Using a Compact StylePresent Participle clauses are extremely useful for a compact style.

For example:

Between 1860 and 1900 the temperature remained steady. During thattime

the temperature rose and fell by no more than 0.1 0 Centigrade.

This can be written as:

Between 1860 and 1900 the temperature remained steady,

risingand fallingby no more than 0.1 0 Centigrade.

Another typical expression is seen in this sentence:

The US had by far the greatest share of the information technologymarket, accounting for44% of Internet connections.


38/41

It is important to n ote that the present part iciple, ending in ing

is act ive in meaning. It does no t ind icate the present tense

at al l , and can b e used fo r any tense. The past part iciple

(ending in ed or en) is used fo r the passive and is veryuseful in academ ic w ri t ing, but is n ot very l ikely to be

needed in descr ib ing graphs and tables.

Present participle clauses are also often used with

prepositions and can include nouns and adverbs:

The developing coun tr ies of Afr ica, Asia and Lat in Am erica

experienced the most d ramatic growth , with Afr ica having

around 5% per annum .


39/41

Other parts of speech, such as prepositions, and even punctuation

can also be used to make your style compact.

When you are descr ib ing a graph or table, you need to makea general statement

(e.g. carbon emiss ion s incr eased sign if icantly)

and also give the speci f ic detai ls to suppo rt that

statement(e.g. carbon emis sion s inc reased to 6000 mil l ion to ns ).

There are a num ber of simple ways to combine this information

Carbon emissions increased signi f icant ly, to 6000 mil l ion to ns.

Carbon emissions inc reased b y 600%, from 1000 mil l ion to 6000

mi l l ion tons .Carbon emission incr eased to 6000 mil l ion t ons, an incr ease of 600%.


40/41

The prepositions at and wi th are also useful.By far the greatestprop ort ion of electr ic i ty w as generated by o i l at59%.Austral ia came next, w ith a to tal of 42,215students .

Indo nesia was respon sib le for about one third ofthat amoun t o friceproduct ion, at just over 46 mil l ion tonnes.

Between1920 and 1910 the busin ess sector remained cons tant

at around 10% ofthe wo rkforce.

Parentheses, either by using brackets orcommas, are also very common:Europe, with the greatest consumption per head o f cigarettes

(over 2000) was...

The greatest propo rt ion o f electr ici ty, 59%, was g enerated b y oi l


41/41

Documents

IELTS_Writing Task 1_Language Improvement.pdf