In this example graph, the main feature that we would to describe are the three clear distinct groups. There are no complex changes over time. Time is almost irrelevant here, so we can describe each group separately.
2. By Time
However, with a more complex graph, like the example to the right, describing line by line would lead to a lot of repetition and would make comparing data more difficult. As a result, we can also split by time.
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In reality, there will not be a perfectly obvious place to split the data. You need to make an informed decision to break the data into two or three main groups, and how to logically order the information in each of these groups.
Examples of these two methods
We could plan this example in two ways:
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1. Line by line:
By order of significance, we can describe (1) dengue fever, then (2) measles before outlining (3) the zika virus.
2. Bt time:
We can split the data before and after 2016. Before this time, measles and dengue fever showed very different treads, which can be compared, and Zika virus is insignificant. After this time, measles and dengue fever can be described together, and Zika virus becomes more significant.
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Below, I have written two answers using these two plans:
1. Line by Line
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The line graph describes how often three viruses were reported in the USA over an 8-year period starting in 2010.
Overall, dengue fever was the more common disease over the whole period while the number of cases of measles fluctuated from being almost as common to quite rare. Other than around 2016, there were not many cases of Zika virus reported.
In 2010, there were around 700 cases of dengue fever. This had dropped to almost 200 cases by the next year but gradually increased back again over the next two years before fluctuating at around 800 cases until 2017. After a small dip, the number of cases rocketed to over 1400 in 2019.
In contrast, the number of cases of measles was far smaller and fluctuated at around 100 cases between 2010 and 2013. It rocketed to a peak of just over 600 cases in 2014, which was the same as Dengue fever in that year, before declining back to around 50 cases per year. Between 2016 and 2019, there was also a surge in the number of cases to around 1300 per year.
There were no cases of Zika virus before 2015, but after this, Zika virus cases began getting reported. There was a peak of over 200 in 2016, which was more common than measles. However, this had decreased back to zero by 2017.
Words: 229
While this type of answer is good for not having to repeat the names of the diseases, it makes comparisons between the different types of diseases very difficult or repetitive to try. This will affect our task achievement and our coherence.
2. By time
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The line graph describes how often three viruses were reported in the USA over an 8-year period starting in 2010.
Overall, dengue fever was the more common disease over the whole period while the number of cases of measles fluctuated from being almost as common to quite rare. Other than around 2016, there were not many cases of Zika virus reported.
In 2010, there were around 700 cases of dengue fever. This had dropped to almost 200 cases by the next year but gradually increased back again over the next two years before fluctuating at around 800 cases until 2015. In contrast, the number of cases of measles was far smaller and fluctuated at around 100 cases between 2010 and 2013. It rocketed to a peak of just over 600 cases in 2014, which was the same as Dengue fever in that year, before declining back to around 50 cases per year. There were no cases of Zika virus before 2015.
After 2015, Zika virus cases began getting reported, and there was a peak of over 200 in 2016, which was more common than measles. However, this had decreased back to zero by 2017. After 2017, the number of cases of both measles and dengue fever surged to their highest level with over 1200 cases of each.
Words: 217
However, if we split the graph at an important time on the X-axis, it allows us to make more comparisons between lines without as much repetition. It also allowed us to describe two lines (dengue fever and measles) together for the last two years, reducing repetition, increasing comparisons, and improving coherence.
Checklist
1. A choice between a ‘line-by-line’ or ‘by time’ structure In this case, I have used 'by time'
2. A range of verb phrases
3. A range of noun phrases
4. Correct preposition use
5. Multiple tenses (must fit the data)
I have described my choices in the analysis
6. A range of comparisons
7. A range of transitions
8. before + v…ing
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The line graph describes how often three viruses were reported in the USA over an 8-year period starting in 2010. Overall, dengue fever was the more common disease over the whole period while the number of cases of measles fluctuated from being almost as common to quite rare. Other than around 2016, there were not many cases of Zika virus reported.
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In 2010, there were around 700 cases of dengue fever. This had dropped to almost 200 cases by the next year but gradually increased back again over the next two years before fluctuating at around 800 cases until 2015. In contrast, the number of cases of measles was far smaller and fluctuated at around 100 cases between 2010 and 2013. There were no cases of Zika virus before 2015.
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After 2015, Zika virus cases began getting reported, and there was a peak of over 200 in 2016, which was more common than measles. However, there was a decrease in the number of cases back to zero by 2017. After 2017, the number of cases of both measles and dengue fever surged to their highest level with over 1200 cases of each.
Model Answer analysis
Introduction Paragraph
The first line , as always, paraphrases the topic from the question.
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The line chart - The line graph
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shows - describes
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the number of - how often .. were reported
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cases of three different diseases - three viruses
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in the United States of America - in the USA
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between 2010 and 2019 - over an 8-year period starting in 2010.
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The line graph describes how often three viruses were reported in the USA over an 8-year period starting in 2010.
After this, we can summarise the whole graph. The first sentences shows the overall significance of dengue fever and measles. The second sentence does the same for Zika, while also introducing our time split in 2016.
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Overall, dengue fever was the more common disease over the whole period while the number of cases of measles fluctuated from being almost as common to quite rare. Other than around 2016, there were not many cases of Zika virus reported.
Body 1
The first paragraph describes up to 2016. Starting with the most significant, I started with a past tense description of the number of cases of dengue fever at the start of the period.
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In 2010, there were around 700 cases of dengue fever.
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I continued to describe this data but used the past perfect tense to show that I can use a wide range of grammatical structures. As always with this tense, I used the preposition 'by' to show up to which year I was describing, and I used the phrase 'next year' because I had already given the year in the previous sentence. After this, I used the conjunction 'but' to show contrast, followed directly by another verb to reduce repetition of the subject (the number of cases of dengue fever). I also used the 'before + verb ... ing' structure at the end of this sentence as shown in this lesson.
This had dropped to almost 200 cases by the next year but gradually increased back again over the next two years before fluctuating at around 800 cases until 2015.
In the next sentence, I used the transition 'in contrast', to show contrast with the second set of data (measles) and made a clear comparison back to the previous data. I described the data as fluctuating at around 100 rather than describing every number, as you are only required to give 150 words worth of detail, so any more is unnecessary.
In contrast, the number of cases of measles was far smaller and fluctuated at around 100 cases between 2010 and 2013.
I started the next sentence with 'it' as the subject of the sentence is 'the number of cases', which helps to reduce repetition. As always, I tried to use different verbs (rocketed), adjectives, and adverbs (just over) to show I can use a range of vocabulary. I also used a relative clause (there will be a specific lesson later in the course) to add a comparison using a different structure from previous comparisons. Finally, I use the 'before + Verb ... ing' structure again to finish the description of this data.
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It rocketed to a peak of just over 600 cases in 2014, which was the same as Dengue fever in that year, before declining back to around 50 cases per year.
The final sentence of this paragraph is very simple as the data for the Zika virus is insignificant.
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There were no cases of Zika virus before 2015.
Body 2
In the second body paragraph, I started with a preposition phrase to show the time that this paragraph will detail. I started with Zika virus as it was the most significant change during this time, describing the peak using a noun phrase, adding detail with the preposition 'of' because of this, and using a relative clause to add a comparison back to our previous paragraph. I then used a different contrasting adverb as a transition from body one to finish the description of this disease.
After 2015, Zika virus cases began getting reported, and there was a peak of over 200 in 2016, which was more common than measles. However, this had decreased back to zero by 2017.
I finished the paragraph by describing the other two diseases together in order to reduce repetition. I used a different verb to describe the fast large change, and used a superlative (the third comparative structure used in this answer).
After 2017, the number of cases of both measles and dengue fever surged to their highest level with over 1200 cases of each.
Words: 217