IELTS WRITING

2 DIET & NUTRITION

AIMS: DESCRIBING A LINE GRAPH
USING TENSE AND TIME EXPRESSIONS
RAKING A POSITION
GENERATING IDEAS FOR AN ESSAY
PRESENTING ARGUMENTS AND REASONS FOR YOUR OPINION
DESCRIBING A LIE GRAPH
GENERATING IDEAS FOR AN ESSAY
PRESENTING ARGUMENTS.
 VOCABULARY:
Match the expressions 1-9 with the correct definitions a-i
1 THE VERBS A-H CAN ALL BE USED TO DESCRIBE LINE GRAPHS. MATCH EACH
EXPRESSION WITH THE PART OF THE GRAPH IT BEST DESCRIBES.

RISE (ROSE, RISEN)

FALL (FELL, FALLEN)

PEAK (-ED, -ED)

REACH (-ED, -ED) ITS LOWEST POINT

LEVEL (-LED, -LED) OFF

DIP (-PED, -PED)

REMAIN (-ED, -ED) THE SAME

FLUCTUATE (-D, -D)

2 PLEASE WRITE A DESCRIPTION ON THIS LINE GRAPH USING THE PREVIOUS

VERBS. PAY ATTENTION TO THE IRREGULAR VERBS.
THERE BE + NOUN (+ IN) CAN ALSO BE USED TO DESCRIBE TRENDS

Example: There was a rise in fast food

consumption

Write the noun form of the verbs 1-7

Example: Rose Rise

1 Increased 5 Fell
2 Peaked 6 Dropped
3 Decreased 7 Fluctuated
4 Dipped
 THE ADJECTIVES A-G CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE THE DEGREE OF CHANGE
REPRESENTED IN A LINE GRAPH. ADJECTIVES ARE PLACED BEFORE THE NOUN. MATCH
EACH ADJECTIVE WITH THE LINE THAT IT BEST DESCRIBES. MAKE SENTENCES.

Example: There was a sharp rise in fast

food consumption.

A Gradual E Dramatic
B Moderate F Slight
C Modest G Steep
D Sharp
Adverbs can also be used to describe the degree of change. Adverbs come after the
verb.

Example: Fast food consumption rose sharply

The sentences 1-5 on the left describe trends using there be + adjective + noun.
Complete the sentences on the right using the corresponding verb + adverbs.
 PART 2: PRACTICE
EXERCISES: TASK 1
In order to describe a line graph, you need to understand the time frame and use the correct tense. study the
graph below. then read the passage and draw a solid line (__________) under examples of the past tense. a dotted
line (......) under examples of the present perfect tense, and circle the expressions which refer to the future. then
answer questions 1-4.

1. When should you use the past tense in describing a line graph?
2. When should you use the present perfect tense?
3. What other expressions can you use for future trends?
4. When would you use the present tense?
GRAMMAR EXPLANATION.
 DEFINITION OF THE SIMPLE PAST
TENSE
THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE, IS USED TO TALK ABOUT A COMPLETED ACTION IN A TIME BEFORE NOW. THE SIMPLE PAST IS THE
BASIC FORM OF PAST TENSE IN ENGLISH. THE TIME OF THE ACTION CAN BE IN THE RECENT PAST OR THE DISTANT PAST AND
ACTION DURATION IS NOT IMPORTANT.
EXAMPLES:
John cabot sailed to america in 1498.
My father died last year.
He lived in fiji in 1976.
We crossed the channel yesterday.
YOU ALWAYS USE THE SIMPLE PAST WHEN YOU SAY WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENED, SO IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN PAST
TIME EXPRESSIONS
FREQUENCY: OFTEN, SOMETIMES, ALWAYS
A DEFINITE POINT IN TIME: LAST WEEK, WHEN I WAS A CHILD, YESTERDAY, SIX WEEKS AGO
AN INDEFINITE POINT IN TIME: THE OTHER DAY, AGES AGO, A LONG TIME AGO PEOPLE LIVED IN CAVES A LONG TIME AGO.
EXAMPLE : I WENT TO THE THEATRE LAST NIGHT / WE SAW A GOOD FILM LAST WEEK. / YESTERDAY, I ARRIVED IN GENEVA.
SHE PLAYED THE PIANO WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD.
NOTE: THE WORD AGO IS A USEFUL WAY OF EXPRESSING THE DISTANCE INTO THE PAST. IT IS PLACED AFTER THE PERIOD OF
TIME: A WEEK AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, A MINUTE AGO.
 BE CAREFUL: THE SIMPLE PAST IN ENGLISH MAY LOOK LIKE A TENSE IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE,
BUT THE MEANING MAY BE DIFFERENT.
FORMING THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE
PATTERNS OF SIMPLE PAST TENSE FOR REGULAR VERBS

AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT + VERB + ED
I SKIPPED.
NEGATIVE
SUBJECT + DID NOT + INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
THEY DIDN'T GO.
INTERROGATIVE
DID + SUBJECT + INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
DID SHE ARRIVE?
INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE
DID NOT + SUBJECT + INFINITIVE WITHOUT TO
DIDN'T YOU PLAY?
 DEFINITION OF THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
The present perfect is used to indicate a link between the present and the past. the time of the action
is before now but not specified, and we are often more interested in the result than in the action itself.

BE CAREFUL! THERE MAY BE A VERB TENSE IN YOUR LANGUAGE WITH A SIMILAR FORM, BUT THE MEANING
IS PROBABLY NOT THE SAME.
The present perfect is used to describe.
An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present. i have lived in bristol since
1984 (= and i still do.)
An action performed during a period that has not yet finished. she has been to the cinema twice this
week (= and the week isn't over yet.)
A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now. we have visitedportugal several
times.
An action that was completed in the very recent past, expressed by 'just'. i have just finished my work.
an action when the time is not important. he has read 'war and peace'. (= the result of his reading is
important)
 ACTIONS STARTED IN THE PAST AND CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT
They haven't lived here for years.
She has worked in the bank for five years.
We have had the same car for ten years.
Have you played the piano since you were a child?
WHEN THE TIME PERIOD REFERRED TO HAS NOT FINISHED
I have worked hard this week.
It has rained a lot this year.
We haven't seen her today.
ACTIONS REPEATED IN AN UNSPECIFIED PERIOD BETWEEN THE PAST AND NOW.
They have seen that film six times
It has happened several times already.
She has visited them frequently.
We have eaten at that restaurant many times.
ACTIONS COMPLETED IN THE VERY RECENT PAST (+JUST)
Have you just finished work?
I have just eaten.
We have just seen her.
Has he just left?
WHEN THE PRECISE TIME OF THE ACTION IS NOT IMPORTANT OR NOT KNOWN
Someone has eaten my soup!
Have you seen 'Gone with the Wind'?
She's studied Japanese, Russian, and English.
 Affirmative
FORMING THE
PRESENT PERFECT Subject to have past participle
The present perfect of any She has visited.
verb is composed of two Negative
elements : the appropriate
Subject to have + not past participle
form of the auxiliary verb
to have (present tense), She has not (hasn't) visited.
plus the past participle of Interrogative
the main verb. The past to have subject past participle
participle of a regular verb
Has she visited?
is base +ed, e.g. played,
arrived, looked. For Negative interrogative
irregular verbs, see the to have + not subject past participle
Table of irregular verbs in Hasn't she visited?
the section called 'Verbs'.
 FUTURE
There are a number of different ways of referring to the future in english. it is important to remember that we are expressing
more than simply the time of the action or event. obviously, any 'future' tense will always refer to a time 'later than now', but it
may also express our attitude to the future event.
All of the following ideas can be expressed using different tenses:

Simple prediction: there will be snow in many areas tomorrow.

Arrangements: i'm meeting jim at the airport.
Plans and intentions: we're going to spend the summer abroad.
Time-tabled events: the plane takes off at 3 a.m.
Prediction based on present evidence: i think it's going to rain!
Willingness: we'll give you a lift to the cinema.
An action in progress in the future: this time next week i'll be sun-bathing.
An action or event that is a matter of routine: you'll be seeing john in the office tomorrow, won't you?
Obligation: you are to travel directly to London.
An action or event that will take place immediately or very soon: the train is about to leave.
Projecting ourselves into the future and looking back at a completed action: a month from now he will have finished all
his exams.

It is clear from these examples that several tenses are used to express the future. the future tense section shows the form and
function of each of these uses of future tenses.
 There are four future verb tenses in
English.
Simple future tense: The simple future refers to a time later than now, and expresses facts or
certainty. In this case there is no 'attitude‘
Example: It will rain tomorrow.
Future continuous tense: The simple future of the verb 'to be' + the present participle
(base+ing)
Example: I will be staying.
Future perfect tense: The simple future of the verb "to have" (will have) + the past participle
of the main verb
Example: I will have arrived
Future perfect continuous tense: The future perfect of the verb "to be" (will have been) + the
present participle of the main verb (base + ing)
Examples: I will have been living.
There are also several other ways to talk about the future without using a future verb tense.
 COMPLETE THE PASSAGE BELOW USING VERBS, ADVERBS, ADJECTIVES AND
NOUNS. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE CORRECT VERBS TENSES. THE FIRST ONE HAS
BEEN DONE FOR YOU.

THE PRECENTAGE OF MALNOURISHED

ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THE EU FELL
GRADUALLY BETWEEN 1970 AND 1978.
OVER FOLLOWING SEVEN YEARS, IT (1)
______________ (2)____________ UNTIL 1990,
WHEN IT (3) ________________ AT 16 PER
CENT. AFTER FALLING SLIGHTLY, THE
RATE OF MALNUTRITION (4) ______________
FOR A DECADE. SINCE 2000, THERE (5)
_____________ A (6) _______________ FALL.
OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, IT IS (7)
________________ TO (8) ________________ (9)
______________ .
 When describing a line graph, you should also indicated precisely the time you are
referring to. use the expression a-e to complete the passage below.

The percentage of children using supplements is at its highest level (1) ____________
January _______________ March. It then falls sharply and fluctuates (2) _____________
two months. Supplements use continues to fall gradually (3) _____________ it reaches its
lowest point (4) ______________ August. (5) ______________, it increases gradually
during the autumn months and more sharply (7) ______________ December.
 COMPARE THE TWO DESCRIPTIONS OF A GRAPH ON OBESE
ADULTS. UNDERLINE ANY DIFFERENCES THAT YOU FIND.

NOW USE THE EXPRESSIONS: FOLLOWED BY............, AFTER + -ING AND SINCE THEN TO REWRITE
THE DESCRIPTION BELOW. REMOVE ANY UNNECESSARY WORDS.

Between 1996 and 1999, expenditure on convenience foods fell gradually from approximately £25 per
week to half that amount. it rose sharply over the next three years and then levelled off at £30 per week. It
remained the same for over two years. it dipped briefly and then rose slightly. between 2005 and 2007 it
fluctuated. It rose sharply and peaked at nearly £50 per week in 2008 and then started to fall.
PART 2: PRACTICE EXERCISES:
TASK 2
 ONCE YOU HAVE ANALYZED THE TITLE, YOU NEED TO GENERATE IDEAS. IT
HELPS TO BEGIN BY IDENTIFYING HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TOPIC. LOOK AT
THE STATEMENTS 1-5 BELOW AND MARK THEM ACCORDING TO HOW CLOSELY
THEY REPRESENT YOUR OPINION. SA (STRONGLY AGREE), A (AGREE), D
(DISAGREE), SD (STRONGLY DISAGREE)
 When you write your essay, you must give reasons for your opinions. You should also show that you
have "tested" your opinion by comparing it with at least one other opinion and examinate the reasoning
behind it. Look at the two opinions below and the reasons a-g. Indicate which reasons support each
opinion by writing letters a-g in the spaces provided. The first one has been done for you.