C Why are each of the opening sentences below inappropriate? Compare ideas with a partner.


1. The line graph shows the percentage of the women of various ages that were in full-time work in the United States between 1948 and 2009.


2. The line graph shows that the percentage of women between 16 and 24 that worked in full-time jobs in the United States decreased between 1988 and 2009.


3. The line graph shows that, as women in the United States were emancipated in the second half of the 20th increased.


century, the percentage of those working in full-time jobs


4. The line graph shows that the percentage of women between 55 and 64 who worked in full-time jobs in the United States increased steadily between 1988 and 2009, but that the percentage of women between 16 and 54 stopped increasing after around 2000.


Exam tip: Your first sentence should show that you understand the information given – don’t just repeat what it says in the instructions and don’t try to describe too much.


D In pairs, write an appropriate opening line.


Writing 3: deciding what to include in your report A Talk in pairs. Identify information that you think should be included in a report of the graph.


B Look at the comments a student has made on the graph. Does she identify the same things as you?


Percentage of Women 16+ in Workforce (US 1948–2009) Per cent


80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0


1948


more 16-24s working in 1948, but percentage didn’t increase for nearly 20 years


big rise in percentage of all under 54s


percentage of 16-24s dropped


percentage of 55-64s increased again


percentage of 55-64s rose


percentage of over 65s remained steady


small rise in percentage of over 65s


percentage of all under 54s stopped rising


Ages 16 to 24 Ages 25 to 54 Ages 55 to 64 Ages 65 and over


Source: (2009) Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Labor Force Statistics.


Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Current Population Survey. Labor Force Statistics. 1958


1968


1978


1988


1998


2009


48 Pathway to IELTS 6.0


6


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