Video summary

3 tips for *easily* selecting data in a table - writing task 1 table chart

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main ideas / lessons

  • Tables with trends are easier to write than tables without trends when you select only the right data.
  • When describing a trend table, organize your writing by category importance:
    • Report both years for important categories.
    • For less important categories, report only the second year’s number.
  • Group similar categories together in one place when you have multiple small/related items (to avoid too many long paragraphs).
  • Use grammatical structures to clearly express change:
    • “which + clause” (e.g., “…, which increased significantly to …”)
    • “this number” (referring back to the specific quantity or idea)
    • “with (an increase/decrease)” (often listing both numbers after it)
    • “compared to” (explicitly comparing year A to year B)
  • Be careful about subjects and what can/can’t change:
    • You don’t say “a train increased” (a train doesn’t increase); you say “train travel increased” or “the average distance by train increased.”
  • Use wording that matches meaning:
    • “travel” can refer to the movement by a mode of transport, which can be measured (e.g., miles for train travel).
  • In the overview paragraph, focus on the overall trend rather than listing everything:
    • The total average distance traveled per person increased overall.
    • It’s recommended not to include extra wording like “by all modes of transport” in that specific overview sentence to avoid confusion (it could be misread as every individual mode increasing).
  • End structure of the essay:
    • Introductory paragraph: restate what the table shows (topic + time period + location if given).
    • Details paragraphs: group categories logically (increases first, then decreases).
    • Overview paragraph: summarize the main trend and the key comparison.

Methodology / instruction list

  1. Identify the chart/table purpose

    • Determine whether the table shows trends (changes over time).

  2. Choose which categories to report

    • Important categories
      • Report the values for both years.
      • Example structure: mention the first-year value, then show the change to the second year.
    • Less important categories
      • Report only the second year value (don’t repeat both years).

  3. Decide how to group categories

    • If you have multiple less important categories, group similar ones to report together.
    • Don’t group numbers that imply opposite movement (e.g., one increased and another decreased), even if they are close numerically.
    • If grouping is needed, group categories that share a writing purpose, such as both being among the smallest numbers in the second year.

  4. Write “details paragraphs” using clear change language

    • For increases:
      • Start by describing the categories that increased.
      • Use correct subjects and measurement nouns:
        • Prefer “train travel increased” over “trains increased.”
        • When needed, focus on “average distance traveled per person by [mode]”.
    • For decreases:
      • Identify the most important decreasing category and report both years for it.
      • For smaller decreasing categories, group them and report only the second year.

  5. Write an “overview paragraph”

    • Prefer describing overview as the second paragraph (though last paragraph is acceptable).
    • State the general overall trend (e.g., total average distance per person increased).
    • Avoid potentially confusing phrasing like:
      • “the average distance traveled per person by all modes of transport increased”
    • Instead, write more clearly that the overall total average per person increased, since not every individual mode increased.

  6. Use specific grammatical patterns to show change

    • “which increased/decreased … to …”
      • Ensures clarity about what changed (the overall clause meaning).
    • “this number had increased/decreased …”
      • Use carefully: “this number” should refer to the full quantity described, not just part of a sentence.
    • “with (an increase/decrease) from X to Y”
      • Or list the two numbers after “with”.
    • “… showed a decrease, with an average of X in second year, compared to Y in first year”
      • Explicitly contrasts two years.

  7. Include a basic essay plan

    • Introduction: describe what the table illustrates (location + timeframe + subject).
    • Details: increasing categories, then decreasing categories.
    • Overview: overall trend + key comparisons (e.g., cars most used).

Examples of key phrasing shown in the video

  • Which increased:

    • “…, which increased significantly to 6,475 miles in 2000.”

  • This number increased:

    • “By 2000, this number had increased significantly.”

  • With an increase:

    • “… with an increase from 3,199 miles per person in 1985 to 4,806 miles in 2000.”
    • or “… with an average of 3,199 … and 4,806 …”

  • Compared to:

    • “… showed a substantial decrease … 274 miles in 2000, compared to 429 miles in 1985.”

Speakers / sources featured

  • The video narrator / teacher (“So you guys requested… I’m going to share… Let me use this table…”).
  • Two consulted native speakers (unnamed; referenced as “I consulted two native speakers” and “They both agree…”).

Original video