Source type: broad, minor and minute details

Minor details are twofold: a sharper decline between --- and --- followed by a more gradual decline
between --- and ---.

The minor details shown here illustrate how an Australian youth’s likelihood to

begin smoking is positively correlated to whether or not their parents or guardians

smoke and whether or not they live with single parents or guardians. Thus, there

appears to be three minor details: (1) children who live with non-­­smoking parents or

guardians, (2) children who live with smoking parents or guardians and (3) children

who live in an alternative arrangement (denoted by ‘Other’).

The above charts show how Londoners have historically commuted to work and the average London
traffic speeds between the years 1970 and 2010. These data sources clearly communicate that
Londoners are gradually finding alternative ways to commute to work as traffic congestion worsens.

The first chart illustrates that 41% of Londoners commuted to work by car in 1970. This value climbs
to 47% by 1990 but then falls gradually to 34% in 2010. Subway usage is negatively correlated. The
32% of total London commuters that traveled by subway in 1970 dips to 26% by 1990 only to grow
to 36% by 2010. Bus usage falls from a high of 23% in 1970 to 19% in 2010. Traveling to work by
bicycle or on foot saw modest grow from 2% in 1970 to 8% and 5% in 2010 respectively.

The second chart indicates that traffic speeds in London have steadily slowed over the period in
question. In 1970, average London traffic speeds were 24 miles per hour. This figure slows to 19
miles per hour in 1990 and 15 miles per hour in 2010.
Overall motor vehicle speeds in London decreased between 2006 and 2007.

The two line graphs show morning traffic patterns in London on weekdays for the 2006 to 2007
period.

The prevalence of motorcycles and bicycles increased while car usage decreased. Bus usage
remained relatively unchanged.

Car usage fell from 33% to 28% between 2006 and 2007.

Cohesion refers to the ability of a piece of writing to link its various ideas together and operate as a
collective unit. This is done by employing cohesive phrases that reference other sentences and ideas
found elsewhere in the response.

This line graph maps trends in car ownership in the

United Kingdom between 1951 and 2000. Overall car
ownership ballooned in the United Kingdom during this
time from a rate of roughly 12% to 74%.
Between 1951 and 1969, the number of British people
with one car rose steadily from 12% to 45%, a rate that
varied little through to the year 2000. Dual car owners
experienced a much more linear growth pattern, with
values swelling from 1% to 23% during the period in
question . Of note is the modest acceleration that is
exhibited by the trend. A somewhat similar growth
pattern, albeit less pronounced, was experienced by
those that owned three or more cars. Between 1951 and
1969, these people made up a negligible portion of
British society. However, this value climbed steadily over
the next 31 years, reaching 6% by the year 2000.
(In summary, car ownership ballooned in the United
Kingdom during this time from an overall rate of roughly
12% to 74%.)
Sentence complexity can be increased through understanding how to scaffold and accurately
rearrange the components of sentence structure:

Subject Verb Prepositional phrase Time clause Cohesive-device Appositive Restrictive clause
The number of single car owners rose.

The number of single car owners rose to just over 45%.

The number of single car owners rose to just over 45% in 1995.

Following this, the number of single car owners rose to just over 45% in 1995.

Following this, the number of single car owners rose to just over 45% in 1995, a climb not matched elsewhere in the graph.

The number of single car owners then rose to just over 45% in 1995, a climb not matched elsewhere in the graph.

In 1995, the number of single car owners rose to just over 45%, a climb not matched elsewhere in the graph.

The number of single car owners then rose to just over 45% in 1995, marking the highest point in the graph.
How to refer to data
The figure for / The trend for / The data for / The value for / The number of / The amount of single car
owners climbed to 45% by 1969.

How to refer to a maximum or a minimum

The figure peaked at / topped at / bottomed out at / hit a trough of 24% in 2000.

How to refer to an increase.

The number shot to / rocketed to / jumped to / swelled to / ballooned to / rose to / climbed to / inched
to / crawled to 10% by the year 1940.

How to refer to a decrease

The number slid to / fell to / dropped to / shrunk to / plummeted to 10% by the year 1 940.

How to refer to an unchanging figure

The trend maintained a value of / remained stable at / held steady at / plateaued at / went without
change at / went unaltered at 24 for three consecutive months.

How to describe a volatile state

The trend experienced volatility for a period of three years / wavered between 25% and 3 2 % in 2010
/ rocked between 13% and 15% in 2010 before it stabilized at 20% in 2011.

How to declare the cyclical nature of data

The diagram is cyclical in nature, repeating once every / follows a cycle that lasts 6 months.

How to reference time

The trend commenced in / began in May and finished in / occurred between May and / is isolated to /
concluded in / continued through June.

How to describe an exception

This was the case except between 1992 and 1993 / save 1992 and 1993 when voter turnout climbed
to 52%.

How to describe majority

Brazilian products made up the vast majority / had the largest share / were the majority of Columbian
imports in 1994.

How to describe minority or insignificancy

Brazilian products were a small part / made up an insignificant portion / were a rather negligible part
/ made up next to none / held a rather small share of Columbian imports in 1994.

How to describe share

Brazilian products were roughly a quarter / made up half of Columbian imports in 1994.

How to describe phases

First, Second, / Following this initial phase, / Then / Before this can occur, / After this stage / In the
next phase, / The second last stage is when / Finally, the water is pumped out of the dam.

How to describe direction or location

The water travels along an aqueduct to the right of / adjacent / directly below / sitting flush on / laying
flat on / hovering above / below / about 3 cm from the tank.

Time: after, before, once, since, until, whenever

Some common subordinating connectors, grouped by function, include:
Place: where, wherever
Cause: as, because, since
Contrast: although, even though, though, while
Condition: even if, if
Result: in order that, so, so that
Alternative: than, whether

Relative pronouns, such as who, whom, whose, whatever, why, and unless, can also be subordinate connectors.

A prepositional phrase is a word group made up of a preposition and its object. Together they contribute
meaning to a sentence, usually modifying a noun or a verb. Like subordinating conjunctions, prepositions show
relationships, such as time, place, condition, and cause. Common prepositions include about, above, among,
below, but, by, from, in addition to, into, like, out of, past, regarding, toward, and until.

Separate the independent clauses using a comma and a coordinating conjunction. There are seven—and only
seven—coordinating conjunctions. As a memory aid, their first letters spell F-A-N-B-O-Y-S:
for
and
nor
but
or
yet
so

Unlike coordinating conjunctions, transitional adverbs are not conjunctions and so do not join sentence
elements. They do, however, connect ideas by showing how they relate to one another. Like conjunctions, they
can show addition, contrast, result, and other relationships. Some of the most common transitional adverbs are
also, in addition, next, finally, for example, however, meanwhile, therefore, and then.

none
of the coordinating conjunctions is longer than three letters, and all of the
transitional adverbs are four letters or longer. Also, keep in mind that
transitional adverbs are movable within the sentence while coordinating
conjunctions are not.

Correlative conjunctions include not only. . . but also, both . . . and, either . . . or, neither . . . nor, whether . . . or, and
just as . . . so.

When you are writing, avoid these patterns: is when, is where, and The reason . . . is because.