IELTS-writing exercise Expository_Text_11

动态图表+时态的选择

Q: The graph below gives information from a 2008 report about consumption of energy in the USA since 1980 with projections until 2030.

Summarize the informatiom by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where revelant.

Write at least 150 words.

首段

改写题目

The line graph shows the amount of energy consumed in the US from 1980 to 2015, as well as projected consumption to 2030.

主体部分第一段（从最高值Petrol and Oil说起，然后说Coal还有Natural Gas）

最高值是Petrol and Oil

Petrol and oil are the most important energy sources throughout the period: despite fluctation in the first 15 years, the consumption of those two fuels rose steadily, and this is projected to persist, reaching 50q in 2030.

然后说Coal

Coal was as important as natural gas before 2015, but the gap between these two fuels is likely to widen. While the amount of coal consumed is predicted to climb to 30q in 2030, the figure for natual gas will possibly remain stable at 25q.

主体部分第二段

Nuclear Power

Other fuel sources are less significant. Nuclear power cinsumption saw a steady increase to around 8q in 2005 and maintained this level until 2015, after which the level of consumption will not experience any remarkable change.

Solar/Wind and Hydropower

The use of solar/wind and hydropower is limited, and hydropower is the only fuel source which is predicted to fall back to the 1980 figure.

总结段

总结趋势和主要特征

Overall, fossil fuels will make up a large proportion of the energy consumption in the US, whereas renewable sources and nuclear energy will remain insignificant.

学习点

图表作文的主要时态是一般过去时，其他可能出现的时态有过去完成时和一般现在时。

A. 一般过去时

出现的数据为以往地数据统计，过去的情形和现在的情形很有可能完全不一样，因此用过去时比较恰当。

B. 过去完成时

出现介词“by+时间”的时候，使用过去完成时
例： The divorce rate had dropprd to 5% by the year 1999.

C. 一般现在时

如果图表里并没有出现任何时间，用一般现在时比较理想。

D. 一般将来时

有时图表作文会出现以后的时间，这个时候可以用will表示以后发生的事情。
但是，也有一些考官认为最好避免用will这种词，因为这样语气过分肯定，可以用其他的说法替代，如be likely to, be projected/expected/predicted to。