Writing 53 Describing a Chart or Graph

Writing · Medium

The template is fixed — survey intro → change → comparison → cause/outlook.

Item 53 asks you to look at numerical data given as a chart or graph and describe it in 200–300 characters. It's worth 30 points, and unlike items 51–52, it's not about a sentence pattern — the overall template for the whole piece is completely fixed, so if you study it, the return rate is high. The real exam is a written response, but on this site it's turned into four-option multiple choice that checks whether you understand the template. The most important thing is that the order of four fixed blocks — 'survey intro → describing the change → comparing items → cause and outlook' — never changes. The survey intro states who surveyed what; the change section compares the figures at the start and end points; the item comparison lists the ranking of the detailed items; and the final cause/outlook section covers why the change happened and what will happen going forward. No matter what topic the data is about, filling this template in with the numbers secures more than half the points. This unit's ordering item practices putting these four blocks in the right order using data on pet registration numbers. The second most important thing is the expressions used to describe a graph. When a figure increases, the particles '에서' and '으로' pair up, as in '~에서 ~으로 증가하였다' ('increased from ~ to ~'); for multiples, the counter '배' is used, as in '몇 배로 증가하였다' ('increased ~-fold'). For comparing items, memorize set expressions like '가장 높게 나타났다' ('was highest') and '그다음으로 ~가 뒤를 이었다' ('~ came next'). This unit's two expression-blank items give repeated practice with these survey and unit expressions using two different data sets — coffee shop usage rates and e-book user numbers. Finally, the one thing to always remember is never to make up content that isn't in the data. On the real exam too, you only avoid losing points by writing exactly the numbers and items given. Sticking precisely to the template and getting the numbers right is a far safer strategy than dressing up your sentences.

Describing a Chart or Graph

• 증가(기본형) — Pair the figures at two points in time with '~에서 ~으로' to describe an increase.
• 감소(기본형) — Uses the same paired structure as an increase, just swapping the predicate for '감소하다' ('decrease').
• 급증 — Used when something increased sharply over a short period. Often paired with '급격히', '큰 폭으로', '크게' ('sharply/steeply').
• 급감 — Used when something decreased sharply over a short period. The counterpart of a sharp increase.
• 완만한 변화 — Used when the pace of change slows down. Often used to describe a later period in contrast with an earlier sharp change.
• 유지·정체 — Used when a level continues without major change. '유지하다' ('maintain') is used instead of an increase/decrease predicate.
• 배수 표현 — The counter used to say how many times something increased. A number always comes before '배'.
• 비율·구성비 — Used to say what share one item takes up out of the whole. Takes the form '~은/는 OO%를 차지하다' ('~ makes up OO%').
• 순위 비교 — Used to list the ranking of several items. '가장' ('most') and '그다음으로' ('next') pair up.
• 조사 소개 — The opening sentence. States the surveying organization and the subject/topic of the survey first.
• 원인·전망 — The final paragraph. Close the cause of the change with '~을 들 수 있다' ('one reason is...') and the outlook with '~로 전망된다' ('is expected to...').

• A survey-intro expression near the start of the text, like '조사하였다·변화를 나타낸 것이다' ('surveyed... / shows the change in...')
• The paired particles '~에서 ~으로' between two figures
• Comparison expressions marking a multiple or ratio, like '몇 배·가장 높다·그다음으로'

• First work out how many items are in the data and what the figures are
• Check which of the four blocks — intro, change, comparison, cause/outlook — is needed right now
• For ordering items, first pick out the piece that starts with a conjunction or demonstrative and rule it out as a candidate for the first sentence
• For expression items, check whether the surrounding particle and counter noun are correctly paired

• Arranging the change description and the item comparison in reverse order
• Making up a cause or outlook that isn't in the data

Item 53 asks whether you know the fixed template, not whether you're creative. Memorize the skeleton order and the set graph expressions, and you can reliably secure more than half of the 30 points.