Writing UNIT 4

USE APPROPRIATE LINKERS

• Now read this description.
TEST TIP
formed. Initially, heavy industry
The diagram shows how acid rain is You need to indicate the
nitrogen into the atmosphere. These
emits pollutants such as sulphur and steps or stages in a
d and deposited far away as acid process by using
pollutants are then carried by the win
and poisons water resources. relevant linkers.
rain. Eventually this kills vegetation

6 Which linkers show the steps in the process?

ORGANISE THE INFORMATION LOGICALLY

• Here is another diagram of a process.

N Oldest volcano dates The major islands
back 80 m years
Oahu
Molokai
Kauai
Hawaiian island chain Niihau Maui
Pacific Ocean Lanai
Pacific Ocean 0 50 100 Kahoolawe
kilometres Hawaii

Youngest volcano develops,

built up by numerous eruptions
Solid dense rock
Pacific plate Magma spume

‘Hot spot’ spume remains static

Direction of shift
of the Pacific tectonic Eruption process begins here,
plate (7-9 cm per year) originating 2883 km down

This is a more detailed diagram so in addition to asking yourself the questions

on page 80, you also need to decide how to organise the information. As with
graphs/charts, it is helpful to divide your answer into paragraphs.

• Study the diagram for 2–3 minutes and then answer the following questions.
TEST TIP
7 What is the topic of the diagram?
Even if you know a lot
8 What vocabulary will be useful for your answer? about the subject
9 What information from the diagram could you include in a general first matter, remember that
paragraph about the topic or subject matter? you should only include
information that you
10 What is a logical starting point for a description of the process (i.e. the second
see in the diagram.
paragraph)?
11 Is it possible to split the description into two parts? If so, what could you describe
in the third and final paragraph?

81
 Writing UNIT 4

• Now read this sample description of the diagram on page 81.

It is believed that the chain began to form nearly 8O million years ago. Each island started
to evolve after an eruption on the sea floor. First, a ‘hot spot’ developed on the ocean
bed, which let out a plume of material called magma. This magma may originate as deep as
283km below the ocean bed. Next, further eruptions took place, which built up the volcano.
Eventually it emerged above the surface of the ocean.
The Hawaiian island chain is a long chain in the ocean. It is very famous and people
often like to visit this area for their holidays. It is formed of volcanoes, and the active
ones are at the south-east tip of the archipelago, where Hawaii itself is located.
Since that time, the spume of magma has remained static as the Pacific tectonic plate
moves in a north-west direction across it at a speed of 7–9m per year. The hot spot makes
new volcanoes all the time.

• Find the following:

12 one error in organisation.
TEST TIP
13 two areas of inaccuracy.
Any of these errors will
cause you to lose 14 two sentences that are imprecise.
marks. 15 one example of irrelevance.
16 Rewrite the answer, correcting all the errors that have been made.
• When you have finished, underline all the linkers that indicate the steps in
the process.
• Complete the following which summarises the organisation of the answer:

TEST TIP 1st paragraph ...................................................................

You may write only two 2nd paragraph ...................................................................
paragraphs or as many as
four paragraphs. This will 3rd paragraph ...................................................................
depend on how you can
best organise the
information.

82