Writing Articles

Verb Tenses

.You can use a few simple verb tenses to describe the graphics in Writing Task 1

.Use the simple present tense to refer to an action or state that is always true .The graph shows information about consumer spending in the past decade .Houses cost more in Paris than in Bogota

Use the present perfect tense to refer to an action that started in the past and continues to the present .Prices have increased more than fifty percent since 2005 .The number of annual visitors has fallen since they closed part of the museum

.Use the simple past tense to describe an action that was completed in the past .Prices increased last year .Over one million people visited the museum in 2009

.Use the future tense to describe an action that will take place in the future .Next month, prices will rise .In the next decade, more people will leave the suburbs to live in the city

Study the charts and the model essay below. Complete the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses

.The charts below show the allocation of funds in the town budget of Greensboro

Model Essay

The charts compare the budget of the town of Greensboro in three different years. Last year, the town …………… (spend) an equal portion of its budget on schools and salaries. Thirty percent of the budget …………… (go) to each of those areas. Spending on roads …………… (take) up another 25 percent of the budget, while the smallest amount,15 percent, …………… (go) to parks and recreation This year, spending on schools …………… (increase) 5 percent since last year. Spending on schools …………… (remain) the same since last year, while spending on roads …………… (decrease) 5 percent. Next year, the town …………… (spend) an even greater portion of its budget on schools-40 percent Spending on salaries …………… (rise) to 35 percent. Spending on roads …………… (stay) the same, at 20 percent. Spending on parks and recreation …………… (drop) to 5 percent. The town always …………… (spend) more on schools than it does on roads

  : Answers

Spent/ went/ took/ went/ has increased/ has remained/ has decreased/ will spend/ will rise/ will stay/ will drop/ spends