圖表作文着重說明事實，常常是通過對圖表中所反映的具體數據的說明、分析、比較，對某種事物或現象的事實或變化情況等加以說明，並提出結論或看法。因此，圖表作文常常採用議論文體的寫作方法。寫好圖表作文，關鍵在於能否讀懂圖表中所提供的信息，把握各信息間的聯繫，用準確流暢的語言把這一信息表達出來，並就這一信息發表自己的看法。
寫圖表作文時，要注意遵循以下步驟：
1）認真分析圖表的含義，弄清圖表中所含的信息及不同信息間的關係；
2）確定文章的主題思想，構思出文章的基本框架，篩選出能說明圖表主題思想的典型數據；
3）編列文章的提綱；
4）根據文章的提綱，將各段的提綱內容擴展成段落，然後將各個段落組成文章，注意段與段之間的銜接與過渡；
5）檢查與修改。
圖表作文的篇章結構
寫圖表作文時，常採用三段式的謀篇方式。文章的第一段往往分析圖表中的數據變化反映什麼問題或趨勢，概述圖表所揭示的.信息。第二段分析造成這一問題或趨勢的原因。第三段則展望未來的情況或提出解決問題的辦法或建議。這一結構可以簡單地表述爲：
第一段：概述圖表反映的主題思想
第二段：分析產生的原因
第三段：展望未來或提出方法或建議
圖表作文常用的句型
（1）常用的開篇句型（即概述圖表內容時常用的表達法）
① According to the table/pie chart/line graph/bar graph， we can see/conclude that … 根據該表/圖，我們可知 ……
② The table/graph reveals （shows/indicates/illustrates/ represents/points out） that … 該表/圖表明……
③ As we can see from the table …
As can be seen from the line/bar graph …
As is shown （illustrated/indicated） in the pie chart …
如表/圖所示，……
（2） 描述增減變化常用的句型
① Compared with … is still increased by …
② The number of … grew/rose from … to …
③ An increase is shown in …； then came a sharp increase of …
④ In … the number remains the same/drops to …
⑤ There was a very slight （small/slow/gradual） rise/increase in 1990。
⑥There was a very steady （marked/sharp/rapid/sudden/ dramatic） drop （decrease/ decline/ fall/ reduction） in 1998/ compared with that of last year）。
範文模板
From the graph， we can see that the number of car accidents in Walton city fluctuated during the year of 1990。 ⑵The first two months of 1990 showed an increasing trend。 ⑶The rate rose to 32 in March but fell to 26 in June。 ⑷From June on， the rate was rising again and reached the peak point 39 in August。 ⑸After August the rate began to decline remarkably， and eventually dropped to the lowest point 16 at the end of the year。 ⑹Therefore， it’s obvious that car accident in Walton city declined in 1990。⑴主題句/概述表格反映的內容（２）—（5）反映交通事故的變化情況（6）小結：總結表格數據反映的總趨勢
⑺There are several reasons for the decline。 ⑻First， a new traffic law was made and came into force。 ⑼It provided that in summer every car must be air-conditioned。 ⑽As a result， the highest rate in August， when humidity and high temperature make drivers impatient and easily lead to car accidents， dropped steadily。 ⑾Second， new roads were built and some narrow streets were widened， which quickened the flow of traffic。 ⑿Finally， the city administration made great efforts to heighten people’s awareness of observing traffic rules。⑺主題句⑻原因/措施一⑼解釋措施一/次要輔助⑽採取措施一後的結果⑾原因/措施二⑿原因/措施三
⒀With all these new measures， I’m sure the rate of car accidents in Walton city will go on falling this year。⒀總結：展望未來的情況
