图表作文着重说明事实，常常是通过对图表中所反映的具体数据的说明、分析、比较，对某种事物或现象的事实或变化情况等加以说明，并提出结论或看法。因此，图表作文常常采用议论文体的写作方法。
写好图表作文，关键在于能否读懂图表中所提供的信息，把握各信息间的联系，用准确流畅的语言把这一信息表达出来，并就这一信息发表自己的看法。
图表作文的写作步骤
写图表作文时，要注意遵循以下步骤：
1）认真分析图表的含义，弄清图表中所含的信息及不同信息间的关系；
2）确定文章的主题思想，构思出文章的基本框架，筛选出能说明图表主题思想的典型数据；
3）编列文章的提纲；
4）根据文章的提纲，将各段的提纲内容扩展成段落，然后将各个段落组成文章，注意段与段之间的衔接与过渡；
5）检查与修改。
图表作文的篇章结构
写图表作文时，常采用三段式的谋篇方式。文章的第一段往往分析图表中的数据变化反映什么问题或趋势，概述图表所揭示的信息。第二段分析造成这一问题或趋势的原因。第三段则展望未来的情况或提出解决问题的办法或建议。这一结构可以简单地表述为：
第一段：概述图表反映的主题思想
第二段：分析产生的原因
第三段：展望未来或提出方法或建议
图表作文常用的句型
（1）常用的开篇句型（即概述图表内容时常用的表达法）
① According to the table/pie chart/line graph/bar graph， we can see/conclude that … 根据该表/图，我们可知 ……
② The table/graph reveals （shows/indicates/illustrates/ represents/points out） that … 该表/图表明……
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/图所示，……
（2） 描述增减变化常用的句型
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）。
下面是根据例2的题目要求写的范文。
⑴From 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主题句/概述表格反映的内容⑵—（5）反映交通事故的变化情况（6）小结：总结表格数据反映的总趋势
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主题句⑻原因/措施一⑼解释措施一/次要辅助⑽采取措施一后的结果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总结：展望未来的情况
