KABANANA SECONDARY SCHOOL

GRADE 12 LESSON NOTES 2023

STATISTICAL COMPOSITION
Statistical composition is a type of composition where a candidate is required to interpret graphs,
mathematical tables, pie charts and maps.
Forms of statistical questions
1. Statistical graphs
2. Statistical pie chats
3. Statistical tables
4. Maps
5. Diagrams
Numerals in Composition
Forms Numbers Take in Statistical Composition
In ordinary composition writing, some numbers are written out in words, while others are
expressed in figures.
(a) Cardinal numbers- numbers that are below 100 are written in words, that is from zero to
ninety-nine.
Examples
There are 15 pupils in my school volleyball team. (Wrong)
There are fifteen pupils in my school volleyball team. (Correct)
For numbers which are over nineteen with two words, such as twenty-one, thirty-two, use a
hyphen to keep the words together.
Examples
Twenty-two, sixty-six, thirty-two e.t.c.
For cardinal numbers over 100, including 100 itself, these maybe preserved A numbers or
written as words.
Examples
The boy caught one hundred and fifteen rats. (Correct)
The boy caught 115 rats. (Correct).
Note: If the number comes at the beginning of the sentence, spell out the number.

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Examples
Three thousand twenty-nine people were at the Crusade.
Thirty-six students are in my class.
For Cardinal numbers involving thousands, these maybe written in words or preserved as
numbers.
Examples
I have hanged one thousand five hundred people.
Or
I have hanged 1500 people.
When writing figures involving thousands, a space is used to separate the thousands if there are
five or more digits and the numbers are grouped in hundreds.
Examples
1 000 or 1, 000
10, 000 or 10 000
1 000 000 or 1, 000 000
Numeric values above one million maybe written in half numeric or half word form or maybe
written in half word or you may write the word.
Examples
1 million people or one million people.
K100 million or one hundred million kwacha.
K200 billion or two hundred billion kwacha.
(b) Ordinal Numbers
Ordinal numbers are often written in a abbreviated form. E.g
1st – first
2nd -second
3rd – third
4th – fourth
5th - fifth
(c) Percentages
Numbers with percentages maybe preserved or maybe written as a word.
Examples
In my class, 31% of the boys go to church.
Thirty-one per cent of the boys go to church.
If a sentence begins with a percentage, it should be spelled out.
Examples
Fifty and a half per cent of the girls scored distinctions in English examination.

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(d) Money and Decimals- use numerals to express amounts of money and decimals.
Examples
K39.75
$120.67
K 7.2 million
3.5 kilograms
If an amount of money can be expressed in one or two words, it should be spelt out.
Eighty-seven ngwee
Seventy-nine cents
Fifty-four thousand dollars
(e) Years- use numerals to express the years when are precise. Year’s are written in
numbers.
Examples
1992
1964
2011
2021
Examples
I last saw my niece in 2001.
Gloria was born in 2002.
(f) Fractions- they are written in numeric unless they appear at the beginning of the
sentence.
Examples
The boy shared 1/3 of his cake among his friends.
One-third of the boy's cake was shared among his friends.
(g) Time- numerals are used to express the precise time. For duration, spell out expressions
of time.
Examples
We spent three hours on the road.
It is 10.45 hours.
Elina woke up at six o'clock.
Do not abbreviate the word hour as hrs.
(h) Date- this can take up many forms, e.g.
1st March, 2017.
2nd March, 2021.
3rd March, 2021.
4th March, 2021.
If you begin with the month, do away with abbreviation. E.g
Jane got married on March 1, 2021.
Century e.g
The greatest decade of the twentieth century was the sixties when African countries
attained their political independence.
(i) Addresses
Examples
327 Nkana East 18th Street.
Flat 6D

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 20th Avenue
Room 22
(j) References- Use numerals to express page, line, act and scene numbers
Examples
Check on page 9 and 33 for references to Kenneth Kaunda.
Read paragraph 2 and 3 on page 94 of I write what I like.

SAMPLE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

2015 QUESTION
As the head boy or head girl of your school, you have been assigned to educate your fellow learners
on road traffic accidents. You have obtained the table below from the Zambia Police Traffic
Department to write an article for school magazine.
FIRST QUARTER ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN ZAMBIA STATISTICS FROM 1 ST
JANUARY TO 31ST MARCH, 2009.
Divisions Accidents Persons killed Persons Seriously Persons slightly
Reported Injured Injured
involving
deaths/injuries
Urban Rural Total Urban Rural Total Urban Rural Total
Lusaka 2,795 56 16 72 118 29 147 373 39 412
Copperbelt 1,240 41 24 65 184 85 269 314 60 374
Central 318 9 27 36 45 51 96 32 11 43
Southern 300 15 8 23 29 29 58 41 20 61
Eastern 189 1 15 16 16 30 46 24 32 56
Northern 137 4 5 10 12 27 39 18 7 25
Luapula 54 54 3 9 12 16 28 2 3 5
North 249 3 10 13 17 17 34 54 15 69
Western
Western 128 1 4 5 8 16 24 32 11 43
Total 5,410 133 118 252 441 300 741 890 198 1,088

Using the information from the table, write the article. The length of the article should be
between 250 and 350 words. Any words written beyond the word limit will not be considered as
part of your composition.

VOCABULARY GUIDE WHEN ANSWERING THE ABOVE

STATISTICAL ARTICLE
Phrases to use in statistical Article
➢ Referring to the diagram, chart, table or graph etc.
➢ As can be seen from the chart, diagram, table, figure one etc.
➢ As it is shown in the table one, figure two etc.
➢ It can be seen from the table, diagram etc.
KEY NOTE

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 ➢ The data should be written starting from the wider spectrum (National
picture) in introduction then narrow it down to provinces, districts,
towns, communities etc.
➢ Also numbers below hundred are often written in words e.g thirty-
three, sixty-six etc.
➢ The article should contain all the key features of an Article for school
magazine. A catchy title that captures attention,
➢ The introduction (capturing main contents),
➢ Main body (each point should be given in a short paragraph to help
maintain interest)
➢ Conclusion (must provide solution to the problem under discussion).
➢ Use reporters voice – Present form of the tense and past simple to
make the “fresh”.
➢ Writer’s name and class if the article is a school magazine. However, if
the article is a national newspaper the name of town or district where
one comes from is included but if it is an international article the name
of the country should be included. Below is an example of how signing
in should be done when writing a school magazine article.
➢ Written by Enock Mwale (12A)
MODEL ANSWER 2015 QUESTION

ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS IN ZAMBIA

In the recent past, Zambia has seen an increase in death as a result of road traffic accident.
According to the recent survey conducted by the Zambia Police Traffic Department, in the first
quarter of the year 2009 alone as can be seen from the table, 5,410 accidents were recorded. Out
of the number recorded, in total 252 people were killed, 741 persons were seriously injured and
1088 persons were slightly injured. Of the total number reported involving deaths and injuries
3,329 persons were unaccounted for in this survey.
According to the statistics presented, central province alone recorded 318 accidents involving
deaths and injuries. The statistics in the table suggest that thirty-six people were killed, ninety-six
persons were seriously injured and out of deaths and injuries, 143 persons were not affected by the
reported accidents.
In conclusion, the Zambia Police Traffic Department and the Road Transport and safety agency
should enforce the road traffic laws and rules in order to prevent fatal traffic accidents and better
save lives
Written by Ebeneza Phiri
12A

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 STATISTICAL REPORT 2022 GCE QUESTION

You are a member of the Neighbourhood watch. You have been asked to write a report to the
Police officer- In charge on the crime rate in your community and the steps taken to curb it.
Below is a table and the notes to help you write the report.

Case January February March

Murder 05 02 00

Assault 35 20 16

Rape 06 01 01

Robbery 14 07 04

Burglary 11 09 07

Total 71 39 28

Notes:

- No movements after 22.00 hours.

- Co-operation with state police.
- Neighbourhood watch patrols at night.
- Domestic cases go through Neighbourhood watch.
- Criminals connive with Neighbouhood watch.
- Impassable
- All offenders severely punished.
- criminal sensitization programs on local radio stations.
- Households urged to tighten security.
- Drinking places close early.
- Vegetables very cheap.
- Neighbourhood watch formed end of January.
- No well water.
Using the relevant notes only, write the report. The length of the report should be
between 250 and 350 words. Words written beyond the word limit will not be considered
to be part of your composition.
PREPARED BY MR. HAMALAMBO.R.