A distribution explanation links each supplied factor to the pattern, using a reason. A list of factors, with no reason, earns little.
This lesson belongs to population distribution and density. If you need help with the writing habit, read writing a geographical explanation rather than listing factors.
What does a full explanation contain?
Build each sentence from three parts: the place, the factor, and the reason it affects where people live. The frame is: “People cluster in [place] because [factor], which [reason].”
A paragraph then repeats the frame for each supplied factor and adds one sentence that joins them.
Worked example: a river valley region
A region has a dense belt of settlement along a river in the centre and very few people in the northern highlands. The question supplies three factors: flat land along the river, a highway and port at the river mouth, and steep slopes with a forest reserve in the north.
Weak answer. “Because of flat land, highway, steep slopes and the forest.” The factors are named but nothing is linked.
Linked answer.
- “People cluster along the river because the land is flat, which makes building and farming easier.”
- “They also cluster near the port and highway because these bring jobs and trade, so more people move there.”
- “The highlands stay sparse because steep slopes make building costly, and the forest reserve limits land for homes.”
- “Together, the valley offers space and work, while the highlands offer neither.”
The last sentence joins physical and human factors. It is the sentence that shows you understood the pattern.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is to describe again instead of explain. “The valley is crowded and the highlands are empty” repeats the question.
| Sentence | Type | Marks? |
|---|---|---|
| The area near the river is crowded. | Description | No reason given |
| People live near the river because flat land is easy to build on. | Explanation | Linked to a factor |
Check yourself
A coastal plain has dense settlement, and the interior has few people. The supplied factors are a railway along the coast, swampy land in the interior, and a fishing harbour. Write a three-sentence explanation.
Answer
One model answer: “People cluster on the coastal plain because the railway gives easy travel to other towns, so jobs and trade are close. The fishing harbour adds work for families who live near it. The interior stays sparse because swampy land is hard to build on and to farm, so few people settle there.”
Each factor carries a reason, and the answer covers both the dense and the sparse area.
What to study next
After explaining patterns, learn when a dense settlement does not mean a dense state. Continue with distinguishing a dense settlement from a high state-wide average, then try the density practice set.
If you want a teacher to mark your explanation paragraph, see online one-to-one Geography tuition.