Spatial order is a system of arranging items in a certain way. When you read an essay, watch a movie, or look at a picture, you should understand it by looking at the arrangement of the information presented to you. It can help to create a sense of time and place for your readers.

In everyday conversation, we often use phrases such as "first," "second," and "third" without attaching too much importance to them because we know that they are used only to mark the chronological order rather than spatial order. For example 1st place, 2nd place.; 1st floor, 2nd floor; 1st grade, 2nd grade etc... But while writing essays, it's extremely important to pay attention to the order of facts and not mix them up.

Chronological order

1st, 2nd, 3rd: Chronological vs Spatial Order

Let's Take a Look at Some Examples:

Chronological order –

  1. The rise of colonial empires in the 15th century resulted in increased sea traffic and intensified trade between Europe and Asia.
  1. As a result, modern Europe had more access to spices from India and China than any other region.
  1. The biggest share belonged to Portugal, which Spain and the Netherlands soon followed.
  1. In contrast, there were no significant changes for people living in Asia or Africa because they already had direct access to these goods through established trade routes with each other or via Muslim merchants passing through the Middle East.

Spatial Order –

  1. The biggest share of spices from India and China belonged to Portugal because it had a lot more access to sea traffic and intensified trade between Europe and Asia in the 15th century than any other region.
  1. There were no significant changes for people living in Asia or Africa, but modern Europe had more access to Indian and Chinese spices than before because of increased sea traffic between Europe and Asia.
  1. As a result, colonial empires in the 15th century led to increased sea traffic and intensified trade between Europe and Asia which resulted in modern Europe having more access to Indian and Chinese spices than any other region.
  1. In contrast, there were no significant changes for people living in Asia or Africa because they already had direct access to these goods through established trade routes with each other or via Muslim merchants passing through the Middle East.

Now that you know the difference between chronological and spatial order let's look at how to use each correctly in your essays.

Chronological Order vs. Spatial Order

When using chronological order, always start with the earliest event and move forward in time. Make sure to include all the events in their proper order and don't jump around from one point to another. Chronological order is especially useful when discussing changes over time or when describing a process.

An example of chronological order: The first step is to gather all the materials you will need for the project. Next, you should cut the fabric to the desired size. Finally, you will need to sew the fabric together using a needle and thread.

In contrast, spatial order is best used when discussing the location of things or when describing the layout of a room, building, or landscape. It can also be helpful for organizing ideas in a logical way.

An example of spatial order: The first thing you will need to do is gather all the materials. Next, cut the fabric to the desired size. Finally, sew the fabric together using a needle and thread.

Spatial order effective

Now that you know how to use chronological and spatial order correctly in your essays, it's time to put them into practice! Try writing a paragraph about your favourite place using chronological order. Then write another paragraph about the same place using spatial order. Compare and contrast the two paragraphs to see how they differ.

“My favourite place is my grandparents' house. The first time I went there was when I was four years old. My grandparents live in a small town in the middle of nowhere, and it's always been one of my favourite places to go. The house is surrounded by farmland, and there's always a lot of activity going on.”

Chronological Order:

The first time I went to my grandparents' house was when I was four years old. It's always been one of my favourite places to go, and it's in the middle of nowhere with a lot of farmland surrounding it. There's always been a lot of activity going on.

Spatial Order:

My grandparents' house is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by farmland. There's always been a lot of activity going on, and it's one of my favourite places to go.

Which Paragraph Is More Descriptive?

Which one paints a better picture in your mind? The paragraph written in chronological order probably provides more details, while the paragraph written in spatial order may be more organized and easier to follow. However, you can't really compare the two paragraphs because they are discussing different things. Try writing a paragraph about your favourite place using both chronological and spatial order. Compare and contrast the two paragraphs to see how they differ. Feel free to opt for our essay writing help Canada in case you face trouble in understanding descriptive and chronological paragraphs. At My Assignment Services, we have a team of essay specialists who will clear all your doubts via live sessions.

Chronological Order:

When I was four years old, the first time I went to my grandparents' house was. It's always been one of my favourite places to go, and it's in the middle of nowhere with a lot of farmland surrounding it. There's always been a lot of activity going on.

Spatial Order:

The house is surrounded by farmland and there's always been a lot of activity going on. It's one of my favorite places to go and my grandparents live in a small town in the middle of nowhere.

Comparing both paragraphs together, you can see how one paragraph discusses things sequentially (first this happened, then that), while the other describes things spatially (this happens over here, then that happens over there). Chronological order may be more descriptive than spatial order because chronological order provides more details about events that happen one after another. However, if you're describing something spatially, spatial order may be more helpful because it provides a visual layout of the things being described. Spatial order is also easier to follow than chronological order.

The Bottom Line

Chronological order provides a sequential order of events. Spatial order is the arrangement of objects with reference to their position in space, such as on a map or chart. It is used more often when describing something spatially, but it may be easier to follow than chronological order because you can visualize where things are happening. Spatial order also provides more details about the size and distance between objects. When comparing both paragraphs together, chronology allows for more factual information while spatiality has a stronger visual effect. However, our experts who offer essay writing help Canada say that there is no definite answer that one is better than the other--it all depends on what you're writing. You can't really compare them because they are discussing different topics and would probably say everything differently and use different words if they were to describe the same thing.

With essay writing help Canada provided by our online educators, you can master the essay writing process! Add this feather to your cap just by booking an online session with us. Fill the form and book now.

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Kristy

Kristy

Hi! I am a passionate writer with 3 years of experience in academic writing and over 2 years of experience as a professional blogger. I aim to provide academic solutions which add to the grades of the students as well as to their learning. I’m working with My Assignment Services since 3 years, during which I have always worked for the benefit of the students by providing them quality work.

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