Writing Task 1 - Reporting A Diagram Lesson 16 - Process

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IELTS Background by Hien Pham
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Writing Task 1 – Reporting a diagram
Lesson 16 – Process (1)
If you have a ‘describing a process’ task in the exam, you will be given a diagram with a
series of pictures. The diagram shows the stages of how something is made or how
something works. Typical diagrams are:
• How chocolate is produced

• How coffee is grown and produced
• The life-cycle of an animal or insect (e.g a butterfly)
There are general 2 different types of process question:
• Natural process: life cycle of a butterfly or frog, pregnancy, the water cycle, how cows
produce milk
• Man-made process (manufacturing process): how coffee, tea, beer or wine are made, how
cement or bricks are produced or how an ATM or the Internet works.
 Questions to understand a process:
• Where does the process start and where does it end?

• How many stages are there?
• Is it a man-made process or a natural process?
• Is it a cyclical (in a circle) or linear (one start point and one end point) process?
• Are there any materials that need to be added to the process?
• What is produced?
• What does each stage of the process do?
• What are the relationships between each stage?
 Answer the questions based on the below diagram.
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Diagram 1
A. Write the Introduction
Every process question follows the same format. First, it tells you some general information
about the process and then it instructs you to ‘Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features.’
For example:
The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis. (General information)
Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features. (Instructions)
 Paraphrase (rewrite the sentence by using synonyms or different structures or words)
 There are several ways in which you can do this:
• The pictures illustrate how tea is produced.

• The pictures show the steps involved in making tea.
• The diagram highlights the process by which tea is produced.
PRACTICE PARAPHRASING
Question 1: The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.
=> Paraphrased:
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Question 2: The diagram below shows how bricks are produced for the building
construction.
=> Paraphrased:
Question 3: The diagram shows how to produce potato chips.
=> Paraphrased:
Question 4: The pictures show how people get a driving license.
=> Paraphrased:
B. Write the Overview statement
Overview statement is used to give a short summary of the process. This can mean
describing the:
• Number of stages, and listing the first and the last stages
• Different sections of the process (e.g: producing tea/ making a cup of tea)
Or answers to these questions will allow you to form 2 overview sentences:
• Is it a man-made or natural process?

• How many stages are there?
• What is produced?
• Where does it start and where does it end?
• Is it a cyclical or linear?
• Are any materials added?
PRACTICE
1. Complete the overview below for the tea-making process using the words in the box.
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2. Write an overview statement for Diagram 2 and 3 below, using the suggested questions.
Diagram 2
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Diagram 3
C. Useful vocabulary for Process

1. Use present simple passive
• Focus on ACTIVITIES, NOT THE PERSON doing the process
=> use passive voice “The tea leaves are picked, and then dried.”
• Some verbs cannot take the passive like ‘to go’
=> kept in active voice “the bricks go through a heating and cooling process.”
• Use active verbs for natural processes.
=> “The sun shines, and the plants grow.”
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Practice 1. Complete this table of common irregular past participles.
Verb Past participle (P2) Verb Past participle (P2)

grow hold
sow grind
sell put
take cut
wrap weave
Practice 2. Complete these sentences with the passive form of the verb in brackets.
a. Oranges _______________ from Spain, to colder countries I Europe. (export)

b. Coffee beans ______________ in a machine, in order to make coffee powder. (grind)
c. Rice ______________ into bags and then delivered to supermarkets. (put)
d. Coconuts ______________ from the trees, and then exported to other countries. (cut)
e. The bars of chocolate ______________ in silver paper and put into boxes. (wrap)
Practice 3. Use the correct form of the verbs in the box to complete the paragraph below
about the first half of the Diagram 1.
deliver grow grow load pack

pick put put shine sow
Tea is 1 ___is grown___ in India and China. In the first stage, the tea seeds 2
_______________ by the farmer, and then the sun 3 _______________, and the seeds 4
_______________ into large tea plants. At this point, the tea leaves 5 _______________ and
6 _______________ in a basket, and then they 7 _______________ on a tray in the sun to
dry. The next step is that the dried tea leaves 8 _______________ into boxes, and then the
boxes 9 _______________ onto a lorry, and then 10 _______________ to supermarkets,
where customers buy them.
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2. Sequencing the process (Linking stages)

a. Linking with the present perfect
once / when / after + present perfect
e.g: The tea is packed into boxes, and then the boxes are loaded onto a lorry.
= Once the tea has been packed into boxes, the boxes are then loaded onto a lorry.
b. Linking with after + V-ing
Two stages can also be linked with after + V-ing
e.g: The boxes are taken to the supermarkets and then they are sold to the customers.
= After being taken to the supermarkets, the boxes are then sold to customers.
c. Using different languages to join the stages together
Next … The first stage is … The last stage is …
Practice 1. Put these steps in the process of making a cup of tea in order.
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Practice 2. Use the linking phrases above to describe the process in Practice 1.
Example: The first step is that …
Practice 3. Rewrite these sentences using the words in brackets.

1 The tea leaves are picked and then they are put in the sun to dry. (once)
2 The tea leaves are picked from the tea plants and packed into boxes. (after)
3 The boxes are loaded onto a lorry and then they are taken to supermarkets. (when)
4 You put the tea bag in the cup and then you can pour hot water into it. (once)
Practice 4. Talk about, or write down, the stages of these topics.

a. Learning to drive and getting a driving license
b. Buying your first house
D. Exam skills - Giving extra information about a stage

To extend and improve your answer, you can describe what happens in a stage, and then add
some extra details or explain why it happens.
The tea leaves are put on the ground in the sun, so that they can be dried.
Practice 1. Match the stages 1-4 to the corresponding extra details a-d.
1 The boxes of tea are delivered to the a which gives them extra flavor.
supermarkets,
2 The sun shines, b where they are put on the
shelves to be sold.
3 Salt and sugar are added to the c in order to be made into sugar.
tomatoes,
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4 The sugar cane is taken to a factory, d which helps the plants to grow.
Practice 2. Join each pair off sentences using the words in brackets.
1 The fruit is sent to a factory. It is put into cans there. (where)

The fruit is sent to a factory, where it is put into cans.
2 The biscuits are put in the oven. They are cooked. (in order to be)
3 The farmer waters the plants. This makes them grow more quickly. (which)
4 The mushrooms are stored in a dark room. This helps them to stay fresh. (so that)
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Appendices
Phrases transformation in IELTS Writing Task 1
1. Chi tiền cho cái gì đó (money spent on sth)
• The spending on = The expenditure on = the payment for
• The amount/proportion of money which was spent on food
= The amount/proportion of money spent on food
• The amount/proportion of money which was used/allocated for food = The
amount/proportion of money used/allocated for food
• The amount/proportion of money which was paid for food
= The amount/proportion of money paid for food
Examples:
• The graph shows the spending on housing, food and healthcare in France from 1998 to 2005.
• The percentage of money paid for beef by Americans was only 5%.
• Cars accounted for the highest proportion of money spent by Americans in 2010.
2. Tiêu thụ cái gì đó (consumption)

• The consumption of Beef in the US
• The US beef consumption
• The amount/proportion of beef consumed/eaten by Americans
• The amount/proportion of beef which was consumed/eaten by Americans
Examples:
• The graph shows the consumption of beef and pork by people in the US between 1960 and
2000.
• The line graph illustrates the amount of beef and pork consumed by Americans over a period
of 40 years.
• In 2005, the amount of oil consumed by people in the UK was highest, at 35 million tons.
• Over the next, 10 years, the US fish consumption rose remarkably to 10 million tons.
3. Khí Thải CO2/Waste

• The production of CO2 – CO2 production/generation
• The amount/percentage of CO2 which was generated/ produced/ released/ emitted from/by
---
• The amount/percentage of CO2 generated/ produced/ released/ emitted from/by ---
Examples:
• The average amount of CO2 generated in the UK increased moderately from 2003 to 2004.
• A slight increase was recorded in the figure for CO2 production in the UK between 2000 and
2001.
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4.Thất nghiệp (Unemployment)

• The proportion/percentage/rate of unemployment
• The unemployment rate
• The level of unemployment
• The level of joblessness
• The proportion/percentage/rate/number of people who were unemployed
• The proportion/percentage/rate/number of unemployed people
• The proportion of people without work
Examples:
• The percentage of unemployment in Germany rose significantly to 8% in 2007.
• Unemployment rates for both groups were higher in Ha Noi than in Ho Chi Minh city.
5. Nhóm tuổi (Age group)

• The percentage/proportion/number of people aged 60-70
• The percentage/proportion/number of people who were 60-70
• The percentage/proportion/number of 60-70-year-olds
• The percentage/proportion/number of 60-70-year-old people
• The figure for those in their sixties
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Writing Task 1 Templates & Useful Structures Review
*No conclusion needed in Task 1
A. Review of Introduction & Overview statement

I. Introduction
II. Overview statement
1. Introductory expressions
a. Overall, …
b. As an overall trend, …
c. As a general trend, …
d. As the graph/chart shows, …
e. As can be seen from the graph/ chart, …
f. It is clear from the graph/ chart that …
2. Different ways to write an Overview statement

a. Comparative graphs (line graphs, bar charts, pie charts, table)
With trends (dynamic charts) Without trends (static charts)

- main trends - highest figures
(increase/decrease/fluctuation) - lowest figures
- highest/ lowest figures For a static chart, the overview
• Graphs/charts with one common trend statement should refer to the items
=> describe that trend with the highest and/or the lowest
✓ both/ All + [X] + experienced/witnessed + values.
upward/ downward trends over the given
period.
E.g:
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✓ there was a similar upward/downward trend in Overall, [A] had the highest number of …,
both/all + [X] + over the given period. whereas/while the number of … was the lowest
• Graphs/charts with different trends in the year given.
✓ there was a [similar] upward/downward trend
in [A (and B)] while/ whereas
[C (and D)] experienced a contrasting
movement over the given period.
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B. Describe comparative graphs

I. Languages to describe changes
1. Verbs and Nouns
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2. Adjectives and Adverbs
3. Prepositions & articles
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II. Describe multiple periods in one sentence
I. Structures to describe changes

II. More comparative graphs (line graphs, pie charts, bar charts, tables)
1. Common structures
a. the percentage of [A] was [a%], which was [a-b%] + higher/lower than the rate of [B]
b. the proportion of [A] was [a%], while the figure for [B] was slightly/significantly +
higher/lower, at [b%]
c. [A] accounted for [a%] of [X], whereas [B] made up a [slightly/significantly] +
(bigger/smaller) fraction of [b%]
d. In comparison with [A], which occupied [a%] of [X], [B] constituted a (marginally/much) +
(greater/less significant) proportion of [b%].
e. [a%] of [X] + V + by/from/… [A], while the rate of [B] was [b-a%] higher/lower
f. [A] + V + [a], which was + [a-b] + higher/lower than [B]
g. [A] + V + [a], while [B] + was + slightly/significantly + higher/lower, at [b]
h. [a] + V + [A], whereas [B] + V + [b-a] higher/lower
i. In terms of [category], [A] was [a] in comparison with [b] of [B]
j. As for [category], [A] and [B] + V + respectively [a] and [b]
2. Common templates to describe comparative graphs
C. Exam skills
I. Commenting on the data
II. Ranking information
III. Dealing with surveys & questionnaires
IV. Improving your writing style
V. Dealing with more than one graph (multiple charts)
1. Step 1: Write an Introduction
The line graph illustrates … while the bar chart describes …
2. Step 2: Write an Overview

Give an Overview statement for each chart
Overall, …. Furthermore/ In addition/…,
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3. Step 3: Describe the first chart

(2-4 sentences to describe 2-4 major features)
4. Step 4: Describe the second chart
(2-4 sentences to describe major features)
*No conjunctions needed between 2 bodies
REVIEW YOUR OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE HERE
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Email: phmthhn03@gmail.

Writing Task 1 – Reporting a diagram

Lesson 16 – Process (1)

• How chocolate is produced

There are general 2 different types of process question:

 Questions to understand a process:

• Where does the process start and where does it end?

 Answer the questions based on the below diagram.

A. Write the Introduction

The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis. (General information)

 Paraphrase (rewrite the sentence by using synonyms or different structures or words)

 There are several ways in which you can do this:

• The pictures illustrate how tea is produced.

Question 1: The diagram below shows the process of photosynthesis.

Question 3: The diagram shows how to produce potato chips.

Question 4: The pictures show how people get a driving license.

B. Write the Overview statement

Or answers to these questions will allow you to form 2 overview sentences:

• Is it a man-made or natural process?

C. Useful vocabulary for Process

• Some verbs cannot take the passive like ‘to go’

• Use active verbs for natural processes.

=> “The sun shines, and the plants grow.”

Practice 1. Complete this table of common irregular past participles.

Verb Past participle (P2) Verb Past participle (P2)

a. Oranges _______________ from Spain, to colder countries I Europe. (export)

deliver grow grow load pack

2. Sequencing the process (Linking stages)

once / when / after + present perfect

b. Linking with after + V-ing

Two stages can also be linked with after + V-ing

c. Using different languages to join the stages together

Next … The first stage is … The last stage is …

Practice 3. Rewrite these sentences using the words in brackets.

Practice 4. Talk about, or write down, the stages of these topics.

D. Exam skills - Giving extra information about a stage

1 The fruit is sent to a factory. It is put into cans there. (where)

2. Tiêu thụ cái gì đó (consumption)

3. Khí Thải CO2/Waste

4.Thất nghiệp (Unemployment)

5. Nhóm tuổi (Age group)

Writing Task 1 Templates & Useful Structures Review

*No conclusion needed in Task 1

A. Review of Introduction & Overview statement

2. Different ways to write an Overview statement

With trends (dynamic charts) Without trends (static charts)

B. Describe comparative graphs

2. Adjectives and Adverbs

3. Prepositions & articles

II. Describe multiple periods in one sentence

I. Structures to describe changes

2. Common templates to describe comparative graphs

The line graph illustrates … while the bar chart describes …

2. Step 2: Write an Overview

Overall, …. Furthermore/ In addition/…,

3. Step 3: Describe the first chart

*No conjunctions needed between 2 bodies

REVIEW YOUR OBTAINED KNOWLEDGE HERE

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