IELTS Writing Task 1 Process Diagram Learning Lab

What is expected?

In IELTS Writing Task 1 process diagrams, you explain how something is made or how a process works. You must describe the stages in order, use passive voice for man-made processes, and give a clear overview.

Intro

Paraphrase the process title. State what is being produced or shown.

Overview

Summarise the whole process: number of stages, start point, end point, and whether it is linear or cyclical.

Body

Describe stages logically using sequence words and passive voice.

Avoid

Do not give opinions, causes, or recommendations. Do not miss major stages.

Writing structure

Paragraph 1: Introduction — what the process shows.

Paragraph 2: Overview — beginning, end, number of stages, final product.

Paragraph 3: Body 1 — early stages, from harvesting to roasting.

Paragraph 4: Body 2 — later stages, from grinding to packaging.

Useful language: first, next, afterwards, subsequently, following this, after being dried, the beans are roasted, finally, the chocolate is packaged.

Guided example: Chocolate manufacturing process

Task: The diagram below shows the process of manufacturing chocolate from cocoa pods.

Chocolate manufacturing process

From cocoa pods to packaged chocolate bars

Cocoa pods

Cocoa pods are grown on trees.

Harvesting

The pods are collected from cocoa trees.

Beans removed

The pods are opened and beans are taken out.

Fermentation

The beans are fermented for about 7 days.

Drying

The beans are dried in the sun.

Roasting

The dried beans are roasted at high temperature.

Crushing

The roasted beans are crushed into smaller pieces.

Grinding

The pieces are ground into cocoa paste.

Mixing

Cocoa paste is mixed with sugar and milk.

Moulding

The mixture is shaped into bars.

Cooling

The moulded chocolate is cooled until solid.

Packaging

The finished bars are wrapped and prepared for sale.

Stage group	Main actions	Useful sentence pattern
Early stages	Growing, harvesting, removing beans, fermenting, drying	The pods are harvested, and the beans are removed before being fermented.
Middle stages	Roasting, crushing, grinding	The dried beans are roasted, crushed, and ground into paste.
Final stages	Mixing, moulding, cooling, packaging	The paste is mixed with ingredients, shaped, cooled, and packaged.

Model answer

The diagram illustrates how chocolate is manufactured from cocoa pods.

Overall, this is a linear process consisting of twelve main stages, beginning with cocoa pods growing on trees and ending with finished chocolate bars being packaged for sale.

At the first stage, cocoa pods are grown on trees and then are harvested. After this, the pods are opened, and the beans are removed. The beans are fermented for about seven days before being dried in the sun. Next, the dried beans are roasted at a high temperature.

Following this, the roasted beans are crushed into smaller pieces and then are ground into cocoa paste. The paste is mixed with ingredients such as sugar and milk. Finally, the mixture is moulded into bars, cooled until solid, and packaged as finished chocolate.

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IELTS Writing Task 1 Learning Lab: Process Diagram