PROCESS
NATURAL PROCESS UNNATURAL PROCESS
1. Active Voice – 1. Passive Voice –
Subject (doer)+ Verb + Object (receiver) Object + Passive Voice + (where/when/who/how/why)
• Verb Tense – • where/when – prepositional phrase
(prep + article + noun)
1. Present simple for processes that
ARE completed and repeated within ex. in the warehouse, in the
your lifetime – summertime, before 6 pm, at/to
the market
i.e., your lifetime outlasts the process
▪ ex. the process of rain, the • who/how – prepositional phrase
lifecycle of a butterfly (prep + article + noun)
2. Past simple for processes that ARE ex. by the drivers, by the
NOT completed or repeated within workers, by ship, by cargo truck
the average human lifetime –
• why – language of purpose
i.e., the process time outlasts a
(‘so as to’ / ‘in order to’ + purpose)
human lifetime
ex. in order to remove bad
▪ ex. how coal is formed oranges, so as to keep it fresh
NOTE – although the expectation is active voice for NOTE – although the expectation is passive voice for
natural processes, try to show diversity by including unnatural processes, try to show diversity by including
passive voice if you can. active voice if you can.
2. Sequencing language – 2. Sequencing language –
• Time sequencers • Time sequencers
Note – try to diversify your sequencing language, using both simple adverbs (ex. ‘Firstly’ and ‘Secondly’) and
more complex phrases (ex. ‘The first step in the process involves…’ and ‘The following stage in the process is
when…’). Be aware of the differences in word count for ‘Firstly’ (1 word) and ‘The first step in the process
involves…’ (7 words).
ACTIVE VOICE vs. PASSIVE VOICE
Active Voice – Subject (doer)+ Active Voice Verb + Object (receiver)
Passive Voice – Object (receiver) + Passive Voice Verb + (where/when/who/how/why)
Note – showing diversity is the key to increasing grammar range, so include both active and passive voice sentences
in your process report when possible.
active/passive voice video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEB4IFWWQG4
Active vs. Passive sentences https://assets.ltkcontent.com/files/active-vs-passive-voice2.pdf?mtime=20201028012302&focal=none
The diagram illustrates the formation of coal
a. died and dropped b. was formed
c. lived d. was covered
e. was trapped f. turned
g. is now mined h. built up
The diagrams show the process by which coal 1__________ over
a period of millions of years. First of all, large plants 2__________
in enormous swamps a long time ago. These 3 __________ to the
bottom of the water. Over the years, the dead plants formed a layer,
which became deeper and deeper. An increasing amount of earth
and dirt 4__________ on top of this layer. Subsequently, this layer
5__________ by rocks and dirt, and so the energy of the dead
plants 6__________ underneath. As the pressure and the heat
grew over time, the layer of dead plants 7__________ into coal.
Seams of coal were formed, and coal 8__________.
Note – although the expectation for natural processes is to use active voice structure, it is good to show
diversity by adding passive voice structure on occasion.
Organization & Expectations
A process has an organisation similar to that of a fixed time / change over time graph – an introduction and 2 body
paragraphs. However, unlike fixed /change over time reports, a process report adds a concluding sentence.
Introduction
The introduction has 2 sentences.
1. Signpost language + what is being described by paraphrasing the question.
Signpost language –
• The diagram shows the workings of ...
• The process illustrates how ... is produced...
2. Signpost language + general trend
Signpost language –
• As can be seen, the process for ...
• Overall, the process for ...
The general number of steps + beginning and ending steps (using verb+ing)
• As can be seen, the process for ... consists of ..., beginning with ..., and ending
with ...
Body Paragraphs: 4 steps
Step 1 – look at the illustrations and look at the vocabulary given
• Either the given vocabulary are the nouns that you will use for the subjects/objects in your
report while the illustrations are showing you what the action is (i.e., the illustrations are showing
you the verbs). This case is what the process will likely be.
• Or the given vocabulary are the verbs that you will use in active/passive voice in the report
while the illustrations are showing you the nouns (i.e., the illustrations are showing you the
subjects/objects, e.g., ingredients and machinery/WHAT, people/WHO, places/WHERE)
Step 2 – determine the number of stages/steps
Step 3 – each stage/step has a noun/verb combination + sequencing language
• Determine what the nouns (e.g., ingredients and machinery/WHAT, people/WHO,
places/WHERE) and verbs (the action) are for each stage - put the verbs in active/passive
voice
• Determine the sequence – remember that sequencers go between each stage
Note – stages can be combined, so you do not need a sentence for each individual stage.
Step 4 – write your body paragraphs
• Use diverse structures BUT focus on the accuracy / precision of grammar and lexical resource.
• If you know the WHO in a stage/step, use it to write a sentence for that stage in active voice
BREAKDOWN – Diversity and Cohesion in Body Paragraphs
Example Paragraph: simple, accurate but a little ‘mechanical’
The skin is dried. Then it is taken to a factory. In the factory it is washed in water and
lime, then soaked in lime and flattened and submerged in tannin. After that it is
polished and taken to another factory. In the factory it is turned into leather goods.
Example Paragraph: More fluent and natural, with diverse sequencing language
In the initial stages of the process, the skin is dried before being taken to a
factory where it undergoes two treatments. The first treatment is when the skin is
washed in a mixture of water and lime, followed by a soak in just lime. After
removing the skin from the lime, it is flattened in order to ring out the lime.
The skin is subsequently submerged in tannin, which is a mixture of water and
vegetable matter. The last stage involves polishing the skin with a roller, after
which the leather pieces are transported to a processing factory where they are
made into a number of leather products in preparation for shipping.
Note – the 2nd example uses more diverse sequencing language and sentence structures.
DIVERSITY – Sequencing and Verb Forms for Process/Diagrams
Process – Coffee Making
Beans (noun) / Dry (verb)
Who/Subject
Time Sequencer
Diverse Sequencing Phrases –
• First of all, the beans must be dried.
• The first step in making coffee is to dry the beans.
• The next/final stage in the coffee-making process is drying* the beans.
• The process of making coffee starts/begins with drying* the beans.
• After this, the beans are dried.
• After/Once the beans have been harvested, they are dried.
• The beans are dried after/once they have been harvested.
• Before the beans are dried, they are harvested.
• The beans are harvested before they are dried.
* drying in this case is a gerund (i.e. a verb acting as a noun)
Diverse Verb Tense Structures –
Imperative –
• First, harvest the beans and then dry them
Present simple active –
• The workers dry the beans
Present simple passive –
• The beans are then dried
Present perfect passive –
• After the beans have been harvested, they are dried
Passive modal verbs –
• The beans must be dried
is + to + infinitive –
• The next step is to dry the beans
Notes – although diversity is important for leveling up your IELTS score, accuracy must be prioritized.
EXAMPLES
The diagram illustrates how concentrated apple juice is produced
https://www.ieltsdeal.com/ielts-academic-writing-task-1-process-diagram-on-apple-juice-production-with-candidates-answer-analysis-and-model-
answer/
The diagram shows the water cycle, which is the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.
https://ieltspracticeonline.com/writing-task-1-process-diagram-2/
http://ielts-academic.com/2015/09/18/ielts-writing-task-1-natural-process-diagram-with-sample-answer/
The diagram illustrates how bees produce honey.
https://ielts-vuive.com/2021/01/23/ielts-writing-task-1-1/
Notes –
A process with TWO starting points and ONE ending point.
• Body 1 will be one arm of the process, while body 2 will be the other arm of the process.
• Be sure to clearly state where the two arms of the process join.
Use a similar structure for a process with ONE starting point and TWO ending points.
• Body 1 will be one arm of the process all the way to the end, while Body 2 will start where
the second arm breaks off from the arm of Body 1.
• Be sure to have a concluding sentence* at the end of each body paragraph/arm.
Example - The illustration shows the process of canning pears
https://ieltsunlocked.wordpress.com/2016/11/01/band-9-reports-diagram-canning-pears/
• In the above process for canned pears, the basic expectation is it has 14 boxes, which is 14 stages
with a noun/verb combination.
• The given vocabulary are nouns, so your job for L/R is to think of the verb.
• Verb forms can usually be derived from the provided nouns.
• Between each stage is expected to be a time sequencer, so in the above example, you would have
a time sequencer wherever there’s an arrow.
• Remember, stages can be combined, so you do not need a sentence for each individual stage.
▪ Example – The pears are then transported, washed, and checked to ensure quality before being put in
storage.
Concluding Sentence*
When describing a process, a concluding paragraph is not needed. However, you will need a concluding
sentence / clause. If the process is cyclic or repeats – as in natural processes - you should mention this
in the concluding sentence.
Examples –
• ‘The last stage involves…’
• Unnatural process / Natural process that doesn’t repeat – ‘This concludes the process of...’
• Natural process that repeats – ‘This concludes the process of ... , after which it begins again.’
Proof read – check if all the essential information from the picture or diagram is accurately described.
Inconsistent errors vs. Consistent errors/’systematic errors’
50% = approximately 5.0 score
HOMEWORK
The illustration shows the process of canning pears
INTRODUCTION –
The diagram highlights the steps involved in the production of canned pears. Overall, there are a number of diverse
stages that take place, starting with picking the pears and ending with dispatching the final product to stores.
(37 words)
INSTRUCTIONS – write 150 WORDS maximum for TWO BODY PARAGRAPHS using diverse sentence structures
