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IELTS / Guides / Writing · Task 1: process diagram
IELTS Writing · Guide

IELTS Writing Task 1 Process Diagram: describing stages and sequences

A process diagram shows the stages by which something is made or happens, as a manufacturing process or a natural cycle. You describe each stage in order, with an overview that says how many stages there are and where the process begins and ends. It tests clear sequencing and accurate use of the passive voice.

About Writing practice

Format

  • Task 1 of Academic Writing: about 20 minutes of the 60, a minimum of 150 words, and one third of the Writing mark because Task 2 counts twice as much.
  • There are two kinds: man-made processes such as making paper, and natural cycles such as the life cycle of a frog.
  • There are no trends or numbers to select. Every stage should normally be described, so accuracy and sequencing matter more than selection.
  • An overview is required. It names the number of stages and where the process starts and ends.
  • Typed on computer with a live word count. Fewer than 150 words is penalised, and about 160 to 190 is typical.

Strategy

  1. Look at the diagram as a whole first. Decide whether it is a process with a start and an end, or a cycle. Count the stages and note what goes in and what comes out.
  2. Write a one-sentence introduction by paraphrasing the title: 'The diagram illustrates how olive oil is produced' becomes 'The picture shows the stages involved in making olive oil.'
  3. Write the overview giving the number of stages and the start and end: 'Overall, the process has six stages, beginning with the picking of the olives and ending with bottling.'
  4. Divide the stages into two body paragraphs, such as the first three and the last three, or preparation and finishing.
  5. Use the passive for man-made processes: 'The olives are washed and then crushed in a mill.' Use the active for natural cycles: 'The eggs hatch into tadpoles.' Use the present simple for both.
  6. Link the stages with sequence words and clauses: 'First', 'Next', 'Once this has been done', 'After that', 'which then', 'Finally'. Vary them, because 'Then' in every sentence reads as a list.
  7. Include equipment and materials only where the diagram labels them, and do not explain why a stage happens unless the diagram says so.
  8. Check that you have included every stage in order, and that each passive verb has the right participle: 'is pressed', 'are heated', 'has been filtered'.

Common traps

  • Using the active voice for a manufacturing process, which makes it sound as if people are not involved or leads to awkward sentences.
  • Missing a stage, which is easy when the diagram has branches or labels near the arrows.
  • Writing in the past tense. A general process is described in the present simple, unless the diagram says it happened at a specific past time.
  • Inventing reasons or details that are not in the diagram, such as 'to make it taste better'.
  • Using 'Firstly, secondly, thirdly' with a bare verb, instead of showing the relationships between stages.

Practise it inside a real Writing section

Practice on PrepFreely is always a complete section, so you meet this question type in the same place and proportion as on test day. Random sections never repeat until you've done them all. Every answer is explained.

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FAQ

Do I use the passive?

For man-made processes, yes, because the focus is on what happens to the material. For natural cycles use the active voice.

What if the process is a cycle with no start?

Choose a sensible starting point, say so, and mention in the overview that the cycle repeats.

Do I describe every stage?

Yes, normally. Unlike charts, a process has no minor details to leave out, so keep each stage brief.

Can I use numbered steps or bullet points?

No. Write in full sentences and paragraphs.

What tense do I use?

The present simple. Use the present perfect passive ('has been cooled') for a step completed before the next one.

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