WRITING 6

PROCESS DIAGRAM
 FORMAT

• PARAGRAPH 1 – INTRODUCTION

• PARAGRAPH 2 – OVERVIEW
• PARAGRAPH 3 – DETAIL 1
• PARAGRAPH 4 – DETAIL 2
• PARAGRAPH 5 – DETAIL 3 (OPTIONAL)
 INTRODUCTION

- 1 sentence
- Paraphrase the question.
- Introduce the process, explain what the process is about.
 USEFUL STRUCTURES USEFUL PHRASES
X=the chart/diagram…. • The production of...
1. X (shows/describes/illustrates) how + clause • The process of producing/making...
Ex: The diagram shows how salt is removed from sea • ..Is produced/made
water to make it drinkable • How to produce/make...
2. X (shows/describe/illustrates) + noun
Ex: The charts show the result of public survey
3. X (provides/gives) information about……….
The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.

• The diagram gives information about the

way in which bricks are made for the
building industry.
 “”
The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant
 “”
The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant

• The given diagram illustrates

information about the way in which
plastic bottles are
reprocessed/reused/reutilized. 
 OVERVIEW

• 1 sententce
• The number of stages in the process and how it begins and ends
Useful structure
• There are …….. main steps/ stages in ...
• The ...... involves ... main stesp/ stages beginning/starting with ... and finishing with ...
 SOME USEFUL QUESTIONS TO ASK
1) Is it a linear or a cyclical process?
• A linear process starts and finishes at different places.
• A cyclical process, on the other hand, is a process that goes back to the beginning and repeats
over and over again, such as the life cycle of a frog or a butterfly.
2) Where does the process start and end?
3) How many steps are there to the process?
4) Can the process be easily broken down into stages?
5) What are the raw materials? What is produced at the end of the process?
6) What is the end result of the process?
The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.

• Overall, there are eight stages in the

process, beginning with the digging up of
clay and culminating in delivery.
 “”

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant
 “”

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant

• Overall, there are a total of nine

steps in the linear man-made
process, which can be divided into
three main stages including initial
collection and sorting, followed by
processing and cleaning, and finally
reconstitution into a novel material
for further usage.
 DETAILS

• Describe a series of events in the flow, also use appropriate language (i.E) time connectors.
• Write about each stage of the process (write about some in more detail than others)
• Use the vocabulary that is given in the diagrams
• Need to change the tense of any sentences that are given (dry the leaves  the leaves are dried)
• Use a mix of the passive and active voice
• When using the passive voice, if necessary, add the agent to the end of the sentence (after the tea
is picked by the workers)
 TIME CONNECTORS

START NEXT STAGE END

• In the first stage,… • After that,.. • Finally,…
• The first stage is that… • …, after which… • In the final stage,…
• Initially,… • … and then… • The final stage is that…
• To begin with,/to start with, … • At this point,… • At the end of + …
• First/firstly/first of all,… • Next,…
• The first step | is involved + • Then,…
Ving • Subsequently,…
• At the beginning of +… • Following this, …
• In the subsequent/next stage,…
• The following/next step is
that…
 GRAMMAR

• Present simple passive

Object + is/are + past participle
Ex: The tea is picked and put into baskets
• Present perfect passive
Object + have/has + been + past participle
Ex: Once the tea leaves have been picked, they are placed into a basket.
When the tea has been picked, it is packed into boxes.
After the tea has been put into boxes, it is driven to supermarkets.
• Participle structures
After being + past participle + subject + second half of sentence
Having been + past participle + subject + second half of sentence
Ex: Having been picked from the field, the tea leaves are placed into a basket.
After being packed into boxes, it is driven to supermarkets.
 THE PASSIVE

• When describing an IELTS process that involves humans (a man-made process as opposed to
a natural one), the focus is on the activities, NOT the person doing them  use the 
passive voice, not the active.
• For a natural process, such as the life-cycle of a frog  use active (as there is not a person doing
the activity in the diagram.)
 VERBS FOR DESCRIBING A PROCESS
DIAGRAM
VERB PHRASES EXAMPLES
Processed by        The tea leaves are processed by a mixing machine.
Added to The mixture is added to the raw product… 
Passed onto After drying, the tea leaves are passed onto the next stage.
Passes through The clay passes through the pipe, to later form bricks.
Goes into The water then goes into the main collection bowl…

Flows out of The liquid flows out of the first container and into the bowl...
Placed into After the first step, the tea leaves are placed under the dryer.
 VERBS FOR DESCRIBING A PROCESS
DIAGRAM
VERB PHRASES EXAMPLES
Enters a / the The mixture enters a final stage before reaching the furnace. 
At this step the product enters the penultimate step before delivery.
Formed The bricks are formed by molding machines.
Sent to / for The final product is sent to the finishing stage
Distribute  The product can now be distributed via the firm's logistics department.
Stored in the  After finishing, the bricks are stored in a dry chamber.
Transfer  The product is transferred to the nearest bakery.
Begins with  This process begins with the raw materials arriving at the loading bay.
 SOME USEFUL PHRASES

• A multi step process ...

• The process starts with … and ends at ....
• We have a six step process, whereby water undergoes a purification process.
• ... Which causes it to ...
• The final product is sent to the finish stage ...
• It consists of … steps starting with … and ending with / at.

 It consists of seven steps, starting with cows grazing in the field and ending with milk products being stored
in supermarkets and shop shelves.
 CONJUNCTIONS

– When/once/as soon as/immediately/whereas….

Ex: Once obtained, raw materials and manufactured components are stored for later assembly
The manufacturing stages involve the storage, assembly, inspection, packing to the sales methods whereas the research
stages include market & product research, design and advertisement.
– Before + clause or gerund
Ex: Most consumer goods go through a series of stages before they emerge as finished products ready for sale.
– After + clause or gerund
Ex: After the production planning is complete the assembly, inspection, testing and packaging stages are done sequentially.
– Where/from where/after which
Ex: Assembly first depends upon the production planning stage, where it is decided how and in what quantities the stored
materials will be processed to create sufficient quantities of finished goods.
The diagram illustrates the process that is used to manufacture bricks for the building industry.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where
relevant.

• To begin, the clay used to make the bricks is dug

up from the ground by a large digger. This clay
is then placed onto a metal grid, which is used to
break up the clay into smaller pieces. A roller
assists in this process.
• Following this, sand and water are added to the
clay, and this mixture is turned into two differing
types of brick by either placing it into a mould or
using a wire cutter. Next, these bricks are placed
in an oven to dry for 24 – 48 hours.
• In the subsequent stage, the bricks go through a
heating and cooling process. They are heated in a
kiln at a moderate and then a high temperature
(ranging from 200c to 1300c), followed by a
cooling process in a chamber for 2 – 3
days. Finally, the bricks are packed and delivered
to their destinations.
 “”

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant
 “”

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant

• Recycling commences when an

individual places their rubbish in a
designated recycling bin, prior to
being loaded into specialized
garbage trucks. After transportation
to the recycling center, the plastic
bottles are sorted by hand,
compressed tightly to form blocks
and then crushed into small pieces
and washed.
 “”

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant

• The next stages involve

transformation into a reusable
material. The pieces of plastic are
first poured into a machine that
turns them into pellets. These pellets
are then heated in order to create a
raw material that can be used in the
manufacture of products ranging
from clothes and bottles to
containers and pencils. These items
are themselves recyclable and the
process begins again.