IELTS Process Diagram: How to Describe a Process in Task 1 (Sample Answer)
A step-by-step method for IELTS process diagrams: passive voice, sequencing language, the overview and an original band 8 sample.
Process diagrams look frightening because there are no numbers to compare. In fact, they are often the most predictable Task 1 type: you describe the stages in order, mainly with the passive voice and sequencing words.
Two kinds of process
- Man-made processes: how something is produced, such as bricks, chocolate or recycled paper. Use the passive: the clay is dug up.
- Natural processes: the water cycle or the life cycle of an insect. Use mostly active verbs: the larva hatches.
The task
The diagram below shows how olive oil is produced. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
Imagine the stages: (1) olives harvested from trees in autumn; (2) leaves and stems removed; (3) olives washed; (4) crushed into a paste by stone mills; (5) paste mixed slowly for 30–40 minutes; (6) pressed to separate liquid from solids; (7) oil separated from water in a centrifuge; (8) oil stored in steel tanks and then bottled.
The overview for a process
Say how many stages there are, and where the process begins and ends:
Overall, the production of olive oil involves eight main stages, beginning with the harvesting of the fruit and ending with the oil being bottled.
No numbers, no detail: just the big picture.
Band 8 sample answer
The diagram illustrates the stages involved in producing olive oil, from the harvest to the finished product.
Overall, the process consists of eight steps, starting with the collection of olives from the trees and finishing with the storage and bottling of the oil. The core of the process consists of crushing the fruit and separating the oil from water and solid waste.
First, olives are harvested in autumn and any leaves and stems are removed before the fruit is washed. The clean olives are then crushed by stone mills, which turns them into a thick paste. This paste is mixed slowly for 30 to 40 minutes, a stage that allows small drops of oil to combine.
Following this, the paste is pressed so that the liquid is separated from the solid material. The liquid, which still contains water, is then passed through a centrifuge, where the oil is extracted. Finally, the oil is stored in steel tanks before being bottled for sale.
(169 words)
Sequencing language
| Start | Middle | End |
|---|---|---|
| First, / To begin with, / Initially, | Then, / Next, / After that, / Following this, / Once…, | Finally, / In the final stage, / The last step is… |
Vary the structure too:
- After being washed, the olives are crushed.
- Once the paste has been mixed, it is pressed.
- …, after which the oil is stored.
Passive voice checklist
- Present simple passive: is/are + past participle (is pressed, are removed).
- Avoid the olives are crushing (active form, wrong meaning).
- Keep a few active verbs for natural stages: the oil rises, the water evaporates.
Band 6 vs band 8: describing the same stage
- Band 6: Then they crush the olives. Then they mix it. Then they press it.
- Band 8: Once the olives have been crushed into a paste, it is mixed slowly for up to 40 minutes, after which it is pressed to separate the liquid from the solids.
The band 8 sentence links three stages with varied sequencing, the passive voice and a relative clause, and it keeps useful details (time, purpose).
Practice task
The diagram shows how paper is recycled: collection → sorting → shredding and soaking in water → cleaning with chemicals → pressing into sheets → drying on heated rollers → new paper.
Write the overview first: how many stages are there, and where does the process start and finish? Then describe the stages in two body paragraphs, using at least four different sequencing expressions.
Common mistakes
- Copying labels as fragments ("Stage 3 washing"). Write full sentences.
- Skipping stages: every stage should appear, even briefly.
- Adding opinions about the process.
Practise with the writing timer and review grammar for band 7 for the passive voice.