Processes/Diagrams
Diagram about a cycle Diagram about a process
(a life cycle #1 or a natural cycle #2) (a process of how something works #1 or
#1 how something is made #2)
#1
#2
#2
Structure of Diagrams/Processes
Intro
(paraphrase
the description )
Overview (Describe all
key stages briefly)
Initial key stages 1
Later key stages 2
Tips for describing Diagrams/Processes
[Link] Voice!!!
[Link] Present Tenses mostly
2. Do not miss any stages and put them in a logical
order.
3. Group the information of different stages.
4. Paraphrase ONLY when you know it is important
and when you know a FULL synonym.
5. Use linking words for identifying the order and
connecting the stages.
Process/Diagram Vocabulary
Words to Describe the Type of Diagram
Verbs:
create, produce, make, distribute and move
Adjectives:
• Natural
• Human-produced/Man-made
• Cyclical or linear
• ______-step process
e.g. seven-step process or the process includes 7 steps.
e.g.
#1 This diagram illustrates the man-made process that a
company uses to distribute natural gas to consumers.
Overall, this seven-step, linear process illustrates which
types of consumers the company prioritizes…
#2 This diagram depicts the natural hydrological cycle
process by which water moves through the environment.
Overall, this cyclical process involves 3 steps, such as
evaporation, condensation, and precipitation…
Language related to processes
• The process involves (+ing verb)
• The process consists of (5 stages)
• This requires (special machinery/ a device)
• This is done mostly by hand/mechanically/by machine.
• The procedure is (mostly) automated.
• This is achieved by a process of …
• The production is largely mechanised.
• This is a relatively simple process.
• This is a lengthy, complicated, time-consuming, energy-
efficient /energy-intensive process.
• Ready for …..packaging/ consumption/ sale/ distribution
• The final product is…
• To manufacture the final product you must/have to
• Which results in…
• Resulting in…
• It is boiled until it …( e.g. thickens)
• Ready to be consumed/ used/sent/packaged…
• Overall there are _______ (e.g. 7) stages/steps in the
process, beginning with ______ and culminating in
________.
Plants are
• picked, harvested, cut down, gathered, collected, sorted
• transported, taken, moved, sent to
• placed/put into, fed through
• washed, cleaned, purified
• chopped, shredded, cut up, cut into small pieces
• dried, crushed, ground
• blended, squeezed
• discarded, removed
Liquids are
• heated, boiled
• filtered
• concentrated/condensed
• treated with (lime)
• poured into
Materials are
• bleached, dyed
• polished , smoothed, ironed, softened
• soaked, washed, submerged
• made into, transformed into
• added
• combined, mixed
Products are
• placed onto (a conveyor belt)
• placed into (an oven, a kiln)
• packed, bagged, labelled, delivered
• transported, taken to, shipped
• ready to be used
Words to Describe the Steps in the Process
Adverbs
• First/firstly
• Second/secondly
• After/afterwards/once
• Next/Later/Following/Subsequently
• Furthermore/Moreover/In addition/Additionally/As
well as/Besides/Not only… but also
• Finally/Lastly
• During/While/Meanwhile
Synonyms for stages:
step, stage, phase
Words to describe a cycle or repetition of a process
(nouns and verbs)
• cycle
• repetition
• to repeat
• to loop
• to continue indefinitely
• to recur
Verbs for industrial processes
PASSIVE
be placed in → "The cocoons are placed in boiling water."
be heated / be processed (by/in)→
"The liquid is heated until it thickens."
“The tea leaves are processed by a mixing machine.”
be extracted from / be obtained from → "Cellulose is
extracted from plant matter."
be separated / be filtered → "The impurities are filtered
out before processing."
be added to /be mixed with– “The mixture is added to the
raw product… “
be passed onto – “After drying, the tea leaves are passed
onto the next stage.”
be placed into – “After the first step, the tea leaves are
placed under the dryer. “
be formed- “The bricks are formed by molding
machines. “
be sent to / for- “The final product is sent to the finishing
stage.”
be distributed - The product can now be distributed via
the firm's logistics department.
be stored in - After finishing, the bricks are stored in a dry
chamber.
be transferred to/ be transported/be delivered- The
product is transferred to the nearest bakery.
be assembled - “Each vehicle must be assembled on the
production line before it is tested and shipped to dealerships.”
be packaged- “After the chocolate bars are produced, they
must be packaged in airtight wrappers to maintain freshness
before being shipped to stores.”
be converted -“In the biodiesel facility, vegetable oil is
converted into fuel through a process called
transesterification.”
e.g . Cement production
Limestone and clay are crushed.
The resulting powder is mixed.
Afterwards, it is heated.
Then it is ground.
Subsequently, the final product, cement, is bagged
ACTIVE
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...”
enters sth- “The mixture enters a final stage before
reaching the furnace.”
“At this step the product enters the penultimate step before
delivery. “
begins with - This process begins with the raw materials
arriving at the loading bay.
Movement and Direction
• flow/move
• pass through
• circulate
• rise/fall
• enter/exit
Components and Parts
• consist of
• contain
• be comprised of
• be composed of
• feature
Connecting Elements
• Link to/Connect with
• Join
• Merge with
• Split into (dividing into groups or parts)
• Branch off (separation from a main path or group)
Technical Elements
• Mechanism
• System
• Infrastructure
• Components
• Configuration
Relationship Descriptors
• Interdependent (relying on each other)
e.g. “The various departments in the car production
process are interdependent, meaning a delay in one area
can impact the entire manufacturing timeline.”
• Interconnected (being connected or linked together)
e.g. “Modern manufacturing systems rely on
interconnected machines and digital technologies to
improve efficiency and reduce downtime.”
• Correlate with
e.g. “The purity of the final product closely correlates with
the temperature maintained during the chemical
reaction.”
• Function in conjunction with “The capping machine
functions in conjunction with the filling machine to
ensure each bottle is sealed immediately after being
filled.”
• Operates in parallel with
e.g. “The backup server operates in parallel with the main
server to maintain continuous system availability in case
of failure.”
Activities
Activity 1
Activity 2
evaporation extract packaging divided
concentrated canned customers
supermarkets refrigerated delivered
The diagram shows the process of making orange juice,
starting from fresh oranges and ending with the final
product sold in (1) ________. The process includes several
stages, from washing and squeezing the fruit to storing and
(2) ________ the juice.
Overall, the production of orange juice can be (3) ________
into three main stages. These are the preparation of fresh
juice, the production of (4) ________ juice, and the
reconstitution and packaging of the final product.
First, fresh oranges are (5) ________ to a factory, where they
are washed and squeezed to (6) ________ the juice. The
leftover solid waste is used as animal feed. The juice is
either packaged and sent directly to supermarkets or taken
in ____________(7)trucks to another facility. There, water is
removed through (8) ________ to make concentrated juice.
In the last stage, the concentrate is (9) ________ and stored
in a warehouse. When needed, it is sent to a different
factory, mixed with water to make reconstituted juice, then
packaged and delivered to supermarkets for _____________
(10).
Activity 3 (Complete IELTs Bands 4-5)
Look at the diagrams below and fill in the missing
information. Then choose the correct verb.
The diagrams show_______________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Overall,__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
PROCESS TASKS
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#6
The diagram details the process of making smoked fish.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#7
The diagram details the process of making leather
products.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#8
#9
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#10
The diagram below shows one method of manufacturing
ceramic pots.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#11
The diagram below shows how electricity is generated in a
hydroelectric power station.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#12
The diagram below shows the production of olive oil.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#13
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#14
#15
The diagrams show a structure that is used to generate
electricity from wave power.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#16
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Natural Cycles
#17
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#18
#19
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
#20