The 4-paragraph process method
Paragraph 1 — Overview. Open with what the process is, how many stages it has, and whether it is linear or has two parallel paths.
Paragraph 2 — Beginning stages. Group stages 1–N (e.g. 'preparation' or 'input'). Cover each stage in 1–2 sentences with a sequence marker.
Paragraph 3 — Middle / transformation stages. This is where the action happens. Spend the most words here. Use present simple passive ('is heated', 'is compressed') and precise transformation verbs.
Paragraph 4 — Final stage. Single closing sentence describing the end product or output.
The 4 most common process mistakes
Band 8 model answer (process)
The diagram shows the process by which instant coffee is produced from fresh coffee cherries. The process has six main stages, beginning with the harvest of ripe cherries and ending with the packaging of the soluble powder. Three of the intermediate stages involve the transformation of the bean itself; the others involve washing, drying, and freeze-drying. Initially, ripe coffee cherries are picked by hand and washed in large tanks to remove any debris. The clean cherries are then passed through a pulping machine, which extracts the two beans inside each fruit. The extracted beans are spread out on a drying patio and left in the sun for several days until their moisture content falls to around 11 percent. Once dried, the beans are roasted at approximately 200 degrees Celsius for up to 15 minutes, which develops their characteristic flavour and dark brown colour. After roasting, the beans are ground into a fine powder and transferred to a percolation column, where hot water is passed through them to extract the soluble compounds. The resulting liquid is concentrated by evaporation and finally freeze-dried into the granules that are packaged for retail sale.
High-scoring process vocabulary
Sequence
- initially / at the first stage
- subsequently / in the next stage
- at the same time / simultaneously
- once X is complete
- at the final stage / in the last step
Transformation verbs
- is heated / is cooled / is frozen
- is ground / is crushed / is chopped
- is filtered / is strained / is centrifuged
- is mixed with / is combined with
- is converted into / is transformed into
Container / movement
- is placed in / is transferred to
- is passed through / is pumped through
- is loaded into / is poured into
- is removed from / is extracted from
- is collected in / is stored in
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I describe a process diagram in IELTS Task 1?▾
For a linear process with one starting point, use 'first / then / next / finally'. For a process with two parallel paths (e.g. commercial vs. domestic production), describe each branch separately and then summarise the shared end point. Use present simple passive ('the milk is heated') unless the question asks for a specific time period.
Do I need to describe every stage?▾
Yes, but you do not need to describe each stage in equal detail. Spend more words on the stages that are non-obvious (e.g. chemical reactions, temperature changes) and fewer on simple 'the product is packaged' stages.
What tense should I use?▾
Use present simple passive for cyclical or general processes. Use past simple for processes that happened at a specific time in the past (rare). When the question says 'how X is made' or 'how X works', default to present simple passive.
What vocabulary is most useful for processes?▾
Sequence markers (initially, subsequently, at the same time, in the next stage), transformation verbs (is heated, is converted, is compressed, is filtered, is ground), and container language (is placed in, is transferred to, is passed through).
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