Academic Writing Task 1 · process diagram

A diagram illustrating the seven-stage process of honey production by bees: IELTS Writing Task 1 sample answer

An IELTS Writing Task 1 process diagram question with a Band 8 sample answer, the chart redrawn with its data, the vocabulary that lifts the report and how to write about process diagrams.
  • 188 words
  • Process diagrams
  • Academic
  • 20 minutes

The question

The diagram illustrates how bees produce honey.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

  1. 1.Bees leave the hive
  2. 2.Bees fly to flowers
  3. 3.Bees collect nectar from flowers
  4. 4.Bees deposit nectar into honeycomb cells
  5. 5.Bees fan their wings to circulate air
  6. 6.Water evaporates from the nectar
  7. 7.Honey is produced and stored

Chart redrawn by BandLadder from the data in the original IELTS practice task. Many IELTS practice tasks come from the Cambridge IELTS series (Cambridge University Press & Assessment); all rights in the original tasks remain with their owners.

Model answer

Band 8 sample answer

Band 8188 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

The provided diagram illustrates the seven distinct stages involved in the production of honey by bees. Overall, the process is a cyclical sequence that begins with the collection of raw materials from nature and culminates in the creation of a refined food product through biological and physical transformations within the hive.

The process commences at stage one, where bees depart from their hive. In the second stage, the bees travel to flowers, where they extract nectar, a sweet liquid, as depicted in stage three. Once the nectar is gathered, the bees return to the hive and deposit the substance into the honeycomb cells, which is shown in stage four.

Following the deposition of nectar, the bees engage in a fanning process using their wings to circulate air throughout the hive, as illustrated in stage five. This action facilitates the sixth stage, which is water evaporation. As the water content decreases, the nectar gradually transforms into honey. Finally, in stage seven, the finished honey is stored within the honeycomb, completing the cycle. This intricate procedure highlights the essential role of both bee behaviour and environmental conditions in honey manufacturing.

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Process diagrams

How to write about process diagrams: tips and vocabulary

  • →Say how many stages there are and where the process starts and ends.
  • →Use the passive and sequencers: first, after this, once, finally.
  • →Keep every stage; a missing step costs task achievement.
  • commences

    to begin or start a particular process

  • culminates

    to reach the final or highest point

  • cyclical

    occurring in a repeating series of events

  • facilitates

    to make an action or process easier

  • distinct

    clearly different or separate from each other

  • transformation

    a thorough or dramatic change in form

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?+

The process of honey production is a cyclical seven-stage operation that begins with bees leaving the hive to collect nectar and concludes with the transformation of that nectar into honey through evaporation.

How many words and how long for IELTS Writing Task 1?+

At least 150 words; 170 to 200 is the safe range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

How is IELTS Writing Task 1 scored?+

On four criteria: task achievement, coherence and cohesion, vocabulary, and grammatical range and accuracy. A clear overview of the main features is what most separates Band 6 from Band 7 and above.

How do I describe process diagrams?+

Say how many stages there are and where the process starts and ends. Use the passive and sequencers: first, after this, once, finally. Keep every stage; a missing step costs task achievement.

Keep practising

More process diagrams

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