STEP 2: WRITE

Write the Introduction

The introduction tells the topic of your essay. Your essay will be about the diagram
Write the topic sentence
Write one sentence that tells what the diagram is about. Do not copy the title and task exactly. Use synonyms.
Example:

The diagram below shows the process of producing raisins from grapes. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the
main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Title: Raisin Production

Description: The process of producing raisins from grapes
Topic sentence: The diagram presents the steps for making raisins from
grapes.
Title: Taftsville Public Library
Description: A library before and after renovations
Topic Sentence: The diagram illustrates the changes that were made to the
Taftsville Public Library.
PRACTICE 4: Choose synonyms from the list for each of the following words and write them on the lines. Some words will have more
than one synonym.

1. Show A Prior to
2. Produce B Changes
3. Process C Illustrate
4. Renovations D Steps
5. Construction E Present
6. Before F Following
7. After G Make
8. Development H Building
I Growth
J Explain
K Manufacture
PRACTICE 5 Rewrite the following topic sentences by using synonyms for the underlined sections.
1 The diagram shows a housing site before and after construction.
2 The diagram shows the process for producing boxes from recycled cardboard.
3 The diagram shows the process for making juice from apples.
4 The diagram shows the development of a frog from egg to maturity.
5 The diagram shows the process for producing chocolate from cacao beans
Write a General Statement
The topic sentence tells what the diagram is about. In the next sentence, make a general statement summarizing what you will say about the
diagram. If the diagram shows a process, mention how the process begins and ends.
It takes a number of steps to go from an apple on a tree to applesauce we can buy in a store.
If there is a pair of diagrams showing changes in a place, mention the overall effect of the changes.
The neighborhood was much busier following the construction of the bridge.
PRACTICE 6
Choose words from the list to complete the general statements about the diagrams in Practice 1. There are more words than you will need.

A It takes several steps to go from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the field to .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . you can buy and
wear.
B It goes through several stages from . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in the water to a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . dragonfly in
the air.
C The neighborhood changed from a ............. area to a ............. place to live.
D Many things were ............. by the floodwaters.
E The electricity is . . . . . . . . . . . . . by the turbine and then is . . . . . . . . . . . . . to people's homes.
Write the Body of the Essay
When you planned your essay, you made notes about details. You identified the steps in a process or the changes between two diagrams.
Now you will turn these notes into sentences for the body of your essay.
Use Passive Voice
The apples are harvested.
The books were moved.
PRACTICE 8
Change the following sentences to passive voice.
1 Somebody packs the cotton in bales. 
2 Somebody dyes the cloth. 
3 Somebody sells the cloth to a factory. 
4 Somebody dries the raisins in the sun. 
5 Somebody sorts the raisins. 
6 Somebody built a new room. 
7 Somebody painted the walls. 
8 Somebody placed the desk by the window 
PRACTICE 9
Complete the essay about the diagram with the passive form of the verbs in present tense. Use present tense.

The diagram shows the steps for making frozen orange juice
concentrate from fresh oranges. ..............................
First, the fruit 1 (prepare) .. . . . . When the oranges are ripe, they 2
(harvest)....................... Then, they 3 (load). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . onto
trucks. The trucks carry the oranges to the processing plant. There,
they 4 (wash) . . . . .. . . . . . . before the juice 5
(make)............................. The washed oranges go though the
extractor, which extracts the juice. Next, the juice goes to the
evaporator, where it 6 (turn)...................... into concentrate. The
concentrate 7 (freeze) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Then, it 8
(can).................................. in the canner. The cans of juice 9
(distribute) ................................... to grocery stores. Customers buy
the frozen concentrate and enjoy it at home.
Use Sequence Words and Phrases
When you write about a process diagram, you will write about the steps of the process in the order that they occur. Use sequence words and
phrases to show their order in time

Beginning Step
First
To begin
The first step is
Middle Steps
Next
Then
Before
After
The next step
Last Step
Finally
The last step
The final step
Be careful with before and after. Use before with the step that comes later. Use after with the step that comes first.
- Before the raisins are put into packages, they are sorted.
- The raisins are taken to the processing plant after they are dried.

PRACTICE 10 Complete the paragraphs about the diagram using words from the chart.
The diagram shows the process of recycling plastic bottles to
make new products. It takes several steps to go from used bottles to
new products made out of the same material. The 1 ......................step
is to send the used bottles to the recycling plant. 2 ..................someone
finishes drinking from a bottle, she puts it in a recycling bin with other
used bottles. 3 .................................... , a truck picks up the bottles and
transports them to the recycling plant. 4 ........................................the
bottles can be recycled, they have to go through the washer.
5 .................................... , they are sent to another machine, where
they are shredded into small pieces. 6 .................................... , the
shredded pieces go into the extruder. This machine turns the pieces
into pellets. 7 .................................... , the pellets are used to make
new plastic products such as bottles, cups, and toys.
Describe the Location In Task l,
You might see a pair of diagrams that show the changes in a place over time. You will have to describe what you see in each diagram. Use
prepositions of place and related expressions to describe the location of objects in the diagram.

There is a bridge over the river.

There are some trees next to the bridge.
Across the river from the trees there is a house.
Some flowers are growing next to the house.
On the other side of the house there is a barn.
A boat is sailing on the river
PRACTICE 11 Write sentences describing the location of objects in the diagram. Write at least one sentence about each of the objects on
the list.

1 nature center
2 parking lot
3 cars
4 picnic area
5 trees
6 ducks
STEP 3: REVISE
You should allow at least 3 minutes to revise your essay after you write.
Use the Revision Checklist
When you revise, you check the content and the language of your essay. Make sure the essay
is clear and well organized and that you have used correct grammar and spelling. You can use
this revision checklist to practice revising.
 The diagram presents the steps for making raisins from grapes.
It takes several steps to go from grapes on the vine to packaged
raisins ready for sale.
To begin, the grapes are picked from the vines. After picking,
they are laid in the sun to dry. It takes two to three weeks to dry
the fruit. When the raisins are dry, they are packed in boxes and
taken by truck to the processing plant. At the plant, the raisins
go through a cleaner, which removes bits of dirt. Next they are
washed in a washer. Before the raisins are packaged, they are
sorted by size. Then, the raisins are put in different kinds of
packages. Some raisins are put in small packages, and they are
sold to grocery stores. Some are put in larger packages to be
sold to commercial bakeries or to be exported to other
countries.

PRACTICE 13 Read the following model essays. Answer the questions that follow each essay. Use the Revision Checklist to help you
answer the questions.
The diagram below shows the process of recycling plastic bottles. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
 The diagram shows the process of recycling plastic bottles to
make new products. It takes several steps to go from used
bottles to new products made out of the same material.
First, the bottles have to be sent to the recycling plant. After
someone ·Anishes drinking from a bottle, she puts it in a
recycling bin with other used bottles. Then, the bottles are
picked up by truck, and they are transported to the recycling
plant. There, they have to be washed before they can go
through the recycling process. After washing, they are sent to
another machine, where they are shredded into small pieces.
Next, the shredded pieces go into the extruder. This machine
turns the pieces into pellets. Finally, the pellets are used to
make new plastic products such as bottles, cups, and toys,
which we can buy and use at home.
1 Find the topic sentence and underline it.
2 Find the general statement and underline it.
3 In the body of the essay, put a check next to each step in the process that is shown on the diagram.
4 Circle the transition words and phrases.
5 Check grammar and spelling. Correct any errors.
6 Find and mark one simple sentence, one compound sentence, and one complex sentence.
The diagram below shows a library before and after renovations. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features,
and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagrams illustrate the changes that were made to the Taftsville Public Library. The
library was larger and it had more rooms after the renovations were done. Before the
renovations, the desk was in the middle of the library. Behind it was the reference area.
There was a large children's room on the right. Additionally, there were two rooms for
adults, one nonftction and the other ftction, on the left. After the renovations, things were
rearranged and the space was made larger. The desk was moved closer to the front door.
Behind the desk, in place of the old reference area, was a new reading area. The old
children's room was divided into two rooms, one for magazines and one for the new
reference area. Behind these rooms, a new children's room was built. Also, a new garden
was created next to it. Although changes were made to the other areas of the library, the
two adult rooms remained in the same place.
1 Find the topic sentence and underline it.
2 Find the general statement and underline it.
3 In the body of the essay, check next to each step
4 Circle the transition words and phrases.
5 Check grammar and spelling. Correct any errors.
6 Find and mark one simple sentence, one compound sentence, and one complex sentence.
The diagram below shows how a wood pellet boiler heats a house. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features,
and make comparisons where relevant.
The diagram shows how a wood pellet boiler is used to provide heat
and hot water for a house. The pellets are burned to produce heat,
which is then distributed through the house. To begin, a truck delivers
wood pellets to the house, and they are stored in a large container.
Then, when heat is needed, the pellets move to the boiler, where they
are burned to heat up water. Next, the hot water moves to several
places in the house. Some of it goes to pipes under the floor for under-
floor heating. Some of it also goes to a radiator to heat the rooms of
the house. Additionally, some of the hot water goes to a hot water
tank, which holds the water for washing and bathing. After the hot
water has heated the house, it returns as cool water to the boiler, where
it is heated to be used again.
1 Find the topic sentence and underline it.
2 Find the general statement and underline it.
3 In the body of the essay, check next to each step
4 Circle the transition words and phrases.
5 Check grammar and spelling. Correct any errors.
6 Find and mark one simple sentence, one compound sentence, and one complex sentence.