PROCESS
Updated 2024
1. DEFINITION
If you are unlucky enough to get a process diagram in academic task 1, it is quite possible that you will
need to be able to describe one of procedures as below:
PRODUCTION: an artificial production process of something coffee production, cement
production, electricity production, etc.
LIFE CYCLE:
MECHANISM
1. PRODUCTION PROCESS
2. MECHANISM PROCESS
3. LIFE CYCLE PROCESS
2. GRAMMATICAL FEATURES IN DESCRIBING PROCESS
With Process Description, TIME is not provided in the question => Use simple present tense
With Natural Process => The active voice is mainly used.
With Production Process => The passive voice is mainly used.
With Mechanism Process => The passive voice is mainly used.
3. READING A PROCESS DIAGRAM
o Step 1: To see where the process starts and ends
o Step 2: Understand the different stages of the process (TIP: ask yourself the WH
questions to analyze items illustrated in the picture)
o Step 3: Find a way of organising your description
o Step 4: Select key features to write the overview. Ask yourself these questions as below:
Is there one simple process or are there variations within the process?
How many stages are there in this process?
What is the beginning stage?
What is the ending stage?
4. WRITING THE INTRODUCTION
Paraphrase the question
Useful expressions:
o The chart/diagram (shows/describes/illustrates) how +clause
o The production of……………..
o The process of producing/ making………………
o How………….is produced/ made.
o How to produce/ make…………
5. WRITING THE OVERVIEW
In the overview, the candidate MUST answer:
How many stages are there in this process?
What are the beginning stage and the ending stage?
If there are two diagrams => each process = one paragraph
A. Production Process
Templates for overview – BASIC
There are ....main stages (steps) in the process/in the process of producing...,beginning with...and
ending with...
The …………………….involves ………………….main steps/ stages beginning with………………and finishing
with…………………..
There are … key steps to complete a full cycle, initiating with ………………… and completing with
…………..
Templates for overview- ACADEMIC
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Task 1: Point out two figure and write the overview for this PRODUCTION PROCESS
B. Mechanism Process
In the overview, the candidate MUST answer:
How many stages are there in this process?
What are the main parts of the item?
What is the input?
What is its protocol?
Task 2: Identify the input and the protocol from this MECHANISM PROCEDURE
C. Natural Process
In the overview, the candidate MUST answer:
How many stages are there in this process?
What are the beginning stage and the ending stage?
During the development of how does the animal illustrated in the diagram change in SIZE and
SHAPE? (Optional)
Task 3: Write the overview for this LIFE CYCLE PROCES
6. WRITING THE BODY
A. Dividing the process into two sections
In general, there is no specific formula for dividing the given process into 2 parts for 2 body paragraphs.
The candidate need to read the whole diagram carefully before separating it into 2 sections.
In PROCESS DESCRIPTION, identifying the BEGINNING POINT and ENDING POINT is of paramount
importance.
B. Language for describing a process
i. Sequence Vocabulary
The first stage
To begin with,
First of all,
In the first step,
The first step in the process is
The first stage in the process is
At the first stage of ....
At/In the beginning,
The first stage is when…
The process begins/starts/commences when…
The process begins with + <n./n.p.>
The middle stage
At the following stage,
Following that,
Followed by,
The second stage is that…
In the next/ subsequent step,
………. followed by……..
After that, / After …….
Subsequent steps,
Subsequently,
The process continues with...
The next step is
Then,
Steps happening simultaneously
While,
During
At the same time
Simultaneously,
The final step
Finally,
The last/ final process / step is that…
The process finishes with ...
The process concludes with ...
The repetition of the cycle
The whole process is a cycle which can be divided into ________________ main stages
At this point, a cycle has been completed and a new cycle will begin
ii. Structures suggested for describing process
Passive Tense
S + to-be + V3/ed
Ex: At the beginning of the process, clay is dug from the ground.
Shortened Relative Clause with Passive Voice
Being + V-ed
Ex: After being washed, the tomatoes are moved to the grilling stage.
Gerund
V-ing
Ex: After that, the ground, frozen liquid is dried in a vacuum so that the water evaporates,
leaving the coffee granules
Shortened Relative Clause
V-ing+ Object, S + Verb + Object
Ex: Having mixed the pulp by hand, he uses a rolling pin to flatten the pulp.
Having been poured into a shallow tray with some water, the pulp is then mixed by hand.
iii. Combining steps
Before/ after+ V-ing, S+ V+ O
Ex: After wilting, it undergoes rolling and slight fermentation before drying in the oven.
S+ V+ O prior to SOMETHING
Ex: The production of small leaf black tea is similar, except that it is not rolled, but crushed prior
to full fermentation in order to produce smaller leaves.
S+ V+ O as followed by something
Ex: Next, the moulded cans are checked so that they are all the same weight as followed by
passing through a rolling machine
Until + S + V + O
Ex: The customers cannot receive his goods until the payment has been authorized.
Once + S + V + O
Ex: Once the consumer’s bank has authorized payment, the good can be released to the
customers.
