IELTS WRITING TASK 1

DESCRIBING A PROCESS

ABOUT THE TASK

IELTS Task 1 tests your ability to identify the most important information in a process and describe it.

A. Examine the Diagram

Before beginning to write you should look at the process carefully. Examine the Chocolate-Making Process
and answer these questions.
1. What process is pictured?
2. How many stages are there in the process?
3. Is it a cyclical or linear process?
4. Is it a man-made or natural process?
5. Is anything added during the process?
The answers to these questions will form your introductory paragraph.

B. Grammar Time
When you describe the process…
1. Which tense(s) should you use?
2. Should you use mainly the active or passive voice?

C. Introductory Sentence
Which of the following sentences would be best as an introductory sentence for your answer? Why?
a. Chocolate is made in eight stages...
b. The diagram shows the process of chocolate making…
c. The illustration shows how chocolate is made…

D. Practise the Passive

a. Study the Chocolate-Making Process diagram and complete the paragraph below. Use the verbs from
the box below in the active or passive voice as required and in the correct form.
Firstly, the beans ____________ , removing any debris. They ____ then ____________ at a temperature of
between 120°C and 140° for 15 to 20 minutes. Next, they ____________ (this is known as ‘winnowing’)
and, after this they ____________. Once they ____________ they ____________ with sugar, milk and
cocoa butter before they ____________ (moved around) for up to 72 hours. After ____________ the
following step is ____________ the chocolate. This involves ____________ it to exactly the right
temperature for the moulds. Finally, the cooled chocolate is put into the moulds where it ____________ to
set.

mix leave roast put conch x2 heat grind x2 temper peel sort

b. Underline the words and phrases in the description which indicate the sequence of events.
c. Which tense is used after ‘once’? Which other sequencing word is followed by this tense?
d. Which form of the verb comes after ‘involves’?
 KEY LANGUAGE
SEQUENCING WORDS AND PHRASES

First, …
SEQUENCING WORDS AND PHRASES
Firstly, …
First of all, …
The first step/stage …
The process begins with …
To begin the process …
Next...,
The next step is to + INFINITIVE/involves + Ving …
Then …
Following this …
The following step is to + INF/involves + Ving …
After X + Present Perfect, then …
After + Ving …
After this …
Once X + Present Perfect, then …
Finally …
The final step is to + INFINITIVE/involves +Ving
The last step is to + INFINITIVE/involves + Ving

KEY GRAMMAR
PASSIVE FORMS

a. Present Simple Passive – is/are + past participle

SEQUENCING WORDS AND PHRASES
e.g. The beans are sorted
a. Present Perfect Passive – has/have been + past participle
e.g. After the beans have been sorted, ….
b. Passive Modal Verbs – should/must + be + past participle
e.g. Firstly, the beans must be sorted
 NOTES FOR TEACHERS

Pronunciation

Draw students’ attention to the pronunciation, especially the connected speech and contractions in the verb forms.

Answers

D. Study the image of the chocolate making process and complete the paragraph below. Use the verbs from the box
below in the active or passive voice as required and in the correct form.

Firstly, the beans are sorted, removing any debris. They are then roasted at a temperature of between 120°C and
140° for 15 to 20 minutes. Next, they are peeled (this is known as ‘winnowing’) and, after this they are ground. Once
they have been ground they are mixed with sugar, milk and cocoa butter before they are conched (moved around)
for up to 72 hours. After conching the following step is to temper the chocolate. This involves heating it to exactly
the right temperature for the moulds. Finally, the cooled chocolate is put into the moulds where it is left to set.

mix leave roast put conch x2 heat grind x2 temper peel sort

FURTHER TEACHING RESOURCES

Go to the website for more free resources www.chocolatarium.co.uk/language-schools.

- a Design your own chocolate bar lesson (describing colour, suggesting, presenting). Great for Task-Based
Learning for Young Leaners.
- a History of Chocolate past tense question form lesson.
- a preparatory lesson that uses the visit as a real-life listening task.

VISITING THE CHOCOLATARIUM

The Tour of Chocolate lasts around 1 hour 30 minutes and involves:

- Learning about where chocolate comes from

- Learning about the process of chocolate making from harvest to finished bar
- Making your own chocolate bar to take away
- Learning a little about the history of chocolate
- Tasting craft chocolate from Scotland and around the world

The attraction was designed by an English teacher with non-native English speakers in mind. Guides speak clearly
and use images and props to aid understanding throughout the tour.

Dietary Requirements and Allergies

The Tour is accessible to people who require a vegan, lactose-free or alcohol-free diet and those who require a Halal
diet usually stick to vegan-friendly ingredients. No peanut or nut products are used during the tour. For those with
severe allergies, a full list of ingredients is provided so that visitors can make an informed decision.

Prices and Booking

Ask your school for discounted prices for English language students and their accompanying teachers.

https://www.chocolatarium.co.uk/book-tickets/
 The Process of Chocolate Making
1. Sorting 2. Roasting 3. "Winnowing"
(Peeling)

120°C (225°F) -
140°C (275°F)

for 15 - 30 mins

4. Grinding
5. Combining

cocoa sugar
"liquor" / "mass" / "solid"

cocoa milk 8. Moulding

6. "Conching" butter
7. Tempering
(Moving around)
45°C (113°F)
all fat crystal structures melt

28 - 30°C (82 - 86°F)

Type IV crystals melt, Type V
crystals create solid structure

for up to
72 hours

26 - 28°C (79 - 82°F)

Type V and Type IV crystals form