Academic Writing Task 1 · process diagram

The life cycle of the silkworm and the production of silk cloth

The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages in the production of silk cloth.

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

Life Cycle of the Silkworm
  1. 1.Eggs laid by moth
  2. 2.Silkworm larva hatches and eats mulberry leaves for 4-6 weeks
  3. 3.Larva produces silk thread to form a cocoon
  4. 4.Cocoon stage lasts 8 days
  5. 5.Moth emerges from cocoon after 16 days
Production of Silk Cloth
  1. 1.Select cocoons
  2. 2.Boil cocoons in water
  3. 3.Unwind 300-900m of thread
  4. 4.Twist threads
  5. 5.Dye threads
  6. 6.Weave into cloth

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.

Band 8 sample answer

The provided diagrams illustrate the biological life cycle of the silkworm and the subsequent industrial stages involved in manufacturing silk cloth. Overall, the silkworm's life cycle is a continuous natural process, whereas the production of silk is a linear sequence of human-controlled manufacturing steps.

The life cycle begins with a moth laying eggs. After 10 days, a silkworm larva emerges and feeds on mulberry leaves for a period of 4 to 6 weeks. Following this growth phase, the larva produces a silk thread to construct a cocoon, a process that takes between 3 and 8 days. Finally, after 16 days within the cocoon, a new moth emerges, completing the cycle.

In the production of silk cloth, the process commences with the selection of cocoons, which are then boiled in water. Once boiled, the silk thread is unwound, yielding between 300 and 900 metres of material. This thread is subsequently twisted and dyed to achieve the desired colour. The final stage involves weaving the prepared threads into finished silk cloth. Both processes demonstrate a clear progression from raw biological material to a refined commercial product.

184 words. Every figure in the answer comes from the chart above.

How to write about process diagrams

commences
to begin or start a particular process
subsequent
coming after something else in a sequence
linear
arranged in or extending along a straight line
yielding
producing or providing a result or amount
refined
improved by removing unwanted elements or impurities
illustrate
to explain or make something clear using diagrams

Write your own report and get a band

Take a timed Academic writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Practise IELTS Academic writing

On your phone? Get the BandLadder app.

Frequently asked questions

What should the overview say?

The silkworm life cycle is a natural biological process lasting several weeks, while the production of silk cloth is a multi-stage industrial process involving the extraction and refinement of silk threads.

How long should an IELTS Task 1 answer be?

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 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.

More process diagrams