How it's scored
Task achievement needs an overview and every stage covered accurately; missing a stage or inventing detail lowers it. Coherence comes from clear sequencing. Grammatical range is shown through the passive, relative clauses and time clauses.
Strategy & template
- 1Number the stages on the diagram and decide whether it is linear (start to finish) or cyclical (returns to the start).
- 2Overview: what the process produces or achieves, how many main stages, and whether it is man-made or natural.
- 3Body: two paragraphs splitting the stages roughly in half, each stage in a sentence or two with a sequencer: first, next, once, after which, at the same time, finally.
- 4Use the passive for actions where the agent is unknown or unimportant (the mixture is heated to 200 degrees) and the active for natural processes (water evaporates).
Common mistakes to avoid
- Skipping a stage because it looked minor; every labelled step counts.
- Writing an overview that summarises a trend, which a process does not have.
- Adding opinions or explanations the diagram does not give.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an overview for a process diagram?
Yes. State what the process is for, how many stages it has, and where it starts and ends. Without it task achievement is capped at band 5.
Should I use the passive voice for a process?
Mostly yes for manufactured processes, where the agent is unimportant. Natural cycles are usually described in the active. Mix in relative clauses to show range.
Practise Writing Task 1: Process Diagram
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