Key features to report

• The process has eight stages, from storage of flour in silos (stage 1) to labelling and sealing of the cups (stage 8), and it is a linear, man-made process with a clear start and end.
• Flour is delivered by a tanker truck to storage silos and then fed into a mixer, where water and oil are added (stages 1-2).
• The dough passes through rollers to become dough sheets, which are then cut into dough strips and formed into noodle discs (stages 3-5).
• The noodle discs are cooked in oil and then dried (stage 6), before being placed in cups.
• Vegetables and spices are added to the cups (stage 7), and finally the cups are labelled and sealed (stage 8).
• A natural grouping is two phases: preparing and shaping the dough (stages 1-5) and cooking, flavouring and packaging (stages 6-8).

Model overview

Overall, the manufacture of instant noodles involves eight stages, beginning with the storage of flour and ending with the labelling and sealing of cups. The process can be divided into two main phases: making and shaping the dough, and then cooking, flavouring and packaging the noodles.

Paragraph plan

1. 1

   Introduction

   Paraphrase the task: the diagram illustrates the stages in the industrial production of instant noodles, from the delivery of flour to the finished product.

2. 2

   Overview

   State that there are eight stages, name the first and last, and divide the process into two phases: preparing and shaping the dough, then cooking, flavouring and packaging.

3. 3

   Body paragraph 1: making and shaping the dough

   Describe stages 1-5 in order using the passive: flour is delivered and stored in silos, mixed with water and oil, rolled into sheets, cut into strips and formed into noodle discs.

4. 4

   Body paragraph 2: cooking and packaging

   Describe stages 6-8: the discs are cooked in oil and dried, placed in cups, flavoured with vegetables and spices, and finally the cups are labelled and sealed.

Useful comparisons

• Split the process into two body paragraphs: stages 1-5 (dough) and stages 6-8 (cooking and packaging).
• Show how the shape of the product changes: flour, dough, sheets, strips, discs, then noodles in cups.
• Mention the inputs added at different points: water and oil at the mixer, oil again for cooking, and vegetables and spices in the cups.
• Use the machinery shown, such as the rollers and the conveyor line, to make the description precise without inventing details.
• Vary sequencing language: to begin with, once, after this, subsequently, at this point, finally.
• Combine short stages into one sentence with relative or participle clauses, for example dough that has been rolled into sheets is then cut into strips.

Band 8+ model answer

188 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.

Why this answer scores highly

Task Achievement

Every one of the eight stages is covered accurately and in order, and the overview identifies the start, the end and the two main phases without adding information not shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion

Sequencing devices such as to begin with, then, subsequently, in the next stage and finally move the reader smoothly through the process, and referencing such as this dough and these strips links the sentences.

Lexical Resource

Precise process vocabulary such as transferred, flattened, shaped and flavourings paraphrases the labels naturally rather than copying them.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

The answer uses the present simple passive consistently and accurately, combined with relative clauses, where clauses and after which to show sequence.

Useful vocabulary

manufacture

make products in large quantities in a factory

storage silos

tall containers used to store large amounts of flour or grain

be transferred to

be moved from one place to another

be fed into

be put into a machine so it can be processed

dough

a thick mixture of flour and liquid

be flattened into sheets

be pressed into thin flat layers

be cut into strips

be divided into long narrow pieces

be shaped into discs

be formed into flat round pieces

conveyor belt

a moving belt that carries products from one machine to the next

flavourings

ingredients such as spices added to give food taste

be sealed

be closed tightly so that nothing can get in or out

subsequently

after that, used to show sequence

the final stage

the last step in the process

Common mistakes

• Using active verbs with people as subjects, such as workers put the flour in the mixer, instead of the passive voice expected in a process description.
• Leaving out the overview, or writing an overview that just repeats the first step, rather than stating the number of stages and the start and end points.
• Missing inputs that are added along the way, such as the water and oil at the mixer or the vegetables and spices in the cups.
• Inventing details that are not in the diagram, such as cooking temperatures, times or the boiling of noodles in water.
• Copying the labels word for word as a list (Dough sheets. Dough strips. Noodles discs.) instead of turning them into full sentences with linking words.
• Describing the process in the wrong order, for example putting drying before cooking or flavouring after sealing.

Frequently asked questions

Which Cambridge book is this question from?

This process diagram showing how instant noodles are manufactured is Writing Task 1 of Test 3 in Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic, published in 2020.

Should I use the passive voice for this process?

Yes. In a manufacturing process the actions matter more than who does them, so forms like flour is stored and the discs are cooked are natural, though a few active verbs add variety.

Does a process diagram need an overview?

Yes. Say how many stages there are, where the process begins and ends, and, if helpful, the main phases. Without an overview, Task Achievement is limited.

How many words should I write for this Task 1?

Write at least 150 words; about 170-200 words is enough to cover all eight stages clearly in about 20 minutes.