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Lesson
Writing Task 1: Describe a process (recycling glass)
Process diagrams need the passive voice and clear sequencing, not trends or numbers. Learn the structure, then describe how glass bottles are recycled.
What's different about a process
There are no increases or decreases to compare. Instead you describe stages in order. Most processes are about things being done, so the passive is natural:
The bottles are collected… then they are sorted by colour.
Structure
| Paragraph | Content |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Paraphrase what the diagram shows |
| Overview | How many stages, where it begins and ends, and whether it is a cycle |
| Body 1 | The first half of the stages |
| Body 2 | The second half |
Sequencing language
First, / To begin with, · Next, / After that, / Following this, · Once the glass has been crushed, … · Finally, / In the last stage,
Use a variety. Don't start every sentence with Then.
Overview: Overall, there are eight stages in the process, which begins with the collection of used bottles and ends with new bottles being delivered to shops.
Practise freely
Questions 1–6
The table shows the stages of recycling glass bottles. Complete each sentence with the passive form of the verb in brackets.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | used bottles collected in bottle banks |
| 2 | taken by lorry to a recycling plant |
| 3 | sorted into clear, green and brown glass |
| 4 | washed to remove labels and dirt |
| 5 | crushed into small pieces called "cullet" |
| 6 | melted in a furnace at about 1,500°C |
| 7 | shaped into new bottles in moulds |
| 8 | filled and delivered to shops |
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First, used bottles (collect) in bottle banks.
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They (take) by lorry to a recycling plant.
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At the plant, the glass (sort) by colour.
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Once it has been washed, the glass (crush) into small pieces.
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These pieces (melt) in a furnace at around 1,500°C.
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Finally, the new bottles (fill) and delivered to shops.
Questions 7–9
Choose the best answer.
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Which is the best overview for this process?
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Which sentence shows the sequence best?
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Which tense is usually best for describing a process?
Your turn: write the report
The diagram below shows how glass bottles are recycled. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.
Use the eight stages in the table above. Write at least 150 words.
Check your answer
Model answer
The diagram illustrates the process by which used glass bottles are recycled to make new ones.
Overall, there are eight stages, beginning with the collection of used bottles and ending with the delivery of new, filled bottles to shops. The process is therefore cyclical, since the new bottles can eventually be recycled in exactly the same way.
To begin with, used bottles are collected in bottle banks, after which they are transported by lorry to a recycling plant. Here, the glass is sorted into three colours (clear, green and brown) before it is washed to remove labels and dirt.
Once it has been cleaned, the glass is crushed into small pieces, known as "cullet". These are then melted in a furnace at a temperature of approximately 1,500°C. Following this, the molten glass is poured into moulds, where it is shaped into new bottles. In the final stage, the bottles are filled and delivered to shops, ready to be sold and, eventually, recycled again.
(163 words)
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