IELTS Writing Task 1 – Process Diagram (Natural Process: Ladybird)
A second process diagram, this time a natural cycle. Follow the arrows, count the stages, turn every label into a sentence (mostly active), and say that the cycle begins again. Then try the practice task below.
Key points
The example question and chart from the video
The diagram below shows the life cycle of the ladybird. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
| Stage | Label on the diagram | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eggs laid | 20–50 eggs on a leaf near aphids |
| 2 | Hatching | after 3–5 days |
| 3 | Larva feeds | eats aphids for about 3 weeks |
| 4 | Moulting | sheds its skin 4 times |
| 5 | Pupa | attached to a leaf, about 1 week |
| 6 | Adult comes out | soft yellow wings harden, spots appear |
| 7 | Adult feeds | stores fat for winter |
| 8 | Hibernation | in groups, under bark or dead leaves → spring: mate, cycle begins again |
The video shows this as a drawn cycle diagram with arrows. The stages are listed here so you can follow the model answer.
Band 9 model answer from the video (195 words)
The diagram illustrates the stages in the life of a ladybird, from the laying of an egg to the point when the adult insect is ready to reproduce.
Overall, there are eight stages in the cycle, which begins with eggs being laid on a leaf and ends with adult ladybirds sleeping through the winter before the process starts again. During its life, the insect takes four forms: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
At the first stage, a female lays between 20 and 50 eggs on a leaf near a group of aphids. These hatch after three to five days, and the larvae immediately start feeding on the aphids. Over the next three weeks, each larva grows quickly, shedding its skin four times.
Next, the larva attaches itself to a leaf and turns into a pupa for about a week. An adult with soft yellow wings then comes out, and within a few hours the wings harden and the spots appear. The new adult feeds heavily in order to store fat for the cold months. Finally, ladybirds hibernate in groups under bark or dead leaves, and when spring arrives, they mate and the cycle begins again.
Chapters in this video (15)
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:56Example Question
- 1:42How a Cycle Is Different
- 2:24How to Read the Diagram
- 3:31Turning Labels into Sentences
- 4:13Active or Passive?
- 4:55Answer Structure
- 5:34Writing the Introduction
- 6:22Writing the Overview
- 7:24Body Paragraph 1 (Egg and Larva)
- 8:24Body Paragraph 2 (Pupa and Adult)
- 9:29Sequencing Words
- 10:11Three Common Mistakes
- 10:44Final Answer
- 11:13Outro
Sequencing words for a cycle
| Word / phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| At the first stage, … / The cycle begins when … | the first stage | At the first stage, a female lays between 20 and 50 eggs on a leaf. |
| After that / Next / Then / At the following stage | move to the next stage | Next, the larva attaches itself to a leaf and turns into a pupa. |
| once / before / after | join two stages in one sentence | Once the wings harden, the spots appear. |
| turns into / becomes | describe a change of form | The larva turns into a pupa for about a week. |
| in order to … | explain the purpose of a stage | The new adult feeds heavily in order to store fat for the cold months. |
| Finally, … and the cycle begins again | the last stage, back to the start | Finally, ladybirds hibernate, and when spring arrives, the cycle begins again. |
Practice task: The life cycle of the dragonfly
The diagram below shows the life cycle of the dragonfly. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.
| Stage | Label on the diagram | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eggs laid | in or near water, on plants |
| 2 | Hatching | after 1–3 weeks |
| 3 | Nymph hunts | lives underwater; eats small insects and tadpoles |
| 4 | Moulting | sheds its skin 8–15 times over 1–2 years |
| 5 | Climbing out | nymph climbs up a plant stem |
| 6 | Adult comes out | wings dry and harden in about 1 hour |
| 7 | Adult flies and feeds | a few weeks; mates near water → eggs laid, cycle begins again |
Count the stages, and say in the overview that the insect lives in water first and in the air later.
Most verbs are active: the eggs hatch, the nymph hunts, it climbs. Use the passive only for the eggs being laid.
Split the cycle into two body paragraphs: life in the water (stages 1–4) and life as an adult (stages 5–7).
Show model answer (try first!)
The diagram illustrates the stages in the life of a dragonfly, from the laying of its eggs to the point when the adult insect is ready to breed.
Overall, the cycle has seven stages, beginning with eggs being laid in or near water and ending with adult dragonflies mating, after which the process starts again. The insect spends most of its life underwater as a nymph and only a short time as a flying adult.
At the first stage, a female lays her eggs on plants in or near water. These hatch after one to three weeks, and the young insects, known as nymphs, live underwater, where they hunt small insects and tadpoles. During the next one to two years, each nymph grows steadily, shedding its skin between 8 and 15 times.
Next, the fully grown nymph climbs out of the water up a plant stem, and an adult with soft wings comes out of its skin. Within about an hour, the wings dry and harden, so the dragonfly is able to fly. It then feeds for a few weeks before mating near water. Finally, the female lays new eggs, and the cycle begins again.
195 words
This practice task and its model answer were written for the website. The real exam shows a drawn diagram; here the stages are listed in a table. For a man-made process, see Example 1: bottled orange juice.
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