IELTS Academic Writing Task 1: Instant Noodles Process (Band 9 Sample)
This Academic Task 1 asks you to describe a diagram showing how instant noodles are manufactured. A band-9 response opens with an overview of the whole process, then reports the stages in order using the passive voice and sequencing language. Below is a model answer of roughly 190 words, followed by why it scores 9 on all four criteria.
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01 · The task
The diagram below shows how instant noodles are manufactured. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
02 · Band 9 sample answer
191 words · Band 9The diagram illustrates the various stages involved in the industrial manufacture of instant noodles sold in cups.
Overall, the process is linear and comprises eight main stages, beginning with the delivery and storage of flour and ending with the labelling and sealing of the finished product. Broadly, it can be divided into a dough-making phase and a packaging phase.
At the first stage, flour is transported by tanker and kept in large storage silos. From there, it is fed into a mixer, where it is combined with water and oil, and the resulting mixture is passed through a series of rollers to produce thin dough sheets.
These sheets are then cut into narrow strips and subsequently shaped into round noodle discs. In the next phase, the discs are cooked in oil and dried, before being placed into cups to which vegetables and spices are added. Finally, the filled cups are labelled and sealed, at which point they are ready to be shipped and sold.
03 · Why this scores Band 9
The response covers the whole process, opens with a clear overview that states the number of stages and groups them into a dough-making and a packaging phase, and then reports every key step in the correct order — silos, mixer, rollers, sheets, strips, discs, cooking, and packaging — without over-describing minor details.
The report follows the ideal process shape — introduction, overview, then the stages in sequence. Sequencing language is varied and accurate — "At the first stage", "From there", "then", "subsequently", "In the next phase", "before being", "Finally" — so the reader follows the flow from raw flour to sealed cup.
Process vocabulary is precise and varied — "transported by tanker", "fed into a mixer", "passed through a series of rollers", "cut into narrow strips", "shaped into round noodle discs", "labelled and sealed" — with accurate verbs rather than a single repeated word.
The present-simple passive is used correctly throughout — "is transported", "is fed into", "is combined with", "are cut into", "are cooked in oil and dried" — exactly as a process description requires. A relative clause ("a mixer, where it is combined with...") and a final "at which point" clause add range, and the writing is error-free.
04 · Useful collocations for this task
Tap a phrase to see what it means and how to use it. Natural collocations like these lift your Lexical Resource score.
05 · Frequently asked questions
What tense and voice should I use for a process diagram?
Use the present simple passive throughout ("the flour is fed into a mixer", "the cups are sealed"), because the focus is on what happens at each stage, not who does it. This is the single most important grammatical feature of a process answer.
How do I show the order of the stages?
Use sequencing words — "first", "then", "subsequently", "in the next phase", "before", "finally" — and vary them rather than repeating "then". Varying the connectors keeps the report cohesive, which this model does deliberately.
Do I need an overview for a process?
Yes — always. For a process, the overview typically states how many stages there are, whether it is linear or a cycle, and where it begins and ends. You cannot reach band 7+ without it.
How long should a Task 1 answer be?
At least 150 words; a band-9 answer is usually 170–200. This model is 191 words, enough to give an overview and describe all eight stages in order. Spend about 20 minutes on Task 1.
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