The question
The diagram below shows the process of making shopping bags from the jute plant.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
Jute plants, about 3 metres tall, are cut by hand after four months of growth
Bundles of stems are soaked in ponds or slow-moving water for 2–3 weeks to loosen the fibres
Fibres are pulled away from the woody stems by hand and washed
Fibres are hung on bamboo frames to dry in the sun for 2–3 days
Dried fibres are graded, pressed into bales and transported to the mill by lorry
Fibres are sprayed with oil and water, then combed by machine into a continuous ribbon
The ribbon is twisted into yarn and wound onto spools
Yarn is woven into hessian cloth on power looms
The cloth is cut to size and sewn into bags; handles are attached
Logos are printed on the bags, which are packed for export
Jute plants, about 3 metres tall, are cut by hand after four months of growth
Bundles of stems are soaked in ponds or slow-moving water for 2–3 weeks to loosen the fibres
Fibres are pulled away from the woody stems by hand and washed
Fibres are hung on bamboo frames to dry in the sun for 2–3 days
Dried fibres are graded, pressed into bales and transported to the mill by lorry
Fibres are sprayed with oil and water, then combed by machine into a continuous ribbon
The ribbon is twisted into yarn and wound onto spools
Yarn is woven into hessian cloth on power looms
The cloth is cut to size and sewn into bags; handles are attached
Logos are printed on the bags, which are packed for export
Key features to report
- Overview: there are ten stages in two phases: extracting the fibre, much of it done by hand using natural processes, and manufacturing the bags in a mill using machines.
- The plants are harvested by hand after about four months, then the stems are soaked (retted) in water for two to three weeks to loosen the fibres.
- The fibres are stripped, washed, dried in the sun on bamboo frames, graded, baled and taken to the mill.
- At the mill, the fibres are softened, combed into a ribbon, spun into yarn and woven into hessian cloth.
- Finally, the cloth is cut and stitched into bags with handles, which are printed and packed for export.
Model answer
196 words · written by Abroadway to show band 9 features (not an official IELTS sample)
The diagram illustrates how shopping bags are produced from the jute plant.
Overall, there are ten stages in the process, which can be divided into two main phases: the extraction of the fibre from the plant, much of which is done by hand, and the manufacture of the bags themselves, which takes place in a mill using machinery.
In the first phase, jute plants are harvested by hand after about four months, when they have reached a height of around three metres. Bundles of stems are then soaked in ponds or slow-moving water for two to three weeks, a process known as retting, which loosens the fibres. These are stripped from the woody stems, washed and hung on bamboo frames to dry in the sun. Finally, they are graded, pressed into bales and transported to the mill.
At the mill, the fibres are softened with oil and water and combed by machine into a continuous ribbon, which is then spun into yarn. This is woven into hessian cloth on power looms, after which the cloth is cut and sewn into bags with handles. Lastly, logos are printed on the bags before they are packed for export.
Useful language
- harvested
- soaked
- retting
- fibres
- bales
- spun
- yarn
- woven
- cloth
Step-by-step method in the free lesson Process diagrams: sequencing and the passive.
Write your own report and get a band estimate
Free, no account needed. Aim for 20 minutes and at least 150 words.