IELTS Academic Writing- Verbs for Describing Processes

By: Alex Case

Study Area: IELTS

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Lesson Plan Content:

Verbs for describing processes practice

In small groups, work together to use as many verbs below as you can to describe processes shown in IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 flowcharts. Verbs divided by a slash (/) have similar (but not always exactly the same) meanings, and verbs divided by a dash (–) have opposite meanings, so choose one particular verb each time (not a whole line).

accept/ choose/ select – reject
add – take away
adjoin/ touch
adjust/ alter/ change – remain/ keep
affect
allow/ let – prevent
appear – disappear
apply/ put on
arrange/ organise/ put into order
assemble/ put together – disassemble/ take apart
assess/ evaluate/ judge
attach/ connect – take off
bear/ carry
bend/ flex – flatten
blow – suck
break – fix/ mend/ repair
breathe in/ inhale – breathe out/ exhale
bring to a close/ complete/ finish – begin/ start/ undertake
bring together/ gather – spread (out)
bring – take
broadcast/ transmit – receive
bury – dig up
cause/ lead to
check/ confirm
classify/ sort
coat/ cover/ wrap – remove/ strip
collate/ collect/ combine/ put together – distribute/ disseminate
consist of
construct/ create/ make/ produce – destroy
contribute to
deflate – inflate
develop
dispose of/ throw away – keep/ store
divide/ share/ split – keep together
drip/ leak
drop – pick up
dry – moisten
empty – fill
enter/ go in – come out/ leave
evaporate – condense
expand/ grow – shrink
fall – rise
fasten – unfasten
ferment
float – sink
flow
follow – lead
form/ make up
freeze – melt
grind
happen/ occur
harden – soften
heat – cool
hide – reveal/ show
hold (in place) – let go/ release
insert/ slot into – pull out
lengthen – shorten
lie (next to/ above)
lift/ raise – lower
loosen – tighten
mix/ put together – separate
narrow – broaden/ widen
overtake/ pass
pack – unpack
place/ put
pour/ spill
prepare/ set up
press/ squeeze/ squash
pull – push/ press
pump
radiate
reach – fall short
release – trap
roll/ turn
screw/ rotate/ turn/ twist
sieve
slide/ slip
squeeze – stretch
stay the same – change/ vary
stick
rip/ tear
thread
use to
weave
wind – unwind
wipe

Ask about any verbs above that you couldn’t understand, couldn’t use, aren’t sure that you used correctly, etc, working together to use them in example sentences each time.

Multiword verbs for describing processes practice

Without looking above, put one preposition/ adverb (“at”, “into”, etc) in each gap below.

add – take ________
arrange/ organise/ put ________ order
assemble/ put together – disassemble/ take ______
attach/ connect – take ________
breathe ____________/ inhale – breathe __________ / exhale
bring _______ a close/ complete/ finish – begin/ start/ undertake
bring together/ gather – spread (________)
bury – dig __________
cause/ lead ________
consist __________
contribute _______
dispose _________/ throw ________ – keep/ store
drop – pick _________
enter/ go _________ – come ______/ leave
hold (________ place) – let go/ release
insert/ slot _____ – pull ______
prepare/ set ______

Look below the fold for hints.

---------------------------------fold, cover or cut----------------------------

Mixed answers

Add these to suitable gaps above. Most can be used more than once.

apart
away
in
into
of
off
out
to
up

Compare your answers to the first worksheet. Other answers are possible, so please check with your teacher if you wrote something different.

Verbs for describing processes opposites practice

Put one word into each gap, using the words with opposite and similar meanings which are on the same line to help.

accept/ choose/ select – ____________
add – __________
allow/ ______ – prevent
appear – ___________
assemble/ put together – _______________/ take apart
____________/ connect – take off
bend/ flex – _____________
___________ – suck
break – fix/ mend/ _________
breathe in/ inhale – breathe out/ _____________
____________ – take
broadcast/ _____________ – receive
bury – ______________
coat/ ____________ / wrap – remove/ strip
collate/ collect/ combine/ ______________ – distribute/ disseminate
construct/ create/ make/ produce – __________
___________________ – inflate
dispose of/ _______________ – keep/ store
_______________/ share/ split – keep together
_____________ – moisten
_____________ – fill
___________/ go in – come out/ leave
_____________ – condense
expand/ grow – ______________
fasten – ______________
float – _____________
_______________ – lead
____________ – soften
___________ – cool
hide – _________/ show
hold (in place) – let go/ ___________
________– pull out
___________ – shorten
lift/ raise – ____________
loosen – _____________
mix/ put together – _________
narrow – broaden/ __________
pack – __________
___________– push/ press
___________ – fall short
___________ – trap
stay the same – change/ __________
wind – __________________

Use the mixed answers on the next page to help.

Mixed opposites to add in the right places above.

attach
blow
bring
cover
deflate
destroy
dis…
divide
dry
empty
enter
evaporate
flatten
follow
harden
heat
insert
lengthen
let
lower
pull
put together
reach
reject
release
release
repair
reveal
separate
shrink
sink
throw away
tighten
transmit
un…
vary
widen

Check with the first worksheet. Other answers are possible, so check if you wrote something different.

Find at least five words above which can take the prefix “re-”.

Make the passive of all the verbs above that you can. (Some are never or almost never used in the passive voice).

What is the difference between “It increases” and “It is increased”?

Brainstorming verbs for describing processes/ flowcharts

Write as many suitable actions as you can in each gap below. Many words can go in more than one place.

Useful verbs and opposites for describing processes

Useful verbs with (exact or approximate) synonyms for describing processes

Useful verbs for describing processes with irregular past forms

Useful verbs for describing processes which are (almost) always used in the active voice/ can’t be used in the passive voice

Other useful verbs for describing processes

Use the mixed verbs below to help, then compare as a class or with the suggested answers.

Mixed verbs to describe processes

Use these verbs to help with the task above. Some could go in more than one place.

accept access add adjust affect

allow alter (dis)appear apply (for) arrange

(dis)assemble assess attach bear begin

bend bid (for) blow book break

breathe (in/ out) bring (together) bring to a close broadcast broaden

build bury buy calculate cancel

carry change check choose classify

clean close coat collate collect

combine complete condense confirm connect

consist of construct contribute to cool cover

create deflate demolish destroy develop

dig up dispose of disseminate distribute divide

drop dry empty enter escape

evaluate evaporate excavate exhale expand

fall (un)fasten ferment (re)fill finish

fix flatten flex float flow

follow forecast freeze gather grind

grow happen harden heat hide

hold (in place) inflate inhale insert

(un)install judge keep (together) launch lead

leak lengthen let go lie lift

loosen lower make manufacture marinate

melt mend mix moisten narrow

obtain occur open operate organise

(un)pack pick up (re)place predict prepare

preserve press prevent produce

pull (out) pump purchase purify

push put (on/ into order) put together radiate

raise receive record reject

release remain remove repair

reserve reveal rip rise

roll rotate screw select

separate (re)set (up) share shorten

show shrink shut sieve

sink slide slot into soften

sort (out) split spread (out) squash

squeeze start stay stick

store stretch strip suck

take (apart/ away) take off tear thread

throw away tighten touch transmit

trap treat turn twist

undertake use to utilise weave

widen (un)wind wipe wrap

Check as a class or with the suggested answers.