The following diagram shows how rainwater is reused for domestic purposes.
Sample Response
The illustration depicts different steps through which rainwater is collected, processed and released for reuse for domestic consumptions. Overall, rainwater recycling process involves various interrelated phases including the use of the dam, treatment plant, water tank and the whole process is dependent on rain pour. When the rain pours down to earth, a dam is used to collect rainwater and this water is then sent to a water treatment plant in order to produce drinking water. This water is then released for household consumptions. The houses have their own rainwater tanks which are placed adjacent to them and used for storing rainwater running from the roofs. Rainwater stored in tanks is used for domestic purposes as well. Household wastewater is then sent to a wastewater treatment plant for the recycling purpose from where the excess treated water is released into the river and the rectified water is drawn back to be used for domestic purposes again. In the interim, surface runoff water in the form of stormwater is preserved and made to flow directly into waterways nearby.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Use uncountable noun Original: reuse for domestic consumptions Suggested revision: reuse for domestic consumption Why it matters: Consumption is uncountable when referring generally to domestic water use.
- 2. Add definite article Original: rainwater recycling process Suggested revision: the rainwater recycling process Why it matters: The specific process shown in the diagram requires the definite article.
- 3. Use natural expression Original: the whole process is dependent on rain pour Suggested revision: the whole process depends on rainfall Why it matters: Rainfall is the correct noun, and depends on is more natural here.
- 4. Describe rainfall concisely Original: When the rain pours down to earth Suggested revision: When rain falls Why it matters: This is the standard concise expression for rainfall.
- 5. Use accurate supply verb Original: released for household consumptions Suggested revision: supplied for household use Why it matters: Water is supplied for use, and consumption should not be plural here.
- 6. Use drainage verb Original: rainwater running from the roofs Suggested revision: rainwater draining from the roofs Why it matters: Draining accurately describes water moving from roofs into collection tanks.
- 7. Remove unnecessary words Original: for the recycling purpose Suggested revision: for recycling Why it matters: For recycling is the correct concise purpose phrase.
- 8. Use diagram label Original: rectified water Suggested revision: recycled water Why it matters: The diagram identifies the water returned to households as recycled water.
- 9. Use concise phrasing Original: different steps through which Suggested revision: the steps by which Why it matters: This expresses the process relationship more directly.
- 10. Use process verbs Original: collected, processed and released Suggested revision: collected, treated and supplied Why it matters: Treated and supplied more precisely describe the stages shown in the diagram.
- 11. Fix articles and plurals Original: the use of the dam, treatment plant, water tank Suggested revision: a dam, treatment plants and rainwater tanks Why it matters: The list needs parallel noun phrases and must reflect the multiple treatment facilities shown.
- 12. State stage directly Original: a dam is used to collect rainwater Suggested revision: rainwater is collected in a dam Why it matters: This is a more direct description of the collection stage.
Suggested Rewrites
- reuse for domestic consumptions reuse for domestic consumption
- rainwater recycling process the rainwater recycling process
- the whole process is dependent on rain pour the whole process depends on rainfall
- When the rain pours down to earth When rain falls
- released for household consumptions supplied for household use
- rainwater running from the roofs rainwater draining from the roofs
Why this response received Band 6.5
The response traces the main drinking-water, rainwater, and wastewater routes in a generally clear sequence and shows a good grasp of the interconnected system. However, the overview is vague and the final stage inaccurately implies that stormwater flows directly to waterways, overlooking its treatment. Make the overall cycle explicit and describe every treatment route with exact process vocabulary.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Detailed feedback by IELTS writing criterion after the annotated essay.
Task Achievement
Most major routes and stages are described accurately, but the overview lacks key system relationships and stormwater treatment is omitted.
State the three reuse and treatment pathways in the overview and explicitly include stormwater treatment before discharge.
Coherence and Cohesion
The process develops in a broadly logical order with clear sequencing, although the single paragraph and some loose transitions weaken cohesion.
Use separate paragraphs for fresh-water supply and household wastewater or stormwater flows, with clearer links between each route.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a reasonably broad process vocabulary, but several unnatural collocations and imprecise choices reduce accuracy.
Replace phrases such as domestic consumptions, rain pour, and rectified water with domestic use, rainfall, and recycled water.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Varied complex sentences are generally well controlled, though recurring article, plural, and preposition errors remain noticeable.
Review uncountable nouns such as water and consumption, and add articles consistently in phrases such as the recycling process.
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IELTS Academic Writing Task 1
The following diagram shows how rainwater is reused for domestic purposes.
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.