how to describe a life cycle diagram in ielts writing task 1

Main ideas / concepts taught

• How to write an IELTS Writing Task 1 response for a life cycle diagram, using salmon as the example—specifically:
  • an overview paragraph
  • detail paragraphs with logical grouping
• Why certain “template” overview language is bad (too vague / too generic).
• How to correctly describe life-cycle stages, timing, locations (freshwater vs. sea), and measurements.
• Common grammar and word-choice issues, including:
  • Using “emerge” only when something comes out of something (e.g., from eggs).
  • Correct plural/singular usage of “salmon” in averages.
  • Using formal synonyms like “be considered.”
  • Correct relative clause usage with “which.”
• A recommended essay structure:
  • Overview paragraph (2nd or last; speaker recommends 2nd)
  • Detail paragraph(s) grouped logically by location/stage

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Methodology / step-by-step writing instructions (detailed)

1) Write the overview paragraph

Placement

Use the overview as either:

• Paragraph 2, or
• the last paragraph (but the speaker recommends paragraph 2)

What not to do

• Avoid saying things like: “a life cycle is a natural process that begins with… and ends with…”

• Reason: “natural process” is unnecessary, and naming only the first/last stages makes the cycle not distinctive.

What to do instead

• Include all main stages in the cycle.
• For salmon, the four main stages are:
  • egg → fry → smolt → adult

Example overview wording approach (paraphrased)

• Say salmon have an average lifespan, and list all four stages.

Grammar rules highlighted

• “the salmon” vs “salmon”

  • “the salmon” refers to the species (treated as singular).
  • “salmon” refers to the fish (plural).
  • For averages, use plural: “Salmon have an average lifespan of …”

• The article “the” can be omitted before stage names, e.g., “egg” instead of “the egg stage.”

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2) Add key comparison detail in the overview (recommended)

• Group the cycle by habitat:
  • Egg + fry + smolt happen in freshwater (river)
  • Adult stage happens in the sea / saline water

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3) Write Details Paragraph 1 (freshwater stages)

Grouping

• Combine egg + fry + smolt because the first three stages occur in freshwater.

Egg stage (start here)

• Eggs are laid among small stones.
• Specify reed placement correctly:
  • Avoid wording that suggests reeds are “placed over” or “under” stones.
  • Prefer phrasing like:
    • “among small stones at the base of reeds”
    • “among small stones interspersed among reeds”
• Specify river location:
  • upper part of a river
  • where the current is slow

Fry stage (handle carefully)

The diagram may be “misleading,” so follow these timing and wording rules:

• Correct timing

  • Eggs hatch in 2–3 months (not 5–6 months).
  • After hatching, what emerges are alevins, not fry.
  • Alevins hide among stones for 3–4 months, then develop into fry.

• What to avoid writing

  • “After 5–6 months, the eggs hatch.”
  • “After the eggs hatch, fry emerge.”

• Safer summary sentence

  • “After approximately 5 to 6 months, fry can be seen in the water.”

Word choice rule: “emerge”

• In a life cycle: “emerge” = come out of
• Use it only for the correct pair:
  • alevins emerge from eggs
• Incorrect:
  • “fry emerge” (fry don’t come out of eggs)

Plural rule: “fry”

• Plural of fry is still “fry” (not “fries”).

Fry size (3–8 cm)

Use one consistent option:

• measure: “They measure 3 to 8 centimeters long.”
• reach: “They reach 3 to 8 centimeters long.”
• average: “They average 3 to 8 centimeters long.”
• Or simplest: “They are 3 to 8 centimeters long.”

Fry → smolt transition

• Fry move to the lower, faster-flowing part of the river.
• They stay there about 4 years.
• Then they become smolts, size about 12–15 cm.

Sentence organization guidance

• Combine into one clear sentence, for example:
  • “After growing and feeding here for about 4 years, they reach 12 to 15 centimeters long and are considered smolts.”
• Speaker preference:
  • “be considered” is more formal than only “reach” + “be”.

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4) Write Details Paragraph 2 (adult stage + completion)

Move to sea/ocean

• Smolts move to the ocean/sea.
• Use development phrasing options:
  • develop into / grow into / mature into adult salmon

Adult size

• about 70–76 cm (average per the lesson)

Complete the cycle

• They spend around 5 years there (in the sea/ocean).
• Then they migrate upstream to their birthplace to spawn.
• The journey is repeated all over again.

Relative clause rule about “which”

• “which” should refer to the whole clause about spending five years there—not only to “5 years.”
• Simpler alternative:
  • “They spend around 5 years there. Period. After that, they migrate…”

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5) Introductory paragraph: paraphrase the prompt (carefully)

• The speaker instructs you to:
  • paraphrase the introductory text
  • do not change underlined terms from the prompt
• Example structure idea:
  • “The diagrams illustrate the life cycle of the salmon”
  • Add a which-clause describing salmon, e.g.:
    • “which is a large fish species”

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6) Useful transformation verbs (quick reference)

• alevins emerge from eggs (come out of eggs)
• Fry → smolt transformation verbs:
  • mature into / develop into / grow into / transform into
• Formal passive option:
  • They are considered smolts.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Speaker: The YouTube channel host/instructor (only identified as “everyone / my channel”; no name given in subtitles).
• Sources / external materials: No specific external authors or documents are cited in the subtitles (only general references like “IELTS gurus”).