Description: Process and Procedure When we describe a process or procedure, we often use present passive verb forms lislare + verb stem + ed eg. it is manufactured) to give a general description. ‘When we report a particular procedure, we are concerned with only one particular A description that does not involve a process or procedure is often written in the present simple active tense (verb stem + s eg. it comprises). Sequence, or order, is important in both describing a process or reporting a procedure, occasion in the past; then we often use the past passive tense (was/were + verb stem + ed e.g. it was heated). Stage 1 General Description 1. Read the following carefully. Note particularly the verb forms that {are used: some of the present passive verb forms are in italics How paper is made Raper is made from wood, and many of the words paper mils are found in those counties which have great forests ~ Canad, Sweden and Finland. ‘he wees are felled or cut down. The branches and leaves are removed. “The trees are transported tothe sawmil ‘he bark is stripped from the trunks, ‘he trunks are sawn into logs. They are conveyed tothe paper mil They are placed inthe shredder. They are cut into small chips. They are mixed with water and acid They ate heated and crushed to a heavy pulp. This wood pulp is cleaned, Itis aso chemically bleached to whiten it itis passed through rollers to flaten it Sheets of wet paper are produced The water is removed from the sheets These sheets ae pressed, cried and refined until the finished paper is produced 2 Read carefully through the text again and underline other present passive verb forms Note: 1 Wen deseibing a procs, sequence markers, fist, then ‘ext finaly... are often wed (ee Appendix 2: Connective, Section 7). They help to link the sentences. 2 Sometimes inorder to avoid repeating a subject relative pronoun and relative clause are used, e.g, The bark stripped from the trunks. The trunks are saun nf lag becomes The ‘ark is sipped fom the turks which are san Ito Togs.3. Some of the sentences from the text have been joined together ‘below to form a paragraph. Spaces have been left in the sentences Inthe spaces write an appropriate verb (and sometimes preposition), and, i suitable, a relative pronoun, First, the logs _in the shredder. Then they into small chips water and acid. Nest they toa heavy pulp u ‘ako chemically {0 whiten it Aer this, through rollers to laten it. Then, sheets of wet paper. Finally, the water from the sheets ‘until the finished paper 4 Look at the sequence of pictures below. Underneath there are 3 ‘numberof sentences describing how a breakfast cereal is made. ‘The sentences are in the wrong order. Write them out in the correct ‘order using the sequence of pictures to help you How a breakfast cereal is made Its stored in the silos These are woven into biscuits. The wheat is harvested from the fied Each biscuit is baked until brown, Its cut and formed into thin strips. “The grain is cooked to soften it Its packed ready to be eaten. “The wheat grain is transported to the silos, 5 Look carefully atthe diagram on page 16 ofthe stages of manufacture of glass bottles. Six boxes have been numbered and left empty. Now read carefully the sentences next tothe diagram. They ae in the wrong order and are nt complete ~ Complete the sentences by puting the verb (given atthe end of ‘each sentence) in the appropriate pasve frm. = write the sentences inthe correct order. ~ Join them together by means of sequence markers (e.g. then, next. ~ Finally rom the information in the sentences, write the correct names inthe six boxes in the diagram.How glass bottles are made ———— 000000 b 0 ht into bottles in the mould. (shape) Sometimes broken glass (add) The bottles to strengthen the glass. (reheat and cool) Glass from sand, limestone, and soda ash (make) They are ready use) Glass (produce) This misture strongly in a furnace. (heat) These three materials together in the right proportions. (mix) | Stage 2 Specific Procedure Look at the following table carefully. Writing in English: Manchester University (50 students) % ‘ype of (average) (average) seudents | iting frequency | length 2 essay Sperrerm | 2000 words 4 report 2perterm | 4000 words 4 dissertation | 1 per year | 8000 words 2 thesis Later 300-1000 pages 23 years ‘The information in the table can be described (as an alternative ro using the table). Notice the construction of the following sentence: 52% of the students wrote essays, of am average frequency of 5 per term, of an average length of 2000 words. [Now read the following paragraph, which describes some of the information contained in the table. Complete the spaces with information from the table. A survey was conducted among. overseas postgraduate students at The purpose ofthe survey was to discover the type, and ‘of academic writing that was expected of the Students by their supervisors or tutors ‘of the students reports, of an 2 per term, ‘average length2 Below the steps or stages in conducting a survey are given. In the spaces in each sentence write an appropriate verb from the following lst. Use past pasive forms of the verbs, e.g. waslwere asked, Verbs: request, collect, carry out, publish, analyse, distribute a Asurvey among 50 students. bb First, questionnaires to the students. © Then the students to write answers to the ‘questions. _ After this, the completed questionnaires Next, the answers £ Finally, che results Note: See Unit 17 for conducting an actual survey.