Active and passve voice for Natural Process IELTS Academic Task 1

Natural Cycles — Active & Passive Voice

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

A cyclical process ends by leading back to its beginning, so the cycle can repeat. Natural cycles may use both active and passive voice.

Voice / Rule	When to Use It	Natural-Cycle Examples
Active Voice	Use it when an animal or plant performs an action or changes naturally.	The butterfly lays eggs. The caterpillar grows. The butterfly emerges from the pupa. The seed germinates.
Passive Voice	Use it when something is done to the subject.	The eggs are laid on leaves. A pupa is formed. The seeds are carried by the wind.
Remember	Natural action or change → Active The caterpillar grows.	Something happens to the subject → Passive The eggs are laid on leaves.
Be Careful	✕ The caterpillar is grown. ✕ The butterfly is emerged from the pupa.	✓ The caterpillar grows. ✓ The butterfly emerges from the pupa.

Sequencing Words for Natural Cycles

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

Sequencing words show the order of the stages and help explain how a natural cycle continues and repeats.

Cycle Stage	Useful Sequencing Words	Purpose
Beginning	Initially • First • At the first stage	Introduce the starting stage of the natural cycle.
Middle	Next • Then • After this • Following this • Subsequently	Connect the stages that follow the beginning.
Later Stage	Eventually	Introduce a stage that occurs after development or over time.
Final Stage	Finally	Introduce the last stage before the cycle returns to its beginning.
Cycle Repeats	Connect the final stage back to the beginning.	Finally, the adult butterfly lays eggs, and the cycle begins again.
Time Clauses	Once + subject + verb After + verb-ing	Once the eggs hatch, the young caterpillars emerge. After reaching adulthood, the butterfly reproduces.

Useful Vocabulary for Natural Cycles 🌱🦋

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

Use these verbs to describe the actions, changes and repeated stages shown in natural-cycle diagrams.

Vocabulary	Meaning / Visual	Model Sentence
🦋 Lay Eggs	Produce eggs	The butterfly lays eggs on a leaf. The eggs are laid on a leaf.
🥚 Hatch	Come out of an egg 🥚 → 🐣	The chick hatches from the egg.
🌱 Germinate	Begin to grow from a seed 🌰 → 🌱	The seed germinates in the soil.
🐛 Develop Into	Gradually change into another stage	The caterpillar develops into a pupa.
🦋 Emerge	Come out or appear Pupa → 🦋	The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa.
🌿 Grow	Become larger or more developed	The young plant grows rapidly.
🐸 Mature	Become fully developed	The young frog gradually matures.
🐟 Reproduce	Produce offspring	Adult fish reproduce, and the cycle begins again.
🌸 Produce Seeds	Form seeds for a new generation	The mature plant produces seeds.
🌬️ Disperse	Spread over an area	The seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Example
The butterfly lays its eggs on a leaf.
Active
The eggs are laid on a leaf.
Passive
Practice
Write Active or Passive.

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

1.The butterfly lays its eggs on leaves.1 mark

Rewrite:

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

2.The eggs are laid on the leaves.1 mark

Rewrite:

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

3.The caterpillar emerges from the egg.1 mark

Rewrite:

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

4.The caterpillar eats leaves.1 mark

Rewrite:

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5.The eggs are protected by the leaves.1 mark

Rewrite:

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6.The caterpillar grows rapidly.1 mark

Rewrite:

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7.A pupa is formed.1 mark

Rewrite:

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8.The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa.1 mark

Rewrite:

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9.The frog lays its eggs in water.1 mark

Rewrite:

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10.The eggs are laid in a pond.1 mark

Rewrite:

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11.The tadpole develops into a young frog.1 mark

Rewrite:

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12.The young frog grows into an adult frog.1 mark

Rewrite:

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13.Seeds are carried by the wind.1 mark

Rewrite:

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

14.The seeds germinate in the soil.1 mark

Rewrite:

Join / Create Sentences1 mark · 1 per answer

15.The plant produces new seeds.1 mark

Rewrite:

Natural Cycles — Active & Passive Voice

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

A cyclical process ends by leading back to its beginning, so the cycle can repeat. Natural cycles may use both active and passive voice.

Voice / Rule	When to Use It	Natural-Cycle Examples
Active Voice	Use it when an animal or plant performs an action or changes naturally.	The butterfly lays eggs. The caterpillar grows. The butterfly emerges from the pupa. The seed germinates.
Passive Voice	Use it when something is done to the subject.	The eggs are laid on leaves. A pupa is formed. The seeds are carried by the wind.
Remember	Natural action or change → Active The caterpillar grows.	Something happens to the subject → Passive The eggs are laid on leaves.
Be Careful	✕ The caterpillar is grown. ✕ The butterfly is emerged from the pupa.	✓ The caterpillar grows. ✓ The butterfly emerges from the pupa.

Sequencing Words for Natural Cycles

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

Sequencing words show the order of the stages and help explain how a natural cycle continues and repeats.

Cycle Stage	Useful Sequencing Words	Purpose
Beginning	Initially • First • At the first stage	Introduce the starting stage of the natural cycle.
Middle	Next • Then • After this • Following this • Subsequently	Connect the stages that follow the beginning.
Later Stage	Eventually	Introduce a stage that occurs after development or over time.
Final Stage	Finally	Introduce the last stage before the cycle returns to its beginning.
Cycle Repeats	Connect the final stage back to the beginning.	Finally, the adult butterfly lays eggs, and the cycle begins again.
Time Clauses	Once + subject + verb After + verb-ing	Once the eggs hatch, the young caterpillars emerge. After reaching adulthood, the butterfly reproduces.

Useful Vocabulary for Natural Cycles 🌱🦋

IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 · Cycles and Life Cycles

Use these verbs to describe the actions, changes and repeated stages shown in natural-cycle diagrams.

Vocabulary	Meaning / Visual	Model Sentence
🦋 Lay Eggs	Produce eggs	The butterfly lays eggs on a leaf. The eggs are laid on a leaf.
🥚 Hatch	Come out of an egg 🥚 → 🐣	The chick hatches from the egg.
🌱 Germinate	Begin to grow from a seed 🌰 → 🌱	The seed germinates in the soil.
🐛 Develop Into	Gradually change into another stage	The caterpillar develops into a pupa.
🦋 Emerge	Come out or appear Pupa → 🦋	The adult butterfly emerges from the pupa.
🌿 Grow	Become larger or more developed	The young plant grows rapidly.
🐸 Mature	Become fully developed	The young frog gradually matures.
🐟 Reproduce	Produce offspring	Adult fish reproduce, and the cycle begins again.
🌸 Produce Seeds	Form seeds for a new generation	The mature plant produces seeds.
🌬️ Disperse	Spread over an area	The seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Choose the correct active or passive form.
Example
The adult butterfly ___ from the pupa.
a) is emerged
b) emerges
Answer: b) emerges
Practice