IELTS Writing: Windmills and Watermills
Windmills and watermills
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
How to Use This Lesson
1. Guide students through Modules 1 to 3 in a 50-minute session to build vocabulary, grammar accuracy, and essay structure step by step.
2. Use the automatic exercise checks in Module 1 for rapid feedback before reviewing the B1 model essay in Module 3.
1. Start with Module 1 to master key mill vocabulary, essay linking phrases, and exact adverb placement.
2. Next, complete the writing prompt in Module 2 using the required plan before examining the model answer in Module 3.
Module 1: Build-Up Practice
Warm up with essential unit words, essay linking phrases, sentence rewrites, and adverb placement rules.
📌 Adverbs of Certainty & Placement Rules
Choose the right adverb depending on how sure you are, and put it in the correct place in your sentence.
definitely / certainly
The miller will definitely start work early tomorrow.
probably
The mill was probably built long ago.
possibly / maybe / perhaps
Maybe the owner will sell it.
- Before main verbs: It will definitely need repairs.
- After 'be' or auxiliary verbs: The structure is probably old.
- Before negative 'won't': It probably won't turn again.
- At sentence start: Maybe local councils will help.
- Do NOT put after 'won't': It won't probably turn (Wrong).
- Do NOT put between verb and object.
- Do NOT place 'maybe' at the very end of a sentence.
(a) Word Forms of Unit Words (5 items)
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the unit word in brackets.
1. In the past, farmers brought grain to the mill, where the miller ______ [grind] it into fine flour.
2. One complete ______ [rotate] of the heavy wooden sails took about a minute.
3. The ______ [crumble] stone walls of the old mill are dangerous to visit.
4. The owners ______ [neglect] the watermill for years, and in the end its roof collapsed.
5. The ______ [modernise] of the building meant that visitors could explore it safely.
(b) Collocations with Unit Words (5 items)
Choose the option that forms the most natural collocation.
6. Two workers carefully turned the heavy __________ to crush the grain.
7. The local __________ knew how to control the water flow to protect the wheel.
8. The watermill was mainly used to grind __________ and wheat for the village.
9. Engineers used new parts to modernise the old __________ inside the mill.
10. If historic watermills are ignored, they will slowly crumble into __________.
(c) Common Essay Phrases Gap-Fill (5 items)
11. Young people have moved to big cities. __________, there is no one left to operate many old windmills.
12. Old watermills show us how people lived. __________, they are often open to visitors.
13. __________, local communities should work together to rebuild historic mills.
14. Some old mills can have a new job. __________, an old windmill can become a museum.
15. Restoring an old mill can be very expensive. __________, keeping these structures alive brings tourist money to local villages.
(d) Paraphrase Practice (3 items)
Select the sentence that has the closest meaning to the original statement.
16. Original sentence:
"Old windmills are no longer used for grinding grain."
17. Original sentence:
"Many watermills crumble because owners neglect them."
18. Original sentence:
"Governments should provide money to restore historic mills."
(e) Grammar Practice: Adverb Placement & Strength (3 items)
Choose the option with the correct adverb strength and exact position according to the speaker's degree of certainty.
Sentence: "The old watermill __________ need new wooden parts during the restoration."
Sentence: "The historic windmill __________ turn again without a very strong wind."
Sentence: "__________ the city council will turn the mill into a museum next year."
Module 2: Writing Task & Workshop
Apply your knowledge to write a full IELTS Task 2 cause-and-solution essay.
"In many countries, old windmills and watermills no longer work. What are the reasons for this, and what can be done to look after them?"
Structured 4-Paragraph Plan
You must begin each paragraph in your essay with these exact starter phrases:
"In this essay I will discuss ..."
"One cause is ..."
"To reduce the problem, ..."
"In conclusion, ..."
✅ Learner Self-Check List (Tick before submitting)
Write Your Essay Below
AI EvaluatedEvaluation Criteria:
Module 3: B1 Model Essay
Read this sample student essay (201 words). Sentences using the target grammar are shown in bold with explanatory notes below.
In many countries, traditional windmills and watermills no longer work today. In this essay I will discuss why these historic buildings are inactive and how people can protect them.
One cause is that modern technology has replaced old machines. In the past, a local miller used a heavy millstone to grind wheat and barley. However, modern factories now process food much faster. As a result, many owners neglect their old mills, so the wooden sails no longer rotate and the stone walls begin to crumble. The mill was probably built long ago, but without daily use, it quickly falls into ruin.
To reduce the problem, governments and local groups should take action to modernise these sites for tourism. For instance, an old windmill or watermill can become a museum or a cafe. It will definitely need repairs before visitors can enter safely. In addition, schools can organize trips so children learn how people produced energy in the past. Maybe local charities will raise money to support the restoration work.
In conclusion, old mills stop working because of modern machines and lack of care. By repairing them and opening them to the public, we can preserve this valuable history for the future.
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