Know what is IELTS Reading Table Completion Questions
There are 11 question types in IELTS reading this the reason why most of the students find this module very difficult and always follow some tips to approach the questions accurately. Table completion question is one of the toughest type in this question type an incomplete table of information will be given and you will need to locate accurate information from the passage, choose the appropriate words, and understand the details of the text and complete the table. You should move according to the instruction given, as to how many words you can use for the completion. The directions guide you that up to how many words you can use. For example, you may see the following options: NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER, ONE WORD ONLY, or NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
Sometimes, a word bank is provided from which you have to choose a word to fill in the gaps. In this case, there are usually more words in the list than the gaps. Many test takers think that a provided word bank will make the task easier. However, keep in mind there is a “trick” in this section as there is an exact word in the passage as in the word bank, mostly which is the incorrect answer. Most correct answers are synonyms rather than an exact word from the text, be careful while seeking the answer as exact words from the passage are mostly incorrect.
The number of questions included in a table completion varies. This section doesn’t have information in the same order as it is listed. One reason for this is that it is often presented in a table of notes.
How to Answer Table Completion Questions
The first two steps contain preparation work, which will be done while reading the table itself. The last step is to be done with the reading passage.
1. Analyze the Table and Underline Key Words – The best way to read it is to first look at the table and figures. Moreover, prefer to go from left to right, or to look at the headings. This will help you get an idea of the content in the passage and the theme of the reading. Another thing is to underline the keywords, because the notes in the Table Completion exercise are usually brief summaries already.
2. Identify Grammar – Now you have understood how to know the theme of the passage, think about the parts of speech for the missing words. What does the gap fill require a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb? You can make brief notes about this for yourself in the gap fill, which can help you later on, when you need to write the seeked missing word. Identifying grammar is important because you will lose a point if the spelling or grammar of the word(s) is incorrect.
3. Scan the Passage – Keeping in mind the theme you found in the first step, scan the passage. When you find a section or paragraph that has a similar theme, start scanning for information required. Look for synonyms or mach the phrases rather than looking for the same words as you will not find them. It’s a good idea to block off the section of the text that relates to the table, so that you have a reference to go back to once you start answering your questions.
After you’ve done this, start answering your questions. Remember to go back to the reference section in the passage if need be.
