Summary, Note, Table and Flow-Chart Completion in IELTS Reading
Anjali from Bhopal found every answer in a summary-completion task on her practice test. She still lost two marks, one for writing three words and one for writing a singular noun instead of a plural.
In completion tasks, predict what kind of word fits each gap, find it in the text, and copy it exactly within the word limit. If the task gives you a list of options instead, the right answer may not use the text’s own words, so match meaning, not wording.
Words from the Text vs a List of Options
The official page describes two variations of this task type. In the first, you choose words from the text to fill the gaps, within a word limit such as NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER. In the second, you choose from a list of words.
The summary is not normally of the whole text. The answers may not come in the same order as in the text, but they will usually come from one part of it. For sentence gaps and short answers, see our sentence completion and short-answer guide.
Word Limits, Word Form and Spelling
You will lose the mark for writing more than the word limit, even if your meaning is right. The official page also says hyphenated words such as “check-in” count as single words, and contracted words such as “they’re” will not be tested.
When the answer comes from the text, copy the form the text uses. If a gap needs a plural noun, look for the plural form in the text instead of adding an ending yourself.
Spelling counts too: a misspelt word loses the mark, so copy words exactly as the text spells them.
Predict the Gap Before You Search
Ask three questions about each gap:
- Which kind of word? A noun, a verb, an adjective or a number.
- Singular or plural? The words around the gap can show it.
- Does the sentence read correctly with it? Check the grammar before and after.
Our lesson on suffixes and word formation shows how endings change a word’s class, which helps you predict.
Notes, Tables and Flow-Charts: Layout Differences
The same rules apply to each version; what changes is the layout. The “look for” column is our advice.
| Format | What it looks like | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Continuous text with gaps | The grammar around each gap |
| Notes | Several notes with gaps | The heading above each note |
| Table | A table with empty or partly empty cells | Row and column headings |
| Flow chart | Boxes or steps linked by arrows | The order of events in the text |
Practice passage (written for this post)
In coastal Kerala, the Kayal Coir Cooperative makes rope from coir, the coarse fibre found in the husks of coconuts. Rope-making is a family trade there, and many artisans learned it from their parents. The husks come from farms along the coast. The first stage is retting: workers soak the husks in tidal backwaters for up to ten months, which softens their tough outer layer. Next, they beat the softened husks with wooden mallets to separate the fibres. The fibres are then spread out in open yards to dry for up to three days. After that, artisans feed them into spinning wheels, which twist them into hard-wearing yarn. Finally, the yarn is wound into rope and checked by hand. The cooperative sells its rope to local boat owners, because coir resists damage from salt water.
Questions
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Coir rope production
Coir rope is made from the fibre in coconut husks. The first stage, called 1. …, involves soaking the husks in tidal backwaters. Workers then separate the fibres by beating the husks with wooden 2. … . The fibres dry in open yards for 3. … . Artisans use spinning wheels to twist them into 4. … yarn. The cooperative sells its rope to local 5. … .
Show answers
- retting — “The first stage is retting”; the double t is the spelling check.
- mallets — “beat the softened husks with wooden mallets”; the gap has no article, so the plural fits and the singular “mallet” does not.
- three days — “to dry for up to three days”; writing “up to three days” is four words and breaks the limit.
- hard-wearing — “twist them into hard-wearing yarn”; a hyphenated word counts as one word, so it fits the limit.
- boat owners — “sells its rope to local boat owners”; both words are needed to say who buys the rope.
Common Traps to Avoid
Incorrect: “I can write three words if the extra word is only ‘the’ or ‘a’.”
Correct: “The” and “a” are words too, so three words lose the mark when the limit is two, even if the meaning is right.
Incorrect: “I should change a word’s form to fit my sentence.”
Correct: If the form in the text does not fit the gap, check that you have the right part of the text before you change anything.
Tip
Read each finished sentence back to yourself to check the grammar and count the words.
Key Takeaways
- Check whether the words come from the text or from a list.
- Writing more than the word limit loses the mark.
- Hyphenated words count as one word, and spelling mistakes lose the mark.
- Answers may not follow the text’s order but usually come from one part of it.
The bottom line: Find the right part of the text first; the exact word, form and spelling follow from reading it closely.