How to Answer IELTS Listening Note/Table Completion Questions

IELTS Listening Note/Table Completion Question Introduction

Note/Table completion questions can be found in all sections of listening (1 - 4) and all they ask you to do is to complete the note/table by filling in the gaps with the correct answers from the listening passage. The note/table is usually about the main points discussed in the conversations or monologues. In section 3 and 4, the main points are often important academic concepts and details.

Below is a sample practice. Give it a try!

How to Answer Note/Table Completion Questions

1. First, Read the Information - Reading the information will always be the first step in any listening prompt. Why? You do not want to listen blindly and hear key words for the first time. Instead, you should be preparing yourself and reading the points in the form or table given to you before the listening prompt is played. Generally, you will have about 20 seconds to do this. Reading the information will also allow you to become familiar with the topic, which is particularly helpful for the more abstract and educational topics (Sections 3 and 4).

2. Underline Key Words - With time and practice, you can combine Steps 1 and 2. Thus, this step can be done while you are reading the sentences or afterwards. We suggest trying to combine the first two steps, as you will only have around 20 seconds to read the information prior to listening to the prompts. For the Note/Form/Table Completion activity, you will most likely only need to underline one or two key words at a time. Is it still worth it to underline one word at a time? Definitely--count it as reading it twice and understanding it twice as well!

3. Take Notes on Key Information - Now, it’s time to listen to the listening prompt. Use your test booklet and questions to your advantage. No one will judge your score based on the notes you take, so make sure it is understandable to you. Using proper grammar and correct spelling is not necessary in this case.

4. Be Accurate - Last of all, be sure to be accurate. While this may seem like common sense, many candidates make silly errors that cost them valuable points in the scoring process. It is extremely important to be accurate when writing out your answers, and especially when transferring them to the answer sheet (for paper-based candidates). Remember that someone else will be reading (and judging) your written answers. For this reason, it is best to write in all CAPITAL LETTERS in order to ensure neatness and legibility, especially in this question type. The directions will always tell you up to how many words you can write, so make sure to pay attention to this.

Recap

Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:

Do:

• Utilize the 20 seconds you will have prior to hearing the listening prompt and read the information first, underline your key words, and think about the types of words that could be missing from the gaps.
• Remember that the answers will come in order during the this question type’s prompt. This means that you should utilize the note, form, or table visual aid to your advantage and keep notes directly next to your gaps. Doing so will help you pick up where you left off if you miss something, and it will help you understand the information.
• Understand the question type in relation to the Sections. You will almost always have to listen for specific information, rather than listening for each speaker’s thoughts.
• As always, you should write the words clearly in capital letters and pay close attention to how many words you can write.
  
  

Don’t:

• Waste your time before and after the listening prompt is played. Think of these 30 minutes of the listening exam as ‘game time’, and actively listen or read the questions as much as you can! 
• Waste time keeping a separate outline or chart for this question type. Use visual aids to your advantage. 
• Focus on only one aspect of the process. In other words, don’t just listen, don’t just read, and don’t just answer. You will need to combine these three tasks in order to have enough time in this section. In other words: make sure to multitask. 
• Leave anything blank! Even if the exam is difficult, choose your best guess in order to maximize your chances of scoring high. 

IELTS Listening Note/Table Completion Practice List

Now it is time to practice! Check out the following Note/Table Completion practice questions.

IELTS Listening - Note/Table Completion Questions Practice List