How to Answer IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Questions

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Question Introduction

The sentence completion question type requires you to complete a sentence with a short answer. The sentence will almost always be a paraphrase of something you'll hear in the passage. In other words, don't expect to hear a speaker say the exact sentence as it's written in the question.

Below is a sample practice. Give it a try!

How to Answer Sentence Completion Questions

1. First, Read the Sentences - 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 sentences 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). Today’s listening will focus on Section 3, so be sure to use this tip! 

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 Sentence Completion activity, you may have more things to underline and understand, especially with Step 3. With this in mind, practice your multitasking skills and combine these steps when you can.

3. Understand Grammar - This is probably the most difficult part of the Sentence Completion question type in the Listening section, but it is the most beneficial. Of course we must pay attention to the sentences that need to be completed, but special attention should also be paid to the words right before the gap. Why? This will help you specify the type of word you should be listening for, and then writing out.

4. Make a Chart - 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. What is necessary, though, is that you can differentiate the people speaking in the prompt and understand what is being said. We will detail this step in the example below. Additionally, you should pay close attention to the section you are in. Making a chart is best for Sections 1 and 3, which feature more than one speaker. Remember: information will come in order for the Sentence Completion question type. If you get side-tracked and miss information, continue right where you left off. 

5. 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 Sentence Completion section.

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 Sentence Completion Listening prompt. This means that you should keep notes for your chart! Doing so will help you pick up where you left off if you miss something, and it will help you understand each speaker’s thoughts.
• Find a chart-making technique that works for you. Feel free to experiment during your practice sessions and try writing in the margins or close to your answer options. Make it easy to reference afterwards if necessary.
• Study up on your parts of speech and grammar. The more you study, the more you will increase your chances of writing the correct answer.
• As always, you should write the words clearly in capital letters. 

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! 
• 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. 
• Write the incorrect amount of words. We suggest reading the instructions clearly so as to understand just how many words to write. 

IELTS Listening Sentence Completion Practice List

Now it is time to practice! Check out the following Sentence Completion practice questions.

IELTS Listening - Sentence Completion Questions Practice List