IELTS Listening completion questions in Part 3 test whether you can fill gaps in a discussion, often in a table or a flow chart. Two answers may arrive close together, or one speaker may agree without repeating the word.
Lesson Introduction
Μέρος 1
What are Completion Part 3 questions?
IELTS Listening completion questions in Part 3 test whether you can fill gaps in a discussion, often in a table or a flow chart. Two answers may arrive close together, or one speaker may agree without repeating the word. Here are the main traps to watch for in Part 3 completion questions.
Strategy:
- The Proximity Synonyms Jam Trap. A table or a flow-chart puts several gaps close together, and the speakers name ideas from neighboring rows or boxes in one breath. A word that belongs to the next box can pull your eye off the gap you are working on. Read every gap before the audio starts and predict what each one needs. Then keep your eye on the gap you are on and let the recording bring you to the next one, because the answers follow its order.
- The Borrowed / Assumed Agreement Trap. One speaker offers two possible words for a gap, and the other agrees with a vague phrase such as that one, the former, or the latter. The answer is the option that phrase points back to, not the last word you heard. Hold both options in mind until the agreement arrives, then write only the one the speakers settle on. Count your words against the stated limit and spell the answer as you hear it, because spelling counts.
Strategy reminder: The Proximity Synonyms Jam Trap. A table or a flow-chart puts several gaps close together, and the speakers name ideas from neighboring rows or boxes in one breath. A word that belongs to the next box can pull your eye off the gap you are working on. Read every gap before the audio starts and predict what each one needs. Then keep your eye on the gap you are on and let the recording bring you to the next one, because the answers follow its order.
We'll look at a sample IELTS listening practice.
Sample Question:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Project case studies
Case Study A — Target audience: (1) ----
Case Study A — Primary focus: Marketing
Case Study B — Target audience: Local homeowners
Case Study B — Primary focus: (2) ----
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spellcheck Transcript
Jack: Okay Emma, let's map out our project table. For Case Study A, we need to list the main focus as marketing, but who are we pitching to?
Emma: Well, before we look at the marketing aspect for that one, we should note it targets young professionals. Now, for Case Study B, we already wrote down that it looks at local homeowners. What's the main focus there?
Jack: A lot of students think it covers advertising, but it actually details financial planning.
Let’s solve it using the strategy.
- Use the strategy. The Proximity Synonyms Jam Trap. A table or a flow-chart puts several gaps close together, and the speakers name ideas from neighboring rows or boxes in one breath. A word that belongs to the next box can pull your eye off the gap you are working on. Read every gap before the audio starts and predict what each one needs. Then keep your eye on the gap you are on and let the recording bring you to the next one, because the answers follow its order.
Question 1: Jack mentions marketing, which sits in the next column of the same row, and later the speakers mention homeowners from a different row. Emma says Case Study A targets young professionals. Correct answer: young professionals.
Question 2: Jack mentions advertising, which sounds like a focus but is rejected. The main focus of Case Study B is financial planning.
Correct answer:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Project case studies
Case Study A — Target audience: (1) ----
Case Study A — Primary focus: Marketing
Case Study B — Target audience: Local homeowners
Case Study B — Primary focus: (2) ----
1. young professionals; 2. financial planning
Strategy reminder: The Proximity Synonyms Jam Trap. A table or a flow-chart puts several gaps close together, and the speakers name ideas from neighboring rows or boxes in one breath. A word that belongs to the next box can pull your eye off the gap you are working on. Read every gap before the audio starts and predict what each one needs. Then keep your eye on the gap you are on and let the recording bring you to the next one, because the answers follow its order.
We'll look at a sample IELTS listening practice.
Sample Question:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Research process
Step 1: Gather raw data from online forums.
Step 2: Apply a strict (3) ---- filter.
Step 3: Conduct a thorough (4) ---- analysis.
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spellcheck Transcript
Liam: Sarah, let's finalize the steps in our flow-chart. Step 1 is gathering raw data from forums. What comes next?
Sarah: Well, before we can conduct a thorough statistical analysis for our final step, Step 2 requires us to run everything through a strict quality control filter to remove spam.
Liam: Perfect, that makes total sense structurally.
Let’s solve it using the strategy.
- Use the strategy. The Proximity Synonyms Jam Trap. A table or a flow-chart puts several gaps close together, and the speakers name ideas from neighboring rows or boxes in one breath. A word that belongs to the next box can pull your eye off the gap you are working on. Read every gap before the audio starts and predict what each one needs. Then keep your eye on the gap you are on and let the recording bring you to the next one, because the answers follow its order.
Question 3: Sarah names the Step 3 idea (statistical analysis) first, which can pull your eye to the last box. Step 2 is a strict quality control filter.
Question 4: The Step 3 word arrives before the Step 2 word. The final step is a thorough statistical analysis.
Correct answer:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Research process
Step 1: Gather raw data from online forums.
Step 2: Apply a strict (3) ---- filter.
Step 3: Conduct a thorough (4) ---- analysis.
1. quality control; 2. statistical
Continue to next part:
Μέρος 2
Strategy reminder: The Borrowed / Assumed Agreement Trap. One speaker offers two possible words for a gap, and the other agrees with a vague phrase such as that one, the former, or the latter. The answer is the option that phrase points back to, not the last word you heard. Hold both options in mind until the agreement arrives, then write only the one the speakers settle on. Count your words against the stated limit and spell the answer as you hear it, because spelling counts.
We'll look at a sample IELTS listening practice.
Sample Question:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Assignment checklist
First section must evaluate (5) ---- data.
Final appendix should contain the (6) ----.
-
spellcheck Transcript
Tom: Chloe, let's double-check our assignment notes. For the very first section, should we evaluate the qualitative feedback or the quantitative statistics?
Chloe: Definitely the latter, because Professor Green specifically asked for hard numerical evidence.
Tom: Got it. Now, what should we put at the very end in the appendix? The full interview transcripts or just the sample questionnaire?
Chloe: I think the former is a better fit, since the layout guidelines state transcripts must be attached at the back.
Tom: Right, I'll paste those in now.
Let’s solve it using the strategy.
- Use the strategy. The Borrowed / Assumed Agreement Trap. One speaker offers two possible words for a gap, and the other agrees with a vague phrase such as that one, the former, or the latter. The answer is the option that phrase points back to, not the last word you heard. Hold both options in mind until the agreement arrives, then write only the one the speakers settle on. Count your words against the stated limit and spell the answer as you hear it, because spelling counts.
Question 5: Tom offers qualitative feedback first, then quantitative statistics. Chloe says the latter, which is the second option. Correct answer: quantitative statistics or quantitative.
Question 6: Tom offers interview transcripts first, then sample questionnaire. Chloe says the former, which is the first option. Correct answer: interview transcripts or transcripts.
Correct answer:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Assignment checklist
First section must evaluate (5) ---- data.
Final appendix should contain the (6) ----.
1. quantitative statistics/quantitative; 2. interview transcripts/transcripts
Strategy reminder: The Borrowed / Assumed Agreement Trap. One speaker offers two possible words for a gap, and the other agrees with a vague phrase such as that one, the former, or the latter. The answer is the option that phrase points back to, not the last word you heard. Hold both options in mind until the agreement arrives, then write only the one the speakers settle on. Count your words against the stated limit and spell the answer as you hear it, because spelling counts.
We'll look at a sample IELTS listening practice.
Sample Question:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Building inspection report
Main risk identified in the report: (7) ----
Suggested solution to implement: (8) ----
-
spellcheck Transcript
Anna: Ben, let's write down the main threat we found. Is it budget overruns or structural damage?
Ben: I'd say that option, since the crumbling walls are a major safety hazard. Budgeting isn't a massive issue yet.
Anna: True, structural damage it is. So, should we fix this by hiring extra contractors or purchasing premium materials?
Ben: Let's go with the first suggestion, because we simply don't have enough laborers on site right now to do the physical work.
Anna: Agreed. I'll write down hiring extra contractors.
Let’s solve it using the strategy.
- Use the strategy. The Borrowed / Assumed Agreement Trap. One speaker offers two possible words for a gap, and the other agrees with a vague phrase such as that one, the former, or the latter. The answer is the option that phrase points back to, not the last word you heard. Hold both options in mind until the agreement arrives, then write only the one the speakers settle on. Count your words against the stated limit and spell the answer as you hear it, because spelling counts.
Question 7: Anna offers budget overruns first, then structural damage. Ben says that option and links it to crumbling walls, so he means structural damage.
Question 8: Anna offers hiring extra contractors first, then purchasing premium materials. Ben says the first suggestion. With a two-word limit, write extra contractors or hiring contractors.
Correct answer:
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Building inspection report
Main risk identified in the report: (7) ----
Suggested solution to implement: (8) ----
1. structural damage; 2. extra contractors/hiring contractors
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