IELTSΑνάγνωσηsentencecompletion

In this lesson, we will cover the Sentence Completion question type, which will test your ability to scan the text for specific information, select appropriate words, and understand information in the passage. Additionally, you will need to understand paraphrasing (using different words to repeat a sentence so that it has the same meaning) as well as synonyms. Like most of the other sections, the Sentence Completion section will also test your vocabulary and grammar, since you will need to look for synonyms and write grammatically correct words in the gaps. In general, the answers are usually presented in order in the passage.

The instructions will specify how many words are necessary, which can range from NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER, ONE WORD ONLY, or NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS. This section requires some attention towards the spelling and number of words and numbers that you write, so be sure to spend time adhering to the instructions. As always, numbers can be written using figures (12) or words (twelve), and will always count as one word.

The Sentence Completion question type is almost always used with factual information. In other words, you will probably never have to answer this question with a passage based on the writer's opinions. Similar to other question types in the exam, the answers are most likely going to be in the order of the questions. Lastly, it is a good idea to write your answers in capital letters to ensure precision and consistency.

Now let's look at some tips of how to approach this section and what not to do when approaching this type of question on the exam. Please note that we will provide the reasoning and tips on confronting the logic of the exam in our example, but the following tips represent a simplified strategy to take when approaching the short answer question type.

What To Do:
1. Read the Questions and Underline Key Words – As the answers are most likely to appear in the text in the same order as the questions, test takers should pay close attention to the order of questions. Read each statement first in order to get an overview of the theme of the passage, and underline key words in both the question and the answer options.

2. Think About the Missing Words – Once you have successfully understood the information presented in the sentences, think about the type of word that will fit in the gap. Is it a noun, verb, adverb, or adjective? Write a note about what you think it could be next to the gap. This will help you after you've scanned for information in the passage.

3. Scan the Passage & Skim Read as Necessary – Now that you've read the sentences and you are aware of what type of word could fit in the gap, start scanning the passage based on the underline words. Once you've found a section of the text that looks promising, you'll also have to understand the information in order to correctly answer the question. Skim read the section in order to correctly answer the question.

Pay Close Attention – Pay attention to the amount of words you need to write, and be sure to write in all capital letters in order to maintain consistency and precision.

What Not To Do:
Do not read the entire passage, and do not read the passage first, as you won't know what you are reading for. As a general rule for the Reading section, it is not necessary and actually time-restrictive to read the entire passage, word for word. Be sure to use the scanning technique, first and foremost, and then the skimming technique as necessary.

Do not misspell or use words incorrectly. This information is included in the passage, so there is not really any excuse to misspell a word. Remember to use the step of “thinking about the missing words” in order to appropriately write a verb, noun, etc. Lastly, do not write more words than are necessary. Using these tips, let's look at an example of a passage with this specific question type.

Sentence Completion Recap

In this section, we examined the Sentence Completion section of the IELTS Academic Reading section. Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:

Do:

• Read the questions first, underline key words, and scan for information.
• Remember that answers will most likely come in order.
• Remember to think about the parts of speech of the missing word.
• Skip a question if it is difficult and move on. Then, you should be able to better locate the
• answer to a difficult question in the text, since it will most likely be between some of your marked information.
• Write in capital letters to ensure precision.

Don't:

• Read the entire passage first.
• Make mistakes when it comes to spelling or grammar, or write more words than necessary.