IELTS Reading Question Type
Completing a Table and Flowchart
Information
Complete the gaps in the table and flowchart with a word/word or a number/numbers from the text.
Despite the difference in layout, completing a table and flowchart are very similar in terms of task, skills required and strategies.
Example: Table
Example: Flowchart
Strategies & Tips
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Start by speed reading or skimming the text first. This will give you a good idea about what information is contained in each section or paragraph.
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While reading, make brief notes of the question paper that summarize the information contained in each section or paragraph.
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Read the flow chart or table but don’t spend too much time analyzing it or trying to understand how it works.
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Your reading skills are being tested, not your technical knowledge.
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Answers do not always come in order.
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The titles in the table and flow chart can be used a guide to find where the information is located.
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Do not change the word from the text. Copy the word/words exactly from the text.
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Where applicable, read what comes before and after the gap to ensure your answer fits grammatically.
Predict the Answer
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Read what comes before and after the question and predict the type of word (noun, verb etc.) and type of information missing.
Example: Flowchart
Question 34 in the flowchart will be a number because it is preceded by “a total of” and possibly followed by a noun.
Answer:
3 measurements
Example: Table
Question 33 in the table is most probably a person (noun) since it is preceded by “a” and followed by “who”.
Answer:
receiver
Paraphrase and Synonyms
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Be aware of the use of paraphrase and synonyms, before and after the gap.
Example: Flowchart
Question 34
“71 species of living turtles and tortoises were examined and a total of 34............ were taken from the bones of their forelimbs.”
Passage:
Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier, at Yale University, obtained three measurements in these particular bones of 71 species of living turtles and tortoises.
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When you read the question, think of how the key words will be paraphrased. Scan the text to locate the answer then read carefully read to confirm the answer.