In IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions, you need to complete a summary of part of the reading passage by filling in missing words.
The summary may be:
- a paragraph
- notes
- a table
- a flow chart
- a diagram
In most IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions, you need to complete the summary using words from the passage. However, some summaries ask you to choose the correct answers from a list of options instead.
In both formats, the summary often paraphrases the original text, so you need to recognise synonyms and understand the meaning before choosing the correct answer.
How IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions work
Before you start, remember these key points:
- The summary usually focuses on one or two paragraphs, so you do not need to read the whole passage first.
- The summary often has a heading, which can help you locate the correct section of the text.
- The missing words are usually taken directly from the passage (unless the question asks you to choose from a list of options).
- The answers usually appear in the same order as the information in the text.
- The summary sentences often use synonyms and paraphrases, so you need to recognise the same ideas expressed in different words.
Different types of IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions
IELTS Reading Summary Completion questions can appear in different formats. The task is the same, but the information may be presented as a short paragraph or set of notes, a table, a flow chart or a diagram
Some questions also ask you to choose answers from a list of options rather than finding words directly in the passage.
The strategy is similar for all formats: use the structure of the summary to predict what information you need, locate the correct part of the text, and check the word limit carefully.
👉 Practise each format in the Resource Library:
10 Summary Completion strategies
Step 1: Understand the summary structure
Use the title of the passage
Use the text title to work out the structure of the Reading.
The reading below is a good example of a theory-evidence structure (discursive).
Like most academic texts, it seeks to find an answer to a question.
Title:
What destroyed the civilisation of Easter Island 🗿 ?
This title of the text tells us to expect an answer.
In this text we have different theories (ideas, arguments) from different experts.
So the structure of the text will quickly help you find ‘Jared Diamond’s view’ (the summary heading).
Use the summary heading
Gapped summaries usually focus on a small section of the passage, so use the summary heading and key words to locate the correct paragraph first.
Example (summary heading):
Jared Diamond’s View
The heading of the summary gives us ONE answer to the title’s question: it tells us Jared Diamond’s View.
EXTRA TIP: Use CAPITAL LETTERS e.g. in this example, the name ‘Jared Diamond’ helps us quickly find the paragraph which has Diamond’s view.
Do not read the whole passage first
Gapped summaries usually focus on a small section of the passage, so use the heading and key words to locate the correct paragraph first.
Step 2: Predict the missing word
Look at the GAP
Before searching for the answer, decide what type of word you need. Is it likely to be a noun, verb, adjective, number or name?
Example
Gap 24: a great deal of + uncountable NOUN“
The gaps are usually nouns or adjectives.
They are NEVER grammar words (articles, auxiliary verbs, prepositions etc).
Make guesses
Use your general background knowledge to make quick guesses.
Example
Gap 22 – they were no longer able to build the (boats?🛶) they needed to go fishing.
Step 3: Find the answer
Look for SYNONYMS
The words in the summary are usually not identical to the words in the passage. IELTS tests whether you can recognise the same meaning expressed in different ways.
Use all the synonyms that you recognise.
Look around the gap for synonyms to help you find the sentences which contain the answer.
Example:
GAP 22: They were no longer able to build (canoes)
TEXT: They could no longer construct wooden canoes
Step 4: Check your ansewr
Copy the EXACT word(s)
Make sure you always keep the ‘s’ on plural forms.
e.g. birds, canoes
Copy the EXACT spelling
Copy the words exactly as they appear in the text (don’t lose points for spelling)
Example:
Gap 22 has a difficult spelling so just copy it (‘canoes‘)
Don't jump around the text
The words almost always come in the same order as they appear in the text, so don’t waste time looking for answers in different places.
Check the number of words allowed
This is very important – don’t lose points when you have the right answer!
Always check how many words you are allowed.
Example:
Gap 22 wooden canoes (ONE WORD ONLY)
Check the GRAMMAR
Check that the word(s) fit grammatically into the gapped sentence.
Example: Gap 21
❌ ‘clearing land for farm*‘
✅ ‘clearing land for farming‘
IELTS gapped summary practice
Read the Gapped Text below and compare it with the original text beneath.
Choose ONE WORD only for the gap.
Gapped Text:
21. Diamond believes that the Polynesian settlers on Rapa Nui destroyed its forests, cutting down its trees for fuel and clearing land for __________
The islanders cleared the forests for firewood and farming.
22. When the islanders were no longer able to build the ____________ they needed to go fishing…
As trees became scarce and they could no longer construct wooden canoes for fishing…
23.…they began using the island’s ____________ as a food source.
…they ate birds.
24.…the methods of transporting the statues needed not only a great number of people, but also a great deal of _____________.
…they laid the moai on wooden sledges, hauled over log rails, but that required both a lot of wood and a lot of people.
ANSWERS
21. Diamond believes that the Polynesian settlers on Rapa Nui destroyed its forests, cutting down its trees for fuel and clearing land for (FARMING).
The islanders cleared the forests for firewood and FARMING.
22. When the islanders were no longer able to build the (CANOES) they needed to go fishing…
…they could no longer construct wooden CANOES for fishing…
23.…they began using the island’s (BIRDS) as a food source.
…they ate birds.
24.…the methods of transporting the statues needed not only a great number of people, but also a great deal of (WOOD).
…they laid the moai on wooden sledges, hauled over log rails, but that required both a lot of WOOD and a lot of people.
Not sure which IELTS Reading question type you need to practise next?
👉 See my complete guide to all 11 IELTS Reading question types.
You can also read the official description of each question type on IELTS.org.
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About Fiona
Fiona is an IELTS trainer, ex-examiner and course creator based in the UK. She has a Master’s in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Distinction) and over 35 years of teaching experience. She has helped thousands of IELTS candidates develop the language and exam skills needed to achieve their target scores.
May I ask if the gap filling allows “no more than 2 words” and the answer is “permits”, would I be wrong if i write the answer “pre-registered permits” which is mentioned in the related paragraph? Thanks a lot.
Hi Ken. Technically this would be fine, if you were allowed 2 words (as ‘pre-registered’ is considered to be one word). However, you would need to check that this also fits the gapfill summary grammatically e.g. if the gapfill summary is ‘_________ that have already been registered’, and you write ‘pre-registered permits’ it would sound strange to say ‘pre-registered permits that have already been registered’, in which case ‘permits’ would be the only correct answer.
Best wishes
Fiona