IELTS Listening Table Completion: Expert Tips and Samples

What is IELTS Listening Table Completion?

Among the multiple types of questions, the IELTS Listening table completion is a frequently asked question type in different parts of the section. In this task, you must listen to the recording and write the missing words in a table, generally summarising information that can be divided into clear categories, e.g. place/time/price.

The task features 5 to 10 questions about the core ideas from either the conversational dialogue, monologue, educational conversation or an academic lecture.

Candidates appearing for the test must read the instructions carefully, like “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER,” and write the words that fit into the gap in the table.

How to Answer IELTS Listening Table Completion Questions

By learning the correct approach to answer the IELTS listening table completion task, students can significantly boost their scores while avoiding common mistakes within the allotted time.

STEP 1: Examine The Table Structure and Headings

• Start your table completion IELTS Listening task by analysing the table structure with its title and heading of each column.
• By doing this, you will get a detailed picture of the underlying topic, and it will explain the way in which all the information is organised.
• The headings of each column are helpful to understand the category of each entry, such as time, place, price, etc., allowing you to understand what is required in each gap.

STEP 2: Analyse The Gaps and Required Answer Formats

• Analyse each gap in the table in relation to its heading to comprehend the expected answer.
• Before listening to the audio, predict whether the answer is a number, word or a short phrase.
• For effective results, pay attention to grammatical clues, including singular/ plural forms or units.

STEP 3: Identify Key Terms Used to Track Information

• Move ahead in the task by focusing on key words in the table, as they will act as the reference point to recognise the information while you listen to the audio.
• You can also use headings as a reference point while listening to the audio to capture the information in a better way.
• The information in the recording is paraphrased, thus recognising the ideas rather than exact words can be helpful.

STEP 4: Follow The Recording in Sequence

• As the audio starts to play, follow the logical order and track the audio in the same sequence as the table.
• Move ahead in the table and focus on the remaining gaps, if you fail to capture the information or feel an answer is missed.
• Thoroughly listen to the recording and pay attention to corrections or any clarification made on the previously provided information by the speaker.

STEP 5: Complete The Missing Information Accurately

• Finally, complete the missing gaps using the exact words or numbers heard, while strictly following the word limit mentioned in the instructions. Writing more than the word limit leads to losing marks.
• While filling the gaps, pay attention to guidelines like contracted words, such as ‘they’re’, which will not be tested, and hyphenated words, such as ‘check-in’, which are counted as single words.
• During your review time, pay attention to spelling and accuracy as IELTS automated marking criteria only award marks to responses that are correctly spelt and meet the word limit.

Common Errors in IELTS Listening Table Completion

Given the timed conditions and test pressure, candidates often lose easy marks due to avoidable mistakes. Some of these mistakes include-

• Neglecting Table Structure- Paying attention to the gaps and ignoring headings leads to writing responses that do not match the category.
• Exceeding Word limit – The IELTS listening table completiontask clearly mentions a word limit for each gap; exceeding this limit clearly leads to losing marks. For example, responding in three words when the word limit is no more than two words.
• Losing focus after one missed answer – Sticking to one missed answer simply leads to losing focus and missing subsequent table completion IELTS listening answersbecause the audio is played only once.
• Confusion between closely related details – When the recording includes a comparison between similar options, candidates often choose the first detail mentioned and miss the final verdict, leading to incorrect responses.

IELTS Listening Table Completion Sample Exercises

Here are IELTS listening table completion practice questions to understand how the particular task appears on the question paper and the correct way to respond to it.

IELTS Listening Table Completion - Sample 1

Complete the table below.

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Answer for the Sample 1

15. River

16. 1422

17. Top

18. Pass

19. Steam

20. Capital

Sample 2 IELTS Listening Table Completion

Complete the table below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

Answer for the Sample 2

21. PS101A

22. July 16

23. (course) Syllabus

24. Workload

25. Course Delivery

26. standard of Teaching

27. Handouts

28. Oral Presentation

29. Criteria

30. Student Support

Expert Tips to Solve the Table Completion IELTS Listening

Given below are some proven IELTS listening table completion tips designed for effective practice.

1. Predict Before Listening

Before the audio starts to play, you will have enough time to read the question in the table and get a brief overview. This will help you predict the information required for each gap, such as a number, a place, or a noun. Practising this technique with multiple IELTS listening practice test will help you narrow down the correct answers using clues and logic.

2. Focus On Synonyms and Paraphrasing

The audio in the table completion IELTS Listening task rarely repeats the exact words shown on the table. In this case, you have to strongly focus on paraphrased information and pay attention to the meaning rather than searching for word matches. Practice this task using a section-specific IELTS mock test that will help you strengthen your ability to understand the rephrased information and details.

3. Mind the Distractors

The IELTS table completion listening task features the audio that can be played only once, demanding sharp skills to capture the information correctly and not lose marks to distractors. A distractor can simply be a word or phrase that is put into audio to mislead from the correct information.

For example, the course used to cost £200 per week, but from next month the fee will be reduced to £180.

Here, the audio first features £200 as the cost of the course, which is outdated information and used as a distractor. The correct answer here is £180.

4. Build Familiarity Using Real IELTS Audio

Practising regularly with the authentic IELTS preparation materials is undoubtedly the core tip to excel in table completion IELTS Listening task. It will help you to get familiar with the audio speed, pronunciation, and various accents used in the test. Consistent practice with IELTS listening table completion exercises will eventually enhance your skills to follow the information and complete tables within timed conditions.

Final Thoughts

Summing up, when looked from a wider perspective, the table completion IELTS listening task is a highly-scoring task when approached with clear comprehension of its arrangement and requirements. Candidates can master this task with the help of an exam-simulated IELTS listening test with audio and answers designed to understand accents, catch the pace of the audio and complete the task under timed conditions.

For effective preparation and tailored guidance, you can approach our experts through IELTS online coaching, who will be happy to guide you to achieve your dream scores.

FAQs

1. How to quickly find keywords for IELTS table or flowchart questions?

Finding keywords in IETLS table or flowchart questions can be done with ease by focusing on recognising unique nouns, proper names, dates and technical terms in the question, which can be easily located in the text.

2. Are abbreviations allowed in IELTS Listening table completion?

Yes, for IELTS listening table completion, you are allowed to use common abbreviations and symbols, particularly for measurement, time and currencies.

3. How many types of questions are there in IELTS listening?

There are a total of 10 types of questions in the IELTS listening test, which consists of 40 total questions across 4 sections.

4. What is the difference between IELTS table completion and flowchart completion?

The major difference between the two completion types is the visual layout and the type of information presented. The table completion features (time, place, or place), while the flowcharts include sequential steps, processes or any chronological event.

5. Are answers in the table completion always in order?

Yes, for ILETs listening table completion, answers are almost always in the same order as the recording, which makes it easier for candidates to track answers.