Fill each gap with words taken exactly from the passage, within the word limit in the instructions, so that the sentence is grammatically correct and means what the passage says. One word too many makes the answer wrong.
At a glance
- Where
- Academic and General Training Reading
- Word limit
- Read it every time, e.g. "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER"
- Order
- Usually in passage order; a summary may cover one section
- Marking
- Spelling must be correct; hyphenated words count as one
How to answer, step by step
- Read the instructions and note the word limit and whether a number is allowed.
- Predict the kind of word each gap needs: a noun, a number, a plural, a place.
- Scan for the part of the passage the sentence paraphrases, then find the exact words that fill the gap.
- Copy the words letter for letter and check the completed sentence still makes grammatical sense.
- If a summary comes with a word list, choose from the list; the words will be synonyms of the passage, not copies.
Common mistakes
- Going over the word limit, even with "a" or "the".
- Changing the word form (inform instead of information) so the sentence no longer fits.
- Spelling mistakes, which cost the mark.
- Writing what makes sense instead of what the passage says.
Worked example
From Skillora IELTS Academic Mock Test 1 · Reading Passage 1, Question 8
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Critics use the term "______" for hives that are mainly about a company's image.
Answer: bee-washing
Critics call the practice "bee-washing" because it can be more about public image than nature.
“a practice some critics describe as "bee-washing", since it can be more about public image than nature”
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