Strategy for Table Completion in IELTS Listening | IELTS Luminary
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IELTS Listening: Strategy for Table Completion Question

This is like a form filling and note completion type question. There can be a conversation between two people, or it can be one speaker is talking to an audience on a particular topic. This question can appear in any section (1-4) of IELTS listening test. The table can be both horizontal and vertical. Take a look at the example below:

Example

IELTS Listening Table Completion Question

Source: Cambridge English IELTS Past Papers

In the example above, you can see that apart from only a few blank spaces, the table is almost full. You need to fill in the blanks using the number of words that you are instructed to. Here in this example you are told not to use more than one word and/or a number for each answer. The solution strategy for this question is almost as same as that of the form filling and notes completion.

Solution Tips

  • Read the questions before you start listening the audio clip.

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  • Do not forget to read the instruction sentence carefully. There might have some important instructions that you must follow, otherwise your answer will be wrong, even if you provide right information.

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  • Look at the keywords in the question text. For example, in this example question you see bus, train, peak, off-peak, ferry, tourist-ferry, whole day are the keywords. 

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  • If the audio is a conversation, you should write the words that the speaker or audience is writing. Because, there is a maximum probability that you will need those words for your answer.

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  • Try to predict the answers before your start listening the recording.

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  • Take your notes during listening. Write the notes on question paper. There is nothing wrong with writing on question sheet. Make it dirty. We suggest you try writing the notes in an order. Because normally, both the audio clips and the questions appear in the same order. If your note is in an ordered pattern, it will be quite convenient for you to find the answer.​

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Don't forget to check our Grammar and Vocabulary discussion.

Check the other Listening question types with detailed analyses and examples:

Form Filling

Plan, map, diagram labeling

Multiple Choice Question

Summary Completion

Sentence Completion

Matching Question

Flowchart Question

Notes Completion

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