IELTS Reading: How to Answer 

Gap Fill Questions

Gap fill questions (also called completion tasks) are a common part of the IELTS Academic Reading test. In this type of question, you need to complete sentences, summaries, tables, or flow charts using words from the reading passage.

Gap fill questions test your ability to find specific information and understand paraphrasing.

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🧠 Types of Gap Fill Questions

You may be asked to complete:

• Sentences

• Summaries

• Notes

• Tables

• Diagrams

• Flow-charts

Each task will ask you to use words from the text, and you must follow the instructions exactly.

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📏 Follow the Word Limit!

Read the instructions carefully. They will say something like:

• NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS

• ONE WORD ONLY

• NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER

🚫 If you write more than allowed, the answer will be marked wrong—even if the meaning is correct.

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🎯 How to Answer Gap Fill Questions

Here’s a step-by-step guide with examples:

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Step 1: Read the Instructions Carefully

Check the word limit. If it says “NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS”, don’t write three!

✅ Correct: renewable energy
❌ Wrong: renewable sources of energy

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Step 2: Read the Text with Purpose

Look at the gap and try to guess what kind of word is missing: a noun, verb, number, place, etc.

Example Sentence:
The Amazon rainforest produces about _______ of the world’s oxygen.

You can guess the answer is likely a number or percentage.

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Step 3: Highlight Keywords in the Sentence

Find the keywords near the gap that help you locate the answer in the text.

Example:
Sentence: The Amazon rainforest produces about _______ of the world’s oxygen.
Keywords: Amazon rainforest, produces, oxygen

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Step 4: Scan the Text for Parallel Meaning

Look in the reading passage for synonyms or paraphrased ideas.

Text Example:
"The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen."

🟢 Parallel meaning:

• about = approximately

• produces = generates, provides

• 20% = the number you need

✅ Answer: 20%

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Step 5: Copy the Answer Exactly

Make sure the spelling is correct and the word comes directly from the text (unless you’re choosing from a box).

If the passage says “twenty percent”, but you're allowed ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER, then write 20%.

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📝 Practice Example

Text:
"Marie Curie won Nobel Prizes in both Physics and Chemistry, making her the only person in history to achieve this distinction."

Question:
Marie Curie won Nobel Prizes in both _______ and Chemistry.

✅ Answer: Physics

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🔑 Tips for Success

• Underline keywords in the sentence and find matching words or phrases in the passage.

• Don’t use your own words – only take words from the passage.

• If the answer must be ONE WORD, avoid writing a phrase like “new energy”.

• Be careful with spelling – even a small mistake can cost you the point.

• Watch out for articles like a, an, the. Only include them if necessary for grammar and if the word count allows.

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🔄 Common Keyword Paraphrases

In the Gap Fill Sentence	In the Passage
Cause	Reason, lead to, result
Increase	Rise, grow, go up
Discover	Find, identify, uncover
Important	Significant, vital
First	Initial, earliest

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✅ Final Thought

Gap fill questions test your understanding of both vocabulary and grammar. Practice scanning for meaning and recognizing different ways the same idea is expressed.

The more you read, the better you’ll get at spotting key words and synonyms quickly

📝 Gap Fill Practice – IELTS Reading Style (B2 Level)

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1.

Text:
"The Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889, attracts nearly seven million visitors each year, making it one of the most visited monuments in the world."

Sentence:
The Eiffel Tower was completed in _______.

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2.

Text:
"Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day to conserve energy, as their eucalyptus diet provides little nutrition."

Sentence:
Koalas sleep for up to _______ each day.

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3.

Text:
"Mount Everest, which is part of the Himalayan range, is the tallest mountain above sea level, standing at 8,848 metres."

Sentence:
Mount Everest reaches a height of _______ metres.

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4.

Text:
"Wind turbines generate electricity by using the power of the wind to turn large blades connected to a generator."

Sentence:
Wind turbines produce electricity using the force of the _______.

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5.

Text:
"Shakespeare is believed to have written 39 plays and over 150 sonnets during his lifetime."

Sentence:
Shakespeare is thought to have written 39 _______.

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6.

Text:
"The Great Wall of China was originally built to protect Chinese states from invasions by nomadic tribes."

Sentence:
The Great Wall was built to defend against _______.

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7.

Text:
"The human brain controls both voluntary and involuntary actions, such as breathing, movement, and digestion."

Sentence:
Breathing and digestion are examples of _______ actions.

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8.

Text:
"Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight to make food from carbon dioxide and water."

Sentence:
Plants use _______ during photosynthesis to make food.

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✅ Answer Key

1. 1889

2. 20 hours

3. 8,848 (or 8,848 metres*)

4. wind

5. plays

6. invasions (or nomadic tribes*)

7. involuntary

8. sunlight

 

🕰️ The Time Machine – Chapter III: The Traveller Returns (Adapted for B2 Readers)

The next Thursday evening, as planned, we returned to the Time Traveller’s house. I was the first to arrive. The housekeeper let me in, saying the master was in the laboratory and had left word that he would join us shortly.

I went into the dining room. It was already set for dinner. Candles were lit, and the room was warm. I waited alone for a few minutes until the others arrived. Filby, the Medical Man, the Psychologist, and the Mayor all came in one by one.

We sat down and talked, but the Time Traveller still hadn’t appeared. “He must be running late,” someone said. We were used to his strange ways, so we just laughed and poured wine.

Suddenly, we heard a noise—the door opened, and the Time Traveller walked in.

He looked terrible.

His clothes were dusty and torn. His hair was messy, and he had cuts and bruises on his face. Everyone stood up in shock.

He walked slowly to the table, poured himself a glass of wine with a shaking hand, and drank it. Then he asked for meat, speaking like a man who hadn’t eaten in days.

We stared at him silently.

“Let me eat first,” he said. “Then I’ll tell you everything.”

He sat down and ate hungrily while we watched. After a few minutes, he looked more like his usual self. Then he leaned back, lit a cigarette, and looked at each of us in turn.

“I’ve had a most amazing journey,” he said. “I’ve been very far—through time.”

We said nothing. We didn’t know whether to believe him.

“I know it’s hard to believe,” he said. “But I’ve been to the year 802,701. Yes, more than 800,000 years into the future.”

The Mayor raised his eyebrows. “How do you know what year it was?”

“My machine had a dial,” said the Time Traveller. “It showed the year as I moved forward through time.”

He looked serious now. “You won’t believe it all, I know that. But listen to my story and judge for yourselves.”

And so, we sat around the table as he began to tell us about the future world—his voice calm, but his eyes full of wonder.

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Laboratory	A room used for scientific work
Housekeeper	A person who takes care of a house
Bruises	Blue or purple marks on skin from injury
Poured	To serve a drink into a glass
Dial	A round control or display that shows numbers
Judge for yourselves	Decide based on what you hear

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Where was the Time Traveller when the guests arrived?

2. What was the Time Traveller’s physical condition when he returned?

3. How did the guests react to seeing him?

4. What did the Time Traveller do before telling his story?

5. How far into the future did the Time Traveller claim to have traveled?

6. How did he know what year it was?

7. What did he ask the guests to do before he began his story?

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✅ Answers

1. He was in his laboratory.

2. He looked dusty, with torn clothes and some bruises on his face.

3. They were shocked and stood up in surprise.

4. He asked for food and wine, then ate before speaking.

5. He said he traveled to the year 802,701.

6. His machine had a dial that showed the year.

7. He asked them to listen to his story and decide for themselves whether to believe it.

 

🎯 How to Answer IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions

To answer multiple-choice questions successfully, follow these steps. Each step includes examples and tips on how to use keywords and parallel meaning (also known as synonyms or paraphrasing).

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Step 1: Read the Question Carefully

Understand exactly what the question is asking. Don’t look at the answer options yet.

Example Question:
Why is the Amazon rainforest important?

👉 Mark the keywords: “Amazon rainforest” and “important”

These words tell you what to focus on in the text.

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Step 2: Skim the Text to Find the Right Section

Don’t read the whole text word-for-word. Quickly find the part that talks about the Amazon rainforest or its importance.

Text Example:
"The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen, making it a crucial part of Earth’s ecosystem."

👉 Look for words that match or are similar in meaning to your keywords:

• “produces 20% of the world’s oxygen” = important

• “crucial” = very important

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Step 3: Read Closely and Find Parallel Meanings

Now read that section carefully. Look for synonyms or paraphrased ideas.

In this case:

• “Crucial” is a synonym for important

• “Produces 20% of the world’s oxygen” is a fact that explains why it’s important

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Step 4: Eliminate Wrong Answers

Look at the options and cross out ones that are clearly incorrect.

Options:
A. It covers most of South America.
B. It creates a large amount of oxygen.
C. It is home to many animals.
D. It has a high population.

✅ B is correct – it’s supported directly by the text
❌ A, C, and D are either unrelated or not mentioned

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Step 5: Choose the Best Answer

Make sure your final choice matches the meaning of the text exactly. Don’t guess based on what you already know – always rely on the passage.

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✅ Extra Tip: Keep a Keyword/Synonym List

IELTS often uses paraphrasing. Here are some examples of common IELTS keyword pairs:

In the Question	In the Text
Important	Crucial, essential
Cause	Reason, lead to
Scientists believe	Experts suggest, claim
Increased	Rose, grew, went up
Effect	Impact, result, consequence

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By practicing these steps and learning to spot parallel meanings, you’ll get faster and more accurate at answering multiple-choice questions.

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📝 IELTS Reading Practice – Multiple Choice Questions (With Keywords & Parallel Meanings)

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1.

Text:
"Many people believe that Leonardo da Vinci was ahead of his time, not only as an artist but also as a scientist and inventor."

Question:
What is said about Leonardo da Vinci?
A. He was only known for his paintings.
B. He lived in the future.
C. He was talented in several fields.
D. He was not interested in science.

🔍 Keywords: Leonardo da Vinci, talented, several fields
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “not only as an artist but also as a scientist and inventor” = talented in several fields

✅ Correct answer: C

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2.

Text:
"The Amazon rainforest produces 20% of the world's oxygen, making it a crucial part of Earth’s ecosystem."

Question:
Why is the Amazon rainforest important?
A. It covers most of South America.
B. It creates a large amount of oxygen.
C. It is home to many animals.
D. It has a high population.

🔍 Keywords: Amazon rainforest, important
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “produces 20% of the world's oxygen” = creates a large amount of oxygen

• “crucial part” = important

✅ Correct answer: B

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3.

Text:
"The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896, with athletes from 14 countries taking part."

Question:
Where and when were the first modern Olympics held?
A. Paris, 1890
B. Athens, 1896
C. Rome, 1900
D. London, 1888

🔍 Keywords: first modern Olympics, where, when
🟢 Exact match: “Athens in 1896”

✅ Correct answer: B

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4.

Text:
"Unlike other planets in the solar system, Venus rotates in the opposite direction."

Question:
What is unusual about Venus?
A. It is smaller than other planets.
B. It has no atmosphere.
C. It moves in the opposite direction.
D. It is farthest from the Sun.

🔍 Keywords: unusual, Venus, direction
🟢 Parallel meanings: “rotates in the opposite direction” = moves in the opposite direction

✅ Correct answer: C

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5.

Text:
"Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and remains the only person to win in two different scientific fields."

Question:
What is special about Marie Curie?
A. She won two Nobel Prizes in science.
B. She worked alone all her life.
C. She refused awards.
D. She discovered electricity.

🔍 Keywords: Marie Curie, special, Nobel Prizes
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “only person to win in two different scientific fields” = won two Nobel Prizes in science

✅ Correct answer: A

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6.

Text:
"Studies show that students who sleep at least 8 hours perform better on tests than those who sleep less."

Question:
According to studies, students perform better when they:
A. skip breakfast
B. sleep longer
C. study late at night
D. drink coffee

🔍 Keywords: perform better, students, sleep
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “sleep at least 8 hours” = sleep longer

✅ Correct answer: B

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7.

Text:
"Plastic waste in the oceans harms marine animals, which often mistake it for food."

Question:
Why is plastic dangerous to sea animals?
A. It pollutes the air.
B. It helps them grow faster.
C. They think it is food.
D. It protects their homes.

🔍 Keywords: plastic, dangerous, sea animals
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “mistake it for food” = they think it is food

• “harms marine animals” = dangerous

✅ Correct answer: C

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8.

Text:
"Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution by natural selection after studying various species on the Galápagos Islands."

Question:
What led Darwin to his theory of evolution?
A. His experiments in a lab
B. His work in Africa
C. His study of animals in Galápagos
D. His teaching at university

🔍 Keywords: Darwin, evolution, led to
🟢 Parallel meanings:

• “after studying various species” = his study of animals

• “on the Galápagos Islands” = Galápagos

✅ Correct answer: C