VTable completion in the IELTS Reading test is a variation of Gap Filling, which requires candidates to complete missing information in a table with words or phrases from the reading passage.

Strategy for completing IELTS Reading table completion:

Step 1: Read the instructions for the reading passage to see how many words need to be filled in and then look at the questions or sentences that contain missing words in the reading passage.

Step 2: Analyze the table and underline keywords

Firstly, you should consider the table and find the best way to read and navigate through the areas that need to be filled in. Perhaps the best way is from left to right, or by looking at the headings if there are any. This will help you understand the information in the passage and the topic of the reading.

Step 3: Examine the gaps that need to be filled in carefully

At each gap that needs to be filled in, you need to guess what information is missing, taking into account the keywords around the gap, headings, information in rows and other columns. Then, consider the type of word needed in each gap, underline the keywords of each sentence containing gaps to find information and answers in the reading passage.

Step 4: Find the section containing the information of the table in the reading passage

Usually, the information needed to fill in the table will contain a paragraph or some parts of the reading passage, not the entire passage. To be able to determine the information to be filled in, you can rely on the title of the table, the headings of each row and column of the table, and especially the keywords in the questions.

You can particularly pay attention to finding easily recognizable keywords such as proper names, numbers, unchangeable keywords, and keywords that can be changed, often these words will be paraphrased or synonyms will appear in the reading passage.

Step 5: Read carefully the sections containing information in the reading passage

-Identify the sentences in the reading passage that contain information that matches the information in the section containing gaps in the table.

-You need to pay attention to the words appearing around the gap, which may be important keywords for you to find in the reading passage.

-If no word appears in both the section containing the gap and the table, you should look for keywords in the sentences in the same section in the table.

-If none of the words in the section containing the gap or the table, look for keywords in the headings of the column and row or keywords near that gap. Keywords can appear as synonyms or paraphrased words.

-Read the sentence containing the corresponding keyword in the reading passage carefully. Sometimes, you may have to read the sentence before and after that sentence to find the word or phrase to find the answer to the gap.

Step 6: Select the correct words/phrases to fill in the blanks

Underline the words/phrases you see, as they may be clues to help you find the correct answer in the answer choices.

Step 7: Check your answers

Compare the question and the information-containing sentence to see if they match in meaning. Then, carefully examine whether the answer is grammatically correct, whether it is a phrase or a word taken from the reading passage. Also, check that the answer you have entered matches the requirement for the number of words needed in the task. Finally, check the spelling of the word you have entered in the IELTS Reading table completion task.

Some notes when doing IELTS Reading table completion:

  • Always pay attention to the number of words required in the task.
  • Analyze the table and understand the best way to approach it (from left to right, from top to bottom).
  • Read the summary information in the table.
  • Identify the parts of the text that fit the blanks. This will make it easier for you to write the answer.
  • Scan the passage to find keywords.
  • Write the correct number of words or the exact number in your answer sheet.
  • Do not read the passage beforehand.
  • Consider the spelling of the answer.

IE wishes you success in achieving an IELTS score of 8.0!