IELTS Academic Reading – Task Type 4 – Notes/Table/Summary/Flow-chart Completion
Task Description
What are candidates required to do?
With this task type, candidates are given some type of summary of a section of the passage, and are required to complete it with information drawn from the passage. Note that the summary will usually be of only one part of the passage rather than the whole.
In what form is the summary presented?
The given information may be in the form of
- several connected sentences of text (referred to as a summary);
- a table with some of its cells empty (referred to as a table);
- several unconnected notes (referred to as notes) or
- a series of boxes or steps linked by arrows to show a sequence of events, with some of the boxes or steps empty (referred to as a flow-chart)
Do the answers occur in order in the passage?
Not necessarily. However, the answers will usually come from one section rather than the entire passage.
Are there any variations of this task type?
Yes, there are two variations. Candidates may be asked either
- to select words from the passage
- to select from a list of answers
Where words have to be selected from the passage, the instructions will clearly state how many words are required; the number of words will never be more than three. Candidates may also be required to write numbers from the passage. Where a list of answers is provided, they most frequently consist of a single word.
What text type is most often used with this task type?
This task type often relates to precise factual information, and so is often used with descriptive texts.
Understanding the Task
To see examples of this task type please click on the link below
To understand better how candidates need to approach this task, it may help you to do the task yourself and analyse what you had to do to find the right answer.
Look at this Sample Task Type 4. Complete the task, thinking about how you are doing it.
Sample
Task Type 4 Task (PDF)
Answers
Things to consider
Now look at these questions about how you approached the task and consider your answers.
- Did you read the whole passage before you read the questions?
- Did you scan the passage for words needed to allow you to complete the flow-chart?
- Did you read through the flow-chart once you had completed it?
- What skills are being tested in this task type?
- How can you assist students to develop these skills?
