Gap Filling is a frequently seen question type in the IELTS Reading test. While not considered the most difficult, Gap Filling requires candidates to understand the overall content of the reading passage, analyze information effectively, and have a strong vocabulary. So, what exactly is Gap Filling Let us walk you through the definition, how to solve it, and strategies to help you achieve a high score. Follow the steps below to build your confidence and prepare effectively for your IELTS exam.
1. Overview of Gap Filling in IELTS Reading
What is Gap Filling
Gap Filling, also known as Gap Fill, is a common question type in the IELTS Reading test. You are required to fill in the blanks in a given summary or text with a limited number of words. The instructions will clearly state the word limit for each gap.
Types of Gap Filling Reading Questions
Based on how the answers are selected, Gap Filling can be divided into:
Type 1: Fill in the blanks using words or phrases from a given list.
Type 2: Fill in the blanks using exact words or phrases taken from the reading passage. No word list is provided.
Gap Filling questions can also appear in different formats, such as:
Summary Completion
Sentence Completion
Flow-chart or Diagram Completion
Note Completion
Table Completion
a. Summary Completion Example of a Gap Filling question in summary format.
b. Sentence Completion Example of Gap Filling in sentence format.
c. Flow-chart or Diagram Completion Example of Flow-chart Completion using Gap Filling.
d. Table Completion Example of Table Completion with Gap Filling.
e. Note Completion Example of Note Completion using Gap Filling.
2. Steps to Solve Gap Filling Questions in IELTS Reading
Before diving into tips, make sure you understand the basic steps. Following a clear process will help you locate answers more easily and improve your overall performance.
Step 1: Read the instructions carefully and identify the word limit
This is crucial to avoid losing marks for exceeding the limit. Common word limits include:
ONE WORD ONLY: Fill in only one word.
NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND OR A NUMBER: You may enter one word, one number, or one of each.
NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS: You may enter one, two, or a maximum of three words.
Step 2: Read the questions and underline keywords
Before reading the passage, analyze the questions carefully. Underline important keywords to help locate the relevant section of the text. Also, pay attention to words around the blanks and try to predict the type of word needed (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
Step 3: Read the passage and find the answers
Once you have identified keywords, read the text using skimming to get the general idea and scanning to locate specific information. If a word list is provided, look for synonyms or paraphrased expressions in the passage.
3. Tips to Keep in Mind for Gap Filling in IELTS Reading
Gap Filling is relatively simple and a great opportunity to gain points. However, it is easy to make mistakes without careful attention. Keep these tips in mind:
Always follow the word limit. For example, both table and one-table count as one word. Numbers like 5 or 555 are considered one number.
You do not need to read the entire passage. Focus on headings and the first sentence of each paragraph to locate the relevant sections.
When the answer must be taken directly from the passage, do not change the form of the word. Keep it as it appears, without pluralization or verb tense changes.
Questions usually follow the order of the passage. Answering in sequence helps you track the flow and find information faster. Avoid jumping around, which can waste time and cause confusion.
4. IELTS Reading Gap Filling Exercise with Answers
Read the following passage and answer questions 1 to 13.
A Useful Plant
Mosses are small flowerless plants that usually grow in dense green clumps, in damp and shady locations. The individual plants are usually composed of simple, one-cell thick leaves, covering a thin stem that supports them. At certain times they produce thin stalks topped with capsules containing spores. They are typically 1–10 centimeters tall, though some species are much larger, like Dawsonia, the tallest moss in the world, which can grow to 50 cm in height.
Species of moss can be classed as growing on rocks, exposed mineral soil, disturbed soils, acid soil, calcareous soil, cliff seeps and waterfall spray areas, stream sides, shaded humusy soil, downed logs, burnt stumps, tree trunk bases, upper tree trunks, and tree branches or in bogs. While mosses often grow on trees as epiphytes, they are never parasitic on the tree.
Moss is often considered a weed in grass lawns, but is deliberately encouraged to grow under aesthetic principles exemplified by Japanese gardening. In old temple gardens, for example, moss can be added to carpet a forest scene, as it is thought to add a sense of calm, age and stillness. Moss is also used in bonsai to cover the soil and enhance the impression of age.
There is a substantial market in mosses gathered from the wild. The uses for intact moss are principally in the florist trade and for home decoration. Decaying moss in the genus Sphagnum is also the major component of peat, which is mined for use as a fuel, as a horticultural soil additive, and in smoking malt in the production of Scotch whisky.
Some Sphagnum mosses can absorb up to 20 times their own weight in water. In World War I, Sphagnum mosses were used as first-aid dressings on soldiers' wounds, as these mosses were said to absorb liquids three times faster than cotton, to retain liquids better, and to distribute liquids uniformly throughout themselves, as well as being cooler, softer and less irritating than cotton. It was also claimed that they have mild antibacterial properties.
Questions 1 to 4: Complete the diagram labels using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
Parts of the moss plant
Diagram-based question — Gap Filling Exercise 1
Questions 5 to 9: Complete the following summary using words from the box.
Word list: dense – species – weeds – aesthetic – moist – sense – qualities – age – carpet – parasites
Mosses grow in (5) ______ , shaded locations on rocks, soil, wood or in bogs. When mosses grow on trees, they are not classed as (6) ______ , but when they grow on lawns, they are typically seen as (7) ______ . Japanese gardeners believe that moss has special (8) ______ , and it is often used as a (9) ______ in temple gardens.
Questions 10 to 13: Complete the table using NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage.
Diagram-based question — Gap Filling Exercise 2
Answer Key
one-cell
thin
spores
1, 10
moist
parasites
weeds
qualities
carpet
intact
soil
whisky
wounds
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We hope this guide has helped you understand the Gap Filling task type in IELTS Reading. You can also explore other question types such as Matching Features, Multiple Choice, or Short Answer Questions to boost your score.
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