In the sentence completion task of the IELTS Reading test, you will be asked to complete sentences by using a word, short phrase or number from the text to fill gaps. In order to complete this task well, you need to be able to locate specific information, understand a short passage of text and choose the most appropriate word. Therefore, you will benefit from improving your paraphrasing skills, skimming and scanning skills and, most importantly, your reading comprehension (no doubt the MOST important skill to be successful in the IELTS Reading test).
Here are some top tips to ensure your success with this type of question in the IELTS test.
- Think about which type of word is required in the gap – is it a noun, an adjective or a verb?
- Check that the sentence is grammatically correct when the word is inserted!
- Consider the topic of the sentence and where that information is located in the passage.
- The answers to the questions will (normally!) come in order in the text. Use this to help you locate where in the text the answer may be located.
- Ensure that you double check whether the answer is asking for one word, two words or a number as the answer.
As with any part of the IELTS test, practice makes perfect. So be sure to use our Sentence Completion Practice Tasks and other Reading Practice Tasks to help develop your ability and skill.
Passage:
Denman Glacier: Deepest point on land found in Antarctica
The deepest point on continental Earth has been identified in East Antarctica, under Denman Glacier. This ice-filled canyon reaches 3.5km (11,500ft) below sea level. Only in the ocean are the valleys deeper still. The discovery is illustrated in a new map of the White Continent that reveals the shape of the bedrock under the ice sheet in unprecedented detail. Its features will be critical to our understanding of how the polar south might change in the future. For comparison, the lowest exposed land on Earth, at the Dead Sea shore, is just 413m (1,355ft) below sea level.
The new finding shows, for example, previously unrecognised ridges that will impede the retreat of melting glaciers in a warming world; and, alternatively, a number of smooth, sloping terrains that could accelerate withdrawals. “This is undoubtedly the most accurate portrait yet of what lies beneath Antarctica’s ice sheet,” said Dr Mathieu Morlighem, who’s worked on the project for six years.
Text adapted from: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50753113
Questions:
Complete the following sentences. Choose no more than two words from the passage to fill the gaps.
- A place in _____________________ is now said to be the place that extends the furthest down from the Earth’s surface.
- However, _______________ located in the sea are said to extend even further.
- An _______________ map, called the White Continent, shows this new discovery in very close detail.
- The shore of the Dead Sea is the _________________ visible land.
- _________________ located at the deepest point will help to limit the recession of glaciers due to the effects of global warming.
Answers:
- East Antarctica
- valleys
- unprecedented
- lowest
- ridges
New Vocabulary to Learn!
valleys = a low area of land between mountains or hills
unprecedented = something that has never been done before
ridges = a long, narrow hilltop or mountain range
extend = make larger
shore = the land along the edge of the sea
visible = something that can be seen
recession = to move back
impede = to delay something or obstruct something from happening
terrains = a stretch of land