IELTS Listening Note Completion Practice and Tips

This is the second of five kinds of IELTS listening questions that require you to fill in the gaps in a listening text. The other 3 gap-fill question types are

1. Note Completion Question Type Explained

For note completion, you will summarize information to show how different items relate to each other. You will hear audio recordings in various situations, such as listening to a lecture, a news report, a telephone conversation, etc.

Most of the time, you will not hear the exact words that appear in the sentence with the gap. You will hear synonyms and paraphrases.

2. This is how the question will appear on your question paper:

3. Tips Before You Listen

Here are some tips that will help you before you listen to the audio:

• Read the instructions carefully!
• You will have time to read the notes before the recording plays.
• Mark key words from the sentences, so you can listen for them.
• Think of possible synonyms for your key words – synonyms and paraphrasing are important!
• Based on the notes, predict the topic and possible content of the audio you are about to hear.
• Reading the headings and subheadings will give you a good idea of the topic being discussed.
• Be sure to also read the lines of notes that have no gaps. This will help you keep your place in the audio as you listen.

4. Tips While you Listen

Here are tips to consider as you are listening:

• The questions will be in the same order as the information you hear.
• Read the instructions carefully and pay attention to the word limit given. For example, if the directions say one word and/or a number, it means your answer should be one word, one number, or one word and one number. If you write more than this, your answer will be incorrect.
• Write numbers in numerical form to prevent spelling mistakes.
• You will need to listen for specific details and key words.
• The questions usually use synonyms of words found in the audio. You may hear the exact words used in the answer options, but be careful to decide what the correct answer should be.
• If you have trouble with a question, make an educated guess and move on. You don’t want to lose your place in the audio and risk missing even more questions. Don’t leave any answers blank, even if you have to guess.

5. Ready to try a sample question?

First, read through the notes quickly, paying special attention to the words around each gap. Then, click play and listen to the audio to find the answers. During the actual exam, you will only be able to hear the audio once, so try to answer the questions as you listen one time. Of course, since you are practicing, you may listen to the audio multiple times to become more familiar with the question type and how to answer it.

Ready? Here are the questions.

You will hear a speech by a tourism official at a meeting about the Blue Lagoon.

Questions 11-15

Complete the summary below.

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD OR A NUMBER for each answer.

IELTS Listening: Note Completion Guide

1. The Blue Lagoon was the result of the condensation 11)
   

   You might not be aware but the Blue Lagoon was

   created accidentally by the condense discharge from the power plant.

   Condense and condensation refer to the same thing, so the correct answer is “discharge.”
   

   discharge

   You might not be aware but the Blue Lagoon was

   created accidentally by the condense discharge from the power plant.

   Condense and condensation refer to the same thing, so the correct answer is “discharge.”

2. Instead of being absorbed into a lava field, the water was trapped into a 12)
   

   Originally, the water was expected to disappear into a permeable lava field, but

   over time sedimentation gradually made the course lava field watertight,

   and the lagoon continued expanding.
   The grammar of the sentence requires an adjective describing “lagoon.” The current situation of the lagoon is “watertight,” not “permeable.” “Permeable” is a synonym for “absorbed,” and water cannot be trapped in a permeable location.
   

   watertight

   Originally, the water was expected to disappear into a permeable lava field, but

   over time sedimentation gradually made the course lava field watertight,

   and the lagoon continued expanding.
   The grammar of the sentence requires an adjective describing “lagoon.” The current situation of the lagoon is “watertight,” not “permeable.” “Permeable” is a synonym for “absorbed,” and water cannot be trapped in a permeable location.

4. The original 13)
   

   This all started in 1969 when the town council of Grindavik decided to explore the area

   closer to here, Svartsengi, for the possibility of geothermal…
   The sentence requires a noun. The speaker discusses the initial “exploration,” or decision to explore the area.
   

   exploration

   This all started in 1969 when the town council of Grindavik decided to explore the area

   closer to here, Svartsengi, for the possibility of geothermal…
   The sentence requires a noun. The speaker discusses the initial “exploration,” or decision to explore the area.

5. the site was determined to have 14) .
   

   …and then as

   continued exploration continued to reveal the great potential,…

   “Continued to reveal” is similar in meaning to “determined to have.”
   

   potential

   …and then as

   continued exploration continued to reveal the great potential,…

   “Continued to reveal” is similar in meaning to “determined to have.”

6. liquid underground was 15) ,
   

   During this research process, it was

   discovered that the hot fluid in the ground was brine.

   “Discovered that” is similar in meaning to “revealed.”
   

   brine

   During this research process, it was

   discovered that the hot fluid in the ground was brine.

   “Discovered that” is similar in meaning to “revealed.”

Now, listen to the audio and answer the question.