What should I check when filling a gap?
Check the words from the text, the word limit and the grammar of the gap together.
2 min read · Updated 9/8/2026
The key idea
A completion question has three checks: is the information correct, does it fit the word limit, does it fit the gap grammatically?
If it says “From the passage”, take the answer from the text. Don't make up your own synonym. If a list of options is given, follow the instructions of that task.
The words before and after the gap can show what kind of answer is needed: a noun, a number, an adjective or a place name.
See an example
Instruction: ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.
Passage: The roof is covered with plants that help keep the building cool.
Question: Plants on the roof help keep the building ___ .
Answer: cool. It is a word from the passage, it is one word, and it fits the structure keep … cool.
Now you try
Instruction: ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.
Passage: The workshop provides gloves, but visitors must bring their own notebooks.
- Visitors are given ___ .
- Visitors need to bring ___ .
Write only one word in each gap.
A personal draft. It is not saved when you leave or automatically graded.
Reveal the answer and explanation
Answer and explanation
- gloves — the workshop provides them.
- notebooks — the visitors must bring them.
Their own notebooks is three words, so it breaks the limit. Writing notebook, though, changes the plural form in the passage. After writing your answer, put it in the gap and read the whole sentence.
Matching information: which paragraph do I look for?
Official sources for this topic
IELTS · Reading