Diagram & Flow-chart Completion

Diagram completion, flow-chart completion, and table completion questions require you to extract specific information from the passage and place it into a visual format. These question types appear regularly in the IELTS Academic Reading test, particularly with passages that describe processes, systems, or categorised information.

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Types of Visual Completion Questions

1. Diagram Labelling

You are given a diagram (e.g., a machine, a building, a geographical feature) with labelled parts that have gaps. You must fill the gaps using words from the passage.

2. Flow-chart Completion

You are given a flow chart showing a sequence of steps or stages. Some steps have gaps that you must complete using words from the passage.

3. Table Completion

You are given a table with rows and columns containing information from the passage. Some cells have gaps.

All three types share the same fundamental approach: identify what information is needed, locate it in the passage, and transfer the correct words.

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Strategy for All Visual Completion Types

Step 1: Study the Visual Carefully

Before going to the passage, spend 30–60 seconds understanding the visual:

• Diagram: What does it show? What are the labelled parts? What is the logical relationship between parts?
• Flow chart: What is the process? What is the sequence? Where do the gaps appear in the sequence?
• Table: What are the column headings? What pattern do the rows follow?

Step 2: Identify What Each Gap Needs

For each gap, determine:

• What type of word is needed (noun, verb, adjective, number)?
• What category of information is expected (a material, a measurement, a location, a time period)?
• What comes before and after the gap (this constrains the answer grammatically)?

Step 3: Locate the Relevant Section of the Passage

Visual completion questions usually relate to a specific part of the passage, not the whole text. Common clues:

• Diagrams often relate to a descriptive paragraph about a structure, system, or object
• Flow charts usually correspond to a section describing a process, method, or sequence of events
• Tables typically correspond to a section with categorised or comparative information

Step 4: Read the Relevant Section Closely

Read the relevant paragraphs carefully, matching information from the passage to gaps in the visual. The passage may describe the process or structure in the same order as the visual — or it may not. Be prepared to read the whole relevant section.

Step 5: Transfer Words Exactly

Copy the exact words from the passage. Check the word limit. Check spelling.

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Flow-chart Completion in Detail

Flow charts are the most common visual completion type. They test your ability to follow a process described in the passage.

Reading Flow Charts

Flow-chart Structure
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

  ┌─────────────────────┐
  │   Step 1: ______    │
  └─────────┬───────────┘
            │
            ▼
  ┌─────────────────────┐
  │   Step 2: ______    │
  └─────────┬───────────┘
            │
            ▼
  ┌─────────────────────┐
  │   Step 3: ______    │
  └─────────┬───────────┘
            │
            ▼
  ┌─────────────────────┐
  │   Step 4: Result    │
  └─────────────────────┘

The flow chart reads from top to bottom (or left to right). Each box represents a stage in the process. Arrows show the direction and sequence.

Common Process Language in Passages

When the passage describes a process, look for these signal words:

Signal Words	What They Indicate
First, initially, to begin with	Start of the process
Then, next, subsequently, after this	Next step in sequence
Meanwhile, at the same time, simultaneously	Parallel process
As a result, consequently, therefore	Outcome of a step
Finally, ultimately, in the end	Last step or result
Before, prior to, preceding	Something that happens earlier
During, while, throughout	Concurrent with another step

Worked Example

Passage Excerpt: