A Flow Chart is a piece of information presented in a flow—data on a specific topic given in a process. The listening module of the IELTS exam covers a similar question type – Flow Chart Completion, which examines the candidate’s English language listening proficiency. IELTS Listening Flow Chart completion can be the easiest or the most challenging question type of Listening module affecting candidate scorecards. Is it easy to solve, or is it complicated? Let’s check.
IELTS Listening Flow Chart – Tips & Tricks to solve.
Flow Chart Completion usually comes in section 2 or section 3 of IELTS Listening, meaning the topic involves a moderate difficulty level because the sections are arranged in the order of complexity. As I mentioned earlier, all the information is presented in order and is a step-by-step process. Furthermore, sometimes you also receive options to respond in a particular manner; however, there can be more options than questions.
Let’s check out an example for more clarity.
In this example of IELTS Listening Flow Chart Completion, have an eye on the process in the form of ‘stages of experiment’.
Tip 1 – Work before the audio starts.
The candidates must concentrate every minor second during the listening part of the exam. Don’t just wait for the audio to play to find the answers as you receive a question to respond to on your screen. Instead, skim and scan your questions prior.
Recognizing the subject beforehand makes you aware and confident of the information to score high bands effectively.
Read and acknowledge questions as well as options and listen to the audio for the answers. First, solve the sample passage of flow chart completion yourself.
Answers:
26 – G
27 – C
28 – H
29 – A
30 – E
Let’s solve and unwind some secret strategies to answer the Flow Chart.
Question 26: Select seeds of different ___________ and sizes.
Answer – types
Transcript of the Audio:
[Note: Bold Words are terminologies or synonyms used in the question statement
and words in Italic represent transcriptions of the audio.]
Anyway, shall we have a look at the procedure for our experiment? Will need to get
going with it quite soon.
Right, so the first thing we have to do is find our seeds. I think vegetable seeds would
be best, and obviously, they must not all be the same size. So how many sorts do we
need, about four different ones?
I think that would be enough. There’ll be quite a large number of seeds for each one.
Tip 2 – Synonyms & Paraphrasing
In the audio, there is no mention of the word ‘types’ directly. However, they converse about sorts (types). Here, by using synonym and paraphrasing techniques, the examiner adjudicated to trick the candidates at the very first part of the conversation into getting them confused and thereby missing all the questions of this section. IELTS aspirants must realize what the examiner is looking for to not lose bands.
Question 27: Measure and record the _______ and size of each one.
Answer – weight
Then for each seed, we need to find out how much it weighs and also measure its dimensions and we need to keep a careful record of all that.
That’ll be quite time-consuming.
Tip 3 – Don’t just wait for a similar word from the question to appear in the audio to start listening.
In addition to listening to the audio for the correct response, be attentive and not miss it, just waiting for a similar word to occur. For example, in the above question, terms such as measure & record arrived after the actual answer. The technique is called a distractor that the examiner uses to distract the candidates during their real IELTS exam.
Question 28: Decide on the _________ to be used.
Answer – depths
And we also need to decide how deep we’re going to plant the seeds right on the surface, a few millimeters down or several centimeters.
Tip 4 – Direct answers hidden in short sentences
While listening to the audio, have you ever come across a time where you are entirely concentrating yet lose to hear that required word in just a fraction of seconds? It happens because as the answers are direct, the examiner tends to hide them in short sentences for aspirants to miss hearing. Just like in this question, the exact use of the term ‘decide’ is done in the question as well as audio. ‘Decide how deep’, so the answer is depth.
Question 29: Use a different ________ for each seed and label it.
Answer – Container
Okay, so then we get planting. Do you think we can plant several seeds together in
the same plant pot?
No, I think we need a different one for each seed.
Hmm, right, and we’ll need to label them.
Tip 5 – Usages of English Grammar
Before beginning with the audio, the IELTS listening exam allows applicants to look at the questions for a few seconds. Some utilize this as a break, rest as a strategy. Using time as a technique can make you confident here, but how?
While reviewing questions, candidates can respond accurately by eyeing English grammar and usage. For instance, in the above statement, the paper setter challenged to use something for each seed & label it. In question 29, only one option container is something one can label. Therefore, you have the correct answer without even listening to the audio.
However, this technique involves a lot of practice; it is effective.
Question 30: After about 3 weeks, record the plant’s _________.
We can use different colored labels then we wait for the seeds to germinate. I reckon that’ll be about three weeks, depending on what the weather’s like. Then we see if our plants have come up and write down how tall they’ve grown.
Tip 6 – Guess and Eliminate
The audio may last for 2-3 minutes, but it can feel completed in seconds during the actual listening exam because of high pressure. What if you miss hearing your answer? Use the guess method and eliminate the options depending on the mean idea of the audio you just heard.
Then all we have to do is look at our numbers and see if there’s any relation between them.
That’s right.
The last step – Investigate the Findings.
Use the above tips and tricks and practice all the IELTS Listening Flow Chart Completion questions efficiently and productively. Let us know if this topic was complicated or easy for you guys, and Get in touch with us for any doubts in the comment section below.
