IELTS Reading · Ch 10

Summary Completion (no word bank)

Paraphrase decoding · collocation prediction

Topic & Why It Matters

Summary Completion without a word bank gives you a rewritten summary and asks you to fill the blanks using words from the passage. There is no list of options, so the task feels more open than the word-bank version. In practice, it is highly controlled: the summary points to a small answer window, and the correct answer must fit the passage meaning, the summary grammar, and the instruction line.

Test-takers lose marks when they understand the idea but write their own synonym, copy too many words, or ignore the word limit. The winning habit is simple: predict the grammar, locate the paraphrased idea, copy the exact passage wording, and check that the completed summary reads naturally.

Knowledge Points

What open Summary Completion tests
Summary Completion without a word bank asks you to complete a condensed version of part of the passage by copying words from the text. It tests whether you can follow the passage logic, recognise paraphrase in the summary, and select exact wording that fits the blank.
Answers must come from the passage
In open completion tasks, you do not invent synonyms. The summary paraphrases the passage, but the answer itself is normally lifted directly from the relevant sentence or phrase. If the passage says 'seasonal flooding', writing 'temporary water damage' would be wrong even if the meaning is close.
The word limit is part of the question
IELTS instructions such as NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER are strict. Articles, hyphenated forms, and numbers all count according to IELTS rules. A grammatically correct answer that breaks the word limit receives no mark.
Grammar predicts the answer shape
Before scanning the passage, decide whether the blank needs a noun, adjective, verb, number, or noun phrase. This prediction helps you ignore nearby words that match the topic but cannot fit the summary sentence.
The summary compresses, not copies
A summary may combine two passage sentences into one, replace a technical term with a general phrase, or reverse the order of information. Your task is to locate the same idea, then copy the exact missing word or phrase from that answer window.
Answers usually follow passage order
Within one summary, the blanks normally move through the passage in order. Once you confirm an answer, continue scanning from that point instead of returning to the beginning.

Step-by-Step Strategy

1
Read the instruction line first
Underline the word limit before looking at the passage. Decide whether each answer can be one word, two words, a number, or a number plus words.
2
Read the whole summary once
Identify its topic and scope. Ask whether it summarises one paragraph, several paragraphs, a process, a research finding, or a problem-solution sequence.
3
Predict each blank's grammar
Mark the likely answer type: singular noun, plural noun, adjective, date, number, or noun phrase. Use articles and prepositions around the blank as clues.
4
Scan for paraphrased anchor words
Use stable words from the summary, such as names, dates, technical terms, or unusual nouns, then look for their paraphrases in the passage.
5
Read the answer window slowly
When you find the matching idea, read one sentence before and after it. The answer is usually inside this short window, not scattered across the whole paragraph.
6
Copy exactly and check the sentence
Write the exact passage wording, then test it in the summary sentence. Confirm meaning, grammar, spelling, singular/plural form, and word limit before moving on.

Common Pitfalls

MistakeCorrective Rule
Writing your own paraphraseThe summary paraphrases the passage; your answer should usually be copied from the passage. Do not replace passage wording with a synonym.
Exceeding the word limitCount before you commit. If the instruction says NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS, a three-word noun phrase is automatically wrong.
Copying a nearby keyword instead of the missing ideaA word near the answer window may share the topic but fail the grammar or meaning test. Always read the full summary sentence.
Changing singular and plural formsIELTS expects the form that fits both the passage and the summary. If the passage says 'micro-sensors' and the blank needs a plural noun, do not write 'micro-sensor'.
Searching for the summary wording word for wordThe summary is rewritten. Search for names, numbers, and technical nouns first, then compare paraphrased ideas.

Vocabulary & Signpost Bank

Expression / SignalWhat It Means for Your Strategy
previously / formerly / onceOften signals an earlier function or condition; the blank may name what has changed
because / since / as a result ofThe blank may be a cause, reason, or trigger
designed to / intended to / used toThe blank may describe purpose or function
rather than / instead of / not simplyContrast markers help reject a nearby but opposite answer
reduced / lowered / cutThe passage may express decrease with a different verb from the summary
allowed / enabled / made it possibleSignals a result; the answer may name the thing that created that result
monitor / measure / detectCommon verbs around technology and research passages
fragile / vulnerable / sensitiveAdjectives like these often paraphrase risk or weakness in the summary

Practice Passage & Questions

Read the passage, then complete the summary below. Click Check Answers to see model answers with exact passage references.

Protecting Ancient Textiles with Micro-Sensors~421 words
A

Museums have long struggled to display ancient textiles. Unlike stone or metal objects, fabrics are easily damaged by light, humidity, and even the small vibrations caused by visitors walking nearby. For this reason, rare garments are often kept in dark storage rooms and shown only for short periods. Curators recognise that this protects the material, but it also limits public access to objects that can reveal how people once traded, worked, and expressed social identity.

B

In recent years, conservation teams have begun using environmental micro-sensors to solve part of this problem. These devices are smaller than a postage stamp and can be hidden inside display cases. They record tiny changes in temperature, moisture, and movement every few minutes. Earlier monitoring systems required staff to inspect galleries manually, usually once or twice a day. By contrast, micro-sensors create a continuous data record, allowing conservators to identify risky conditions before visible damage appears.

C

The technology was tested during an exhibition of silk robes from the eighteenth century. The museum wanted the robes to remain on display for six months, but previous guidelines recommended a much shorter exposure period. Data from the sensors showed that light levels were acceptable in most cases, yet moisture rose sharply whenever large tour groups entered the room after rain. In response, the museum adjusted its ventilation system and introduced timed entry during wet weather.

D

The experiment did not remove the need for expert judgement. Conservators still had to interpret the readings and decide which risks were serious enough to require action. However, the data changed the nature of that judgement. Instead of relying on general rules about fragile materials, staff could make decisions based on the actual conditions around each object. As a result, the robes remained on display for the full planned period without exceeding the museum's conservation limits.

E

Some specialists warn that sensors should not become an excuse for displaying vulnerable objects too frequently. Technology can measure environmental stress, but it cannot reverse ageing or repair fibres once they have weakened. Even so, many curators believe that careful monitoring offers a better balance between preservation and access. It allows museums to share delicate objects with the public while keeping the evidence for future generations.

Questions 1-8. Complete the summary below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer, except where a question states otherwise.

1.Ancient textiles are harder to exhibit than objects made from stone or metal because they can be harmed by light, humidity, and small __________.
Answer:
2.Keeping rare garments in storage protects them, but it reduces public __________ to historically informative objects.
Answer:
3.Environmental micro-sensors can be placed inside __________ so that visitors do not notice them.
Answer:
4.Unlike older monitoring methods, micro-sensors produce a __________ of changing conditions.
Answer:
5.During the silk robe exhibition, moisture increased when large groups visited after __________.
Answer:
6.The museum responded by changing ventilation and using __________ in wet weather.
Answer:
7.Sensor data helped staff move away from general rules and base choices on the actual __________ around individual objects.
Answer:
8.Specialists note that technology cannot repair textile __________ after they have become weak.
Answer:

Self-Check

Answer these from memory. If you cannot answer all three, re-read the relevant section.

  1. Why should open Summary Completion answers usually be copied from the passage rather than paraphrased by you?
  2. What two checks should you make after writing an answer into a blank?
  3. How does predicting part of speech help you find the correct phrase faster?
Answers:
  1. (1) The summary already paraphrases the passage. Your answer must usually be the exact word or phrase from the text that completes the paraphrased idea.
  2. (2) Check that the answer fits the summary sentence grammatically and that it obeys the word limit exactly.
  3. (3) Part-of-speech prediction lets you ignore nearby words that match the topic but cannot fit the blank, so you can focus on the noun, adjective, number, or phrase shape required.