R26: Summary completion, with and without a word box

A summary is a short paragraph that retells part of the passage in different words, with gaps. Sometimes you fill the gaps with words from the passage. Sometimes you choose from a box of words. These two versions need slightly different methods. Mixing them up is a common way to lose marks.

Why this matters

Summary completion is very common in Academic Reading. It tests whether you can follow the meaning of a section and recognise paraphrase. Students often lose marks by using the wrong word form, or by copying a word from the passage when they should choose from the box.

Version 1: Words from the passage

Instruction example: "Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer."

• Copy the exact word from the passage.
• Respect the word limit.
• Check grammar and spelling.

Version 2: Words from a box

Instruction example: "Complete the summary using the list of words, A to H, below."

• Choose from the box only. The box words are often synonyms of passage words.
• You select or write the letter, as instructed.
• There are more words in the box than gaps.

The method for both

1. Read the summary's title and first sentence. Find which part of the passage it covers. Summaries usually cover one section, not the whole passage.
2. Predict each gap. What word type? What meaning?
3. Find the matching sentences in the passage. The summary usually follows passage order.
4. Choose or copy the answer. Then read the full summary sentence to check it makes sense.

A worked example (word box)

Passage: Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, yet they support around a quarter of all marine species. However, rising sea temperatures cause corals to lose the algae that live inside them and give them their colour. This process, known as bleaching, can kill large areas of reef if the water stays warm for too long.

Summary: Although reefs occupy a very (1) __________ part of the sea floor, they are home to many species. When water becomes too (2) __________, corals lose their algae and turn white. If this continues, the reef may (3) __________.

Box: A. small B. large C. cold D. warm E. grow F. die G. colourful

Notice: less than one percent became small. Kill became die. The box gave synonyms, not the passage's exact words.

A worked example (from the passage)

Same passage, but now: Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.

The loss of algae from corals is called __________.

Common traps

• Using a passage word in a box question. If the instruction says use the box, only box words count.
• Two box words with similar meanings. Check grammar. One might be a noun and one an adjective.
• Wrong part of the passage. If nothing fits, you may be reading the wrong section. Check the summary's first sentence again.

Honest note

Word box summaries can feel harder because you can't just find and copy. But they're often more forgiving with grammar, because every box word is already spelled correctly.

Your task today

Do one summary completion task. Before reading the passage, predict the word type for every gap.