Diagram questions ask you to fill in labels using information from the passage. The diagram may show a process, a natural feature, a building plan, or a piece of equipment. You do not need specialist knowledge of the subject; you need to connect the labels to the relevant details in the text.
Common Problems
- Spending too long trying to understand every part of an unfamiliar diagram
- Reading the whole passage instead of locating the relevant section
- Exceeding the word limit
- Making spelling errors
Focus on how the diagram relates to the passage. A general understanding of what it shows can help, but the written information determines your answers.
Tips
- Check the instructions and note the maximum number of words allowed.
- Look at the diagram briefly to understand its general subject.
- Read the labels and nearby text to predict what kind of word each gap needs.
- Start with the questions that seem easiest. Return to harder ones later.
- Scan the passage for relevant terms, including paraphrases of the labels.
- Check that each answer fits the diagram and follows the word limit.
- Review spelling before you finish.
A Step-by-Step Strategy
- Read the word-limit instructions.
- Identify what the diagram represents.
- Mark the labels or key terms around each blank.
- Predict whether each answer needs a noun, verb, adjective, or another word type.
- Scan the passage for the section that describes the diagram.
- Read that section carefully and select the answer.
- Check the spelling, grammar, and number of words.