Can I copy exact words from the passage?

Yes unless instructions say 'choose from list' or specify a word limit—always check NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.

What if two steps mention the same keyword?

Match the arrow role—input, output, or condition—not the first keyword hit. Decision branches need the qualifying clause.

Flow-Chart Completion Traps in IELTS Reading: Process Order, Not Keyword Order

Q: Do flow-chart answers always follow passage order?

Usually sequential in the passage, but thematic asides break linear reading—locate by process step, not paragraph number.

Process diagrams · Sequential locate · May 2026

Direct answer

Flow-chart completion tests whether you can map a process step to the correct box—not whether you find the first keyword in the passage. Arrows encode sequence, inputs/outputs, and conditional branches ("if X → Y"). Traps: filling the box whose label shares a word with the passage, skipping decision diamonds, and breaking word limits by copying phrases. Process logic beats linear paragraph reading—see chronological order trap for timeline overlap.

What the diagram encodes

Each box is a functional step: material in, action, material out. Examiners scatter step vocabulary across non-adjacent sentences. You must read arrows: parallel paths, loops, and "otherwise" branches are deliberate traps.

Keyword trap Word appears in step 2 and step 5—you pick the first hit

Branch trap Conditional step ignored—you fill the default path only

Limit trap Three-word phrase copied into a TWO WORDS gap

Flow-chart trap patterns

Pattern	What you do	Correct check
Linear locate	Match box 1 to paragraph 1	Follow process order in text
Label echo	Fill from box heading words	Locate verb of the step
Skip diamond	Ignore if/else split	Read both branches
Over-copy	Paste clause into gap	Trim to word limit + grammar

Process-map protocol

1. Diagram sketch first

Number boxes; note arrows and any "if" splits before reading passage.

2. Step verbs on scratch

Collect process verbs (heated, filtered, stored)—not nouns alone.

3. One box, one locate

Find proof for box N only; do not hunt keywords globally.

4. Pair with gap-fill discipline

Linked blanks in summaries overlap—double-blank gap-fill traps.

Key takeaways

Flow-charts test process role per box, not first keyword match.
Arrows and conditionals are part of the answer logic.
Word limits are strict—trim to required form.
Sketch the diagram before locating in the passage.

FAQ

Usually sequential, but thematic asides break linear reading—locate by step, not paragraph number.

Yes unless a word bank or limit applies—check NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS every time.

Match arrow role—input, output, or condition—not the first keyword hit.

Stop losing bands on process-order errors.

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