What matching headings questions look like
You get a list of headings (i, ii, iii…) and a passage with lettered paragraphs. For each paragraph, you choose the heading that best sums up its main idea. There are usually more headings than paragraphs.
A 5-step method
- Read the list of headings first, and underline the key word in each (for example cost, solution, history, who benefits).
- Read one paragraph at a time. Focus on the first two sentences and the last sentence, where the main idea usually is.
- Say the main idea in your own words, in five words or fewer, before you look at the headings again.
- Choose the heading that matches your summary. Cross it off so you don't use it twice.
- If two headings seem possible, read the whole paragraph and ask which heading covers all of it, not just one sentence.
A worked example
Paragraph E: "Failing to act is expensive. Heatwaves increase hospital admissions, reduce productivity among outdoor workers and push up electricity demand as residents run air-conditioners. Economists estimate that, over time, the cost of these effects can be far greater than the cost of planting and maintaining trees."
- Main idea in your own words: "Not acting costs a lot."
- Heading options: A solution borrowed from nature · The cost of doing nothing · Who benefits most from cooler streets
- Answer: The cost of doing nothing. "Failing to act is expensive" is a paraphrase, and the whole paragraph is about costs.
Notice the trap: the paragraph mentions trees, which might pull you towards "A solution borrowed from nature". But trees are only a detail here. The heading must fit the whole paragraph.
Common traps
- Word matching. A heading that repeats a word from the paragraph is often a trap. Match the meaning, not the words.
- Detail headings. If a heading describes only one example in the paragraph, it's probably wrong.
- Similar headings. When two headings look alike (for example "The causes of a problem" and "The effects of a problem"), decide whether the paragraph explains why or what happens.
- Getting stuck. Skip a difficult paragraph and do the easy ones first. With fewer headings left, the hard one becomes easier.
Matching headings vs matching information
| Matching headings | Matching information | |
|---|---|---|
| You match | A heading to each paragraph | A piece of information to the paragraph it's in |
| Tests | The main idea | Finding specific details |
| Can a paragraph be used twice? | No | Often yes (check the instructions) |
Practise matching headings now
- Reading passage 1: Cooling the city (5 matching headings questions)
- Reading passage 5: The box that changed the world (6 questions, 8 headings)
- Reading passage 3: Teenagers and sleep (matching information)
- IELTS reading mock test generator: a new 40-question test every time
Unofficial practice. We wrote these questions to match the official IELTS question types and timings. They are not real exam questions, and points shown are practice feedback, not a band score. For official sample tests, visit ielts.org.
Frequently asked questions
Are matching headings answers in order?
The paragraphs are in order, but the headings are not. There are usually more headings than paragraphs, and some headings are never used.
Can I use a heading more than once?
Usually not. Each heading normally fits only one paragraph. Check the instructions, though, as they'll say if a heading can be used more than once.
Should I do matching headings first?
Usually yes. Reading for the main idea of each paragraph gives you a map of the passage, which makes the other questions on that passage faster.