IELTS Reading Exam Answer Matching Headings Questions
Hi!
I’m Martin.
Welcome to Oxford Online English.
Are you taking the IELTS examination?
What do you know about the reading paper?
Are you having problems with any of the question
types?
In this lesson, you’re going to learn how
to complete matching headings questions in
the IELTS reading exam.
Part 1: basic tips for the matching headings
section.
Matching headings is often one of the most
difficult question types for students.
Why?
The main reason is that the headings are usually
very similar to each other.
Also, you have more headings than you need
for the question.
So, how can we make this a little easier?
Firstly, if there’s an example - and there
usually is - cross out that answer.
You don’t need it; don’t let it confuse
you.
Also, the example isn’t always the first
paragraph, so make sure you check carefully.
Secondly, check how many questions you need
to answer.
How many extra answers are there?
If you are matching headings, do not use any
answer more than once.
Finally, and most importantly, you do not
need to read the whole text!
You don’t have time.
You get marks for answering the questions,
not understanding the whole text.
Your only job is to choose the correct answers.
So, how can we find them?
Part 2: how to answer a matching headings
question.
Take a look at these headings:
How wildlife benefits from big trees
2.
How large trees are being destroyed
3.
How to support a functioning ecosystem
Before you read any of the text, one technique
is to read the headings first.
Read the headings and think about the topic
of the text.
So, what were your ideas?
Something about trees?
The environment?
Now, let’s take a look at the first paragraph.
That is a lot of text.
We could read it all, but why would we?
We don’t need the details, we just need
to work out what the main idea of the paragraph
is.
And, to do that, we only need the first, second
and last sentences.
Much better.
Read the first sentence.
Most paragraphs will start with a mini-introduction
that will often tell you what the paragraph
is about.
Large trees are an essential part of any successfully
functioning ecosystem.
OK, so from our three headings, which one
could it be?
Try looking for synonyms and phrases that
have a similar meaning to the first sentence.
Can we rule out any answers yet?
Well, it could be number one.
We have a mention of trees, and the words
‘essential part’ and ‘successfully’
could connect to the idea of ‘benefits’
in heading number one.
What about number two?
We have ‘trees’ again.
However, number two contains the word ‘destroyed’,
and there is nothing which connects to this
in the first sentence.
In number three, we have the phrase ‘functioning
ecosystem’, which appears in the first sentence.
So, three is another possibility.
Even if you think you know, make sure you
read the last sentence of the paragraph to
check your ideas.
Most paragraphs will end with a mini-conclusion.
If this mini-conclusion is on the same topic
as the first sentence, that is often enough
to give you the answer.
Let’s look at the last sentence:
This allows the trees to support a substantial
proportion of the life in the forest.
What is the meaning of the sentence?
Can you see any synonyms or other words which
we can connect to words or phrases in the
headings?
At this point, we can say that it can’t
be heading number two.
In both sentences we have nothing about the
destruction of trees.
Number one is looking very likely.
We have ‘support’ - a similar idea to
‘benefits’ - and ‘life’ - similar
to ‘wildlife’.
Number 3?
‘How to support a functioning ecosystem’
suggests that the text should give people
advice.
Are these sentences giving us advice or not?
They aren’t, and so we can rule out heading
number three.
So you could now choose heading number one
and move onto the next question.
However, if you aren’t sure, don’t worry.
Read the second sentence in the paragraph.
This should help you to find the right answer
with more certainty.
Without the trees, innumerable species would
be left without habitats and would cease to
exist.
OK, even if you weren’t sure before, you
can see that this is about trees and how they
help wildlife.
The answer must be heading number one: How
wildlife benefits from large trees.
Let’s do one more example.
We’ll use the same technique.
Look at these headings:
Working conditions in the UK
2.
The benefits of being a member of a trade
union
Declining membership of trade unions in the
UK
Again, read the headings and think about the
topic of the text.
So, what were your ideas?
Something about work in the UK?
Membership of trade unions?
Now, let’s take a look at our paragraph:
Remember, we don’t need the details yet,
we just need the main idea of the paragraph.
Again, you just need the first, second and
last sentences.
Let’s have a look at the first sentence.
How does that help us?
Trade unions provide an essential defence
against exploitative working practices.
Okay, exactly the same as before: try looking
for synonyms and phrases that have a similar
meaning to the rest of the sentence.
Can we rule any answers out yet?
It could be heading number one.
We have the word ‘working’ in both.
The sentence also says ‘exploitative’.
‘Exploitative’ describes a relationship
where one side is more powerful, and uses
that power to treat the other side unfairly.
This could link to ‘working conditions’.
What about heading number two?
The phrase ‘trade union’ is in both.
Also, we have the word ‘defence’.
‘Defence’ here connects to the idea of
helping people by protecting their rights.
Heading number two talks about ‘benefits’,
so it could still be number two.
What about the third heading?
‘Trade union’ is in both, but there’s
nothing else to connect the heading to the
first sentence.
So, it looks less likely, but we don’t have
enough information to rule any headings out
yet.
You can see that this example is a little
more difficult.
With our first example, we had a good idea
of which heading was right after reading one
sentence.
Here, the first sentence of the paragraph
hasn’t helped us much yet.
What do you do?
No problem!
Remember: the next step is to look at the
final sentence of the paragraph:
A large decrease in the number of members
means that trade unions currently have far
less influence compared to the height of their
power in the 1980s.
Does this make things any clearer?
The sentence says the number of members has
decreased.
So, heading number three is looking more probable,
because it talks about ‘declining membership
of trade unions’.
But, what about headings one and two?
There’s nothing obvious in the last sentence
which connects to one or two.
However, there’s also nothing which lets
us rule them out.
So, I think we need to do some more work.
What should you do?
Read the second sentence.
Yet, due to a lack of awareness surrounding
the benefits of joining a union and an increase
in temporary work, union membership in the
UK continues to fall year-on-year.
Can we make a final decision now?
The second sentence mentions ‘benefits’,
which appears in heading number two, but this
sentence says that people don’t know the
benefits of joining a trade union, which is
a different context from heading number two.
So, there’s nothing to connect this sentence
to headings one or two.
What about heading number three?
The sentence tells us that trade union membership
continues to fall.
‘Fall’ is a synonym for ‘decline’.
Therefore, we can match heading number three
to this paragraph.
Is that any clearer?
If you aren’t sure why number three is the
answer, remember that you can review this
section as many times as you need.
Follow each step and think about the logic
you need to use to reach the right answer.
These questions can be challenging, but by
practising the technique, you will feel more
confident when matching headings in your IELTS
reading exam.
So, that is how you answer matching headings
questions in the IELTS reading exam.
Make sure you practise this technique to improve
your speed.
Some key points to remember for your IELTS
reading exam:
Do not read the whole text.
You only need to read the first, last and
maybe the second sentences.
Look for synonyms and similar ideas between
the headings and sentences.
Is the paragraph saying the same thing, but
in a different way?
Remember that seeing synonyms or even the
same words in the paragraph and the heading
DOES NOT mean that this heading is the right
one.
Always check that the meaning fits.
If you’ve used the technique and still aren’t
sure of an answer, move on to the next question.
When you’ve answered a few more questions
and used more of the headings, you can come
back to questions you haven’t answered.
Answer all the questions.
Even if nothing works, make sure you write
an answer, even if you have to guess between
2 or 3 options.
Well, that’s the end of the lesson.
I hope this helps you answer matching headings
questions in the IELTS reading exam.
Good luck if you have an IELTS exam coming
up soon!
You can check out our website for more free
English lessons, including IELTS preparation
lessons: Oxford Online English dot com.
Thanks for watching.
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