2.

Matching Headings Questions

Headings are short sentences that summarize the information in a paragraph. This type
of question tests your ability to understand the main idea of each paragraph.

There are two possible strategies for answering matching heading questions:

1) Read text first, then headings.

2) Read headings first, then text.

Try both when you’re practicing to see which one works best for you.
IELTS Reading ‘Matching Headings’ Question Type: Common Problems

● There is too much information in the paragraph and time is running out.
● Trying to match the heading with the same words that are in the paragraph.
● Some headings can have the same meaning to confuse you.
● Headings will not be in the same order as the paragraph.
● Spending too much time reading the paragraphs and headings.
● The first sentence is not always enough to find a perfect heading.

As discussed previously, remember, there are always more headings than paragraphs. So,
don’t worry, when you find excess headings which do not match any of the paragraphs.
IELTS will test your reading and understanding ability at the same time.
Key Tips:

● Cross out each heading in the test booklet as you match it to a paragraph. This
will eliminate it from further consideration as you move onto other paragraphs.
● Work through the paragraphs in order but move on if you’re struggling to find the
heading match. Come back to it once you've eliminated more headings and have
fewer to choose between.

How to approach this task

1. Do this matching heading question first. By doing this you will be able to get the general meaning of the text as a whole

and this will help you with the rest of the question that requires you to take a more detailed look at the text.

2. You are not expected to read every word of the text. In this kind of question you are only expected to understand the

main idea of each paragraph. So, a good way to do this is to read the first one or two sentences and the last sentence of the

paragraphs.

3. If there are words you don’t understand, don’t worry about this. Again, you should only worry about the general meaning

of the paragraph as a whole, not individual words. Even native speakers will fail to understand every word in the IELTS

reading test.
4. Be aware of synonyms. Many students look for words that match exactly with words in the text and

ignore synonyms. For example, a keyword in the heading might be ‘Beautiful’, however the word you’re

looking for could be many different synonyms of ‘beautiful’ like ‘attractive’, ‘pretty’, ‘lovely’ or ‘stunning’.

5. If there are two or three headings that are similar, write them beside the paragraph and try to find out

the difference between the two headings. What are the keywords? How does this change the meaning?

Which one matches the paragraph best?

6. If you still can’t decide which one suits best, move on and come back to it later. The answer will

normally be easier to find after you have matched some more headings.
Matching Paragraph Headings - Practice Sample-1

Traffic Jams — No End in Sight

There are no easy answers to the problems of traffic congestion. Traffic congestion affects people throughout the world. Traf fic jams
cause smog in dozens of cities across both the developed and developing world. In the U.S., commuters spend an average of a f ull
work week each year sitting in traffic, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. While alternative ways of getting around are
available, most people still choose their cars because they are looking for convenience, comfort and privacy.

B.

The most promising technique for reducing city traffic is called congestion pricing, whereby cities charge a toll to enter ce rtain parts of
town at certain times of day. In theory, if the toll is high enough, some drivers will cancel their trips or go by bus or train. And in practice
it seems to work: Singapore, London and Stockholm have reduced traffic and pollution in city centers thanks to congestion pricing.
C.

Another way to reduce rush hour traffic is for employers to implement flexitime, which lets employees travel to and from
work at off-peak traffic times to avoid the rush hour. Those who have to travel during busy times can do their part by sharing
cars. Employers can also allow more staff to telecommute (work from home) so as to keep more cars off the road
altogether.

D.

Some urban planners still believe that the best way to ease traffic congestion is to build more roads, especially roads that
can take drivers around or over crowded city streets. But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only
accommodate more of them.
E.
Other, more forward-thinking, planners know that more and more drivers and cars are taking to the
roads every day, and they are unwilling to encourage more private automobiles when public
transport is so much better both for people and the environment. For this reason, the American
government has decided to spend some $7 billion on helping to increase capacity on public
transport systems and upgrade them with more efficient technologies. But environmentalists
complain that such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges.

The reading passage has 5 paragraphs, A-E. Choose the correct heading for each
paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-vii, in boxes 1-5 on
your answer sheet.
1. Paragraph A

2. Paragraph B

3. Paragraph C

4. Paragraph D

5. Paragraph E

List of Headings
i A solution which is no solution

ii Changing working practices

iii Closing city centers to traffic

iv Making cars more environmentally friendly

vi Paying to get in

vii A global problem

How to solve this test?

● Underline the key ideas in the headings before you read the passage
● Read the paragraphs one by one to choose the correct headings

Keyword table for this practice test:

A global problem (vii) Traffic congestion affects people throughout the world. (A)

Paying to get in (vi) The most promising technique for reducing city traffic is called congestion pricing, whereby
cities charge a toll to enter certain parts of town at certain times of day (B)

Changing working practices Another way to reduce rush hour traffic is for employers to implement flextime, which lets
(ii) employees travel to and from work at off-peak traffic times to avoid the rush hour. (C)
Keywords in Questions Similar words in Passage

A solution which is But such techniques do not really keep cars off the road; they only accommodate
no solution(i) more of them.

Not doing enough (v) such funding is tiny compared with the $50 billion being spent on roads and bridges.
Matching Paragraph Headings - Practice Sample-2
The reading passage has seven paragraphs: A – G.

Choose the most suitable paragraph headings B – G from the list of headings on the right. One has been done for you.

Write the appropriate numbers (i –ix) in the text boxes below the headings.

NB There are more paragraph headings than paragraphs so you will not use them all.
 Yoruba Town
A. The Yoruba people of Nigeria classify their towns in two ways. Permanent towns with their own governments are called
“ilu”, whereas temporary settlements, set up to support work in the country are “aba”. Although ilu tend to be larger than
aba, the distinction is not one of size, some aba are large, while declining ilu can be small, but of purpose. There is no
“typical” Yoruba town, but some features are common to most towns.

B. In the 19th century most towns were heavily fortified and the foundations of these walls are sometimes visible. Collecting
tolls to enter and exit through the walls was a major source of revenue for the old town rulers, as were market fees. The
markets were generally located centrally and in small towns, while in large towns there were permanent stands made of
corrugated iron or concrete. The market was usually next to the local ruler’s palace.
C. The palaces were often very large. In the 1930’s, the area of Oyo’s palace covered 17 acres, and consisted of a series of
courtyards surrounded by private and public rooms. After colonization, many of the palaces were completely or partially
demolished. Often the rulers built two storey houses for themselves using some of the palace grounds for government
buildings.

D. The town is divided into different sections. In some towns these are regular, extending out from the center of the town
like spokes on a wheel, while in others, where space is limited, they are more random. The different areas are further
divided into compounds called “ile”. These vary in size considerably from single dwellings to up to thirty houses. They tend
to be larger in the North. Large areas are devoted to government administrative buildings. Newer developments such as
industrial or commercial areas or apartment housing for civil servants tend to be built on the edge of the town.
E. Houses are rectangular and either have a courtyard in the center or the rooms come off a central corridor. Most social life
occurs in the courtyard. They are usually built of hardened mud and have roofs of corrugated iron or, in the countryside,
thatch. Buildings of this material are easy to alter, either by knocking down rooms or adding new ones. And can be
improved by coating the walls with cement. Richer people often build their houses of concrete blocks and, if they can afford
to, build two storey houses. Within compounds there can be quite a mixture of building types. Younger well-educated people
may have well furnished houses while their older relatives live in mud walled buildings and sleep on mats on the floor.

F. The builder or the most senior man gets a room either near the entrance or, in a two storied house, next to the balcony.
He usually has more than one room. Junior men get a room each and there are separate rooms for teenage boys and girls
to sleep in. Younger children sleep with their mothers. Any empty rooms are used as storage, let out or, if they face the
street, used as shops.
G. Amenities vary. In some towns most of the population uses communal water taps and only the rich have piped water, in
others piped water is more normal. Some areas have toilets, but bucket toilets are common with waste being collected by a
“night soil man”. Access to water and electricity are key political issues.

569 words

List of Paragraph Headings

i. Town facilities

ii. Colonization

iii. Urban divisions

v. Types of settlements

vi. Historical foundations

vii. Domestic arrangements

viii. City defenses

ix. The residences of the rulers

x. Government buildings
 Match the heading with the paragraph

Example: Paragraph A Answer: v

1. Paragraph B

2. Paragraph C

3. Paragraph D

4. Paragraph E

5. Paragraph F

6. Paragraph G
Answer Explanation:

Paragraph B

(vi) - Historical foundations

B. In the 19th century most towns were heavily fortified and the foundations of these walls are sometimes
visible. Collecting tolls to enter and exit through the walls was a major source of revenue for the old town
rulers, as were market fees. The markets were generally located centrally and in small towns, while in
large towns there were permanent stands made of corrugated iron or concrete. The market was usually
next to the local ruler’s palace.

In this first question, the word 'foundation' is in the topic sentence. This does not automatically make 'vi'
the correct answer. However, it is a good reason to flag this up as a possibility. The heading also refers to
'history', so the reference to '19th century' in the topic sentence tells us the paragraph is about the history.
A quick skim of the paragraph confirms this.
Paragraph C

(ix) - The residences of the rulers

C. The palaces were often very large. In the 1930’s, the area of Oyo’s palace covered 17 acres, and
consisted of a series of courtyards surrounded by private and public rooms. After colonization, many of the
palaces were completely or partially demolished. Often the rulers built two storey houses for themselves
using some of the palace grounds for government buildings.

The topic sentence mentions the palaces, which is where the rulers of Yaruba would likely live, and the
heading mentioned the homes (residences) of the rulers, so it is likely to be ix. Reading the rest of the
paragraph confirms that the whole paragraph talks generally about the palaces in Yoruba. Don't be tricked
by the 'colonization' heading. This only refers to one sentence in the paragraph, not the whole paragraph.
It is therefore a supporting point rather than the main idea.
Paragraph D

(iii) - Urban divisions

D. The town is divided into different sections. In some towns these are regular, extending out from the
center of the town like spokes on a wheel, while in others, where space is limited, they are more random.
The different areas are further divided into compounds called “ile”. These vary in size considerably from
single dwellings to up to thirty houses. They tend to be larger in the North. Large areas are devoted to
government administrative buildings. Newer developments such as industrial or commercial areas or
apartment housing for civil servants tend to be built on the edge of the town.

The answer is first seen in the topic sentence. The word 'divided' should have flagged this up to you as a
possibility. Notice the use of the synonym 'urban' to replace 'town'. It is common to see synonyms in
paragraph headings questions and other IELTS reading questions.
Paragraph E

(iv) - Architectural home styles

E. Houses are rectangular and either have a courtyard in the center or the rooms come off a central
corridor. Most social life occurs in the courtyard. They are usually built of hardened mud and have roofs of
corrugated iron or, in the countryside, thatch. Buildings of this material are easy to alter, either by knocking
down rooms or adding new ones. And can be improved by coating the walls with cement. Richer people
often build their houses of concrete blocks and, if they can afford to, build two storey houses. Within
compounds there can be quite a mixture of building types. Younger well-educated people may have well
furnished houses while their older relatives live in mud walled buildings and sleep on mats on the floor.

The topic sentence starts to give you a clue that 'iv' is the correct choice of the paragraph headings as it
discusses houses and their styles. This is then discussed further in the supporting sentences that follow.
Paragraph F

(vii) - Domestic arrangements

F. The builder or the most senior man gets a room either near the entrance or, in a two storied
house, next to the balcony. He usually has more than one room. Junior men get a room each and
there are separate rooms for teenage boys and girls to sleep in. Younger children sleep with their
mothers. Any empty rooms are used as storage, let out or, if they face the street, used as shops.

In this context, 'domestic' means of or relating to the home, so the heading is referring to the
arrangements within the home. Again, just by reading the topic sentence you can see that this
paragraph is discussing home arrangements and skimming through the rest of the paragraph
confirms this.
Paragraph G

(i) - Town facilities

G. Amenities vary. In some towns most of the population uses communal water taps and only the rich
have piped water, in others piped water is more normal. Some areas have toilets, but bucket toilets are
common with waste being collected by a “night soil man”. Access to water and electricity are key political
issues.

'Facilities' is a synonym of 'amenities' so this is the first clue that this could fit this paragraph, but you need
to read on to confirm that the paragraph is discussing the facilities of the town, which it is.