IELTS Reading – Matching Information

Here are some tips, strategies and articles with matching information questions.

matching information basics

Two common types of matching information questions are:

Matching Information to Paragraphs:
You have to find which paragraph contains certain information. Each individual question gives a specific detail – like an idea, theory, example, or reference – and you have find which paragraph it’s in.

Matching Features:
A common matching features question is matching people’s names to their ideas. You have both a list of names and a list of ideas, and you have to match them together.

Match each statement to the correct person from the list.

The stories we tell ourselves can stop us generating new stories about our potential.
Our stories influence what we decide to do.
We become the central character in our brain-generated stories.
Small, negative events can change our whole stories.

A Will Storr
B Daniel Kahneman
C Lori Gottlieb
D Esther Perel
E Paul Conti

Matching Information example from the article Stories We Tell Ourselves.

Tips for matching INFORMATION Qs (Both types)

Look for synonyms and paraphrases.
The words in the questions will often be different from the words in the text, so focus on meaning, not exact words.
The questions are not in the same order as the text.
One paragraph or person may match more than one answer.
Read the instructions carefully, and be prepared to choose the same paragraph or person more than once.

The strategies below are ones I recommend, but there are different ways to approach these questions. Try different strategies and use what works best for you.

Strategies for matching information to paragraphs

NB. My preferred method for starting reading:
At the start of each passage, spend 2-3 minutes skimming the text. Think about (or write down) the main idea for each paragraph – this can help you find the answers more quickly.

Read statement 1 and think about which paragraph it’s in.
– If it’s easy, read the paragraph and check that the information is there.
If you’re not sure which paragraph …
– Underline the keywords in the question.
– Choose which section is most likely.
– Scan for the keywords / synonyms. When you find them, read around and check the information matches.
Write the answer and move on.
– Write the correct answer and try the next question.

Strategies for matching features (names to ideas)

NB. See above for my preferred method for starting reading.

Read the names and find them in the text.
– Scan the text for the names and highlight / underline them.
– Also pay attention to words that refer to the person (e.g. him, she, his theory etc.).
Match the names to the ideas.
– Read the question and think about who it matches.
– Read that person’s ideas in the text to check if it matches.
OR
– Read more about the person’s ideas / information and then read the list of questions to see what matches.

The idea might come before or after the person’s name.
Read around the name carefully and pay attention to the reporting words.
Check carefully that the name matches the idea.
Sometimes more than one person will talk about the same topic.