How it's scored
One mark per correct paragraph, no negative marking. Matching headings usually appears first for a passage, so time lost here squeezes the other question types on the same passage.
Strategy & template
- 1Read the headings first and underline the one word in each that carries the idea (cause, decline, comparison, solution).
- 2Read the first two sentences and the last sentence of the paragraph; the main idea usually lives there, and the middle is supporting detail.
- 3Ask what the paragraph is doing, not what it mentions: describing a problem, giving an example, contrasting two views.
- 4Cross out a heading once used unless the instructions say headings can repeat, and do the easiest paragraphs first so elimination helps with the hard ones.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a heading because its keyword appears in the paragraph; the distractors are written to match details.
- Reading every paragraph in full before answering anything and running out of time.
- Ignoring the example paragraph, which removes one heading from play.
Frequently asked questions
Should I do matching headings first or last?
First, because it makes you read every paragraph once; you can then answer the detail questions without re-reading from scratch. Cap it at about ten minutes for a full set.
Can a heading be used more than once?
Only if the instructions say so. Normally each heading is used once and two or three are never used.
Practise Reading: Matching Headings
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