Why two matching headings look the same
Because there are spare headings, the list usually contains near-twins: two headings about the same subject. Both share the paragraph's topic words, so matching words cannot separate them. What separates them is one of two things.
Scope is how much of the subject a heading covers: the whole trend or one example, every group or one group, the past or the present. Stance is what the paragraph does with the subject: names a problem or offers a solution, counts a benefit or a cost, explains a cause or describes an effect. One heading of a pair matches the paragraph's scope or stance; the other matches only a sentence inside it.
i. The cost of keeping old lighthouses running ii. Finding new uses for old lighthouses Keeping a lighthouse staffed was once expensivesupporting, and when automatic lamps arrived, many towers were simply locked up. In recent years, howeverturn, coastal councils have begun to lease them outmain idea. One tower now houses a small weather station; another has become a hostel for walkers, its keeper's rooms turned into dormitories. Several more are being converted into marine research posts, so a building that once warned ships away now gathers data about the sealands here.
- → Shared topic: old lighthouses. It appears in both headings, so it decides nothing.
- → The difference is stance: a cost (i) or a new use (ii). Cost gets one clause before the turn; new uses fill the other three sentences.
- → The paragraph ends on a new use, so the answer is ii. Heading i matches a supporting idea, which is exactly what the task is built to test.
So when two headings both look right, stop asking which one shares words with the paragraph. Ask what the one difference between the two headings is, and which side of it the paragraph comes down on.
Premium sheet · 4 more sections
- How to choose between two similar headings: the split test
- Matching headings examples: splitting similar headings
- Matching headings tips: traps with similar headings
- Your turn: matching headings practice
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Questions
FAQ
What is matching headings in IELTS Reading?+
You get a list of headings and match each paragraph or section of a text to the heading that summarises its main idea. ielts.org says there are always more headings than paragraphs and no heading is used twice.
How do I choose between two similar headings?+
Ignore the topic the headings share and find the one word that differs: a difference of scope (one example or the whole trend) or stance (problem or solution, benefit or cost). Then check which side the paragraph's last sentence and most of its body support.
Can a heading be used more than once in matching headings?+
No. ielts.org states that no heading may be used more than once, so once you are sure of a match, cross that heading off.
What is the difference between matching headings and matching information?+
According to ielts.org, matching headings tests the main idea of a paragraph, while matching information asks you to find specific details, such as an example or a reason, and a paragraph may be used more than once.
Is the main idea always in the first sentence of a paragraph?+
No. The first sentence often introduces the topic, which similar headings share. BandLadder advice: test your choice against the last sentence and the body, because many paragraphs turn with however or yet before reaching their point.
Should I do matching headings first in IELTS Reading?+
BandLadder advice: many learners do it first because the headings give a map of the text. If a pair of similar headings stalls you, note both, move on and decide at the end.
Sources
- IELTS Academic: Reading test format, question types 4 and 5 (ielts.org): https://ielts.org/take-a-test/test-types/ielts-academic-test/ielts-academic-format-reading
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