IELTS ACADEMIC READING
IELTS Reading matching information: how to answer, with practice questions
Matching information asks which paragraph contains a particular piece of information, such as an example, a reason, a comparison or a description. Unlike matching headings, the answers do not follow the order of the passage.
Find which paragraph contains a given piece of information, such as an example, a reason or a comparison. Paragraphs can be used more than once, and some may not be used at all.
71 practice questions of this type in the full bank.
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How to answer
- Read each statement and decide what kind of information it is: an example, a cause, a date, a comparison or a definition.
- Pick out a key word or idea you can scan for, and think of how it might be paraphrased.
- Scan the paragraphs for that idea, then read the sentence carefully to check it matches exactly.
- Remember that a paragraph may be used more than once, and some paragraphs may not be used at all.
Common mistakes
- Expecting the answers to be in passage order. They usually are not.
- Stopping at the first paragraph that mentions the topic; another paragraph may contain the specific detail asked for.
- Ignoring the type of information: a question asking for an example needs a paragraph that gives one, not just mentions the topic.
One practice question with the answer
Read the passage, decide your answer, then open the explanation. Each question is from the examplat bank, written in the same format as the test.
Read the passage
A Library for Everyone A In the early nineteenth century, a new book could cost as much as a labourer earned in a week. Working people who wanted to read usually had to join a subscription library, paying an annual fee that many could not afford, or rely on the few volumes owned by their church. B In the 1860s, a wealthy mill owner offered the town enough money to establish a library that anyone could use without charge. A disused chapel was converted for the purpose, and its reading room, stocked with daily newspapers, was soon crowded with workers who came in during their lunch hour. C Not everyone welcomed the gift. Several members of the town council argued that running costs would have to be paid from local taxes, which they wanted to keep low. Others worried that easy access to novels would distract workers from more serious reading. D Borrowing was strictly controlled at first. A reader had to obtain the signature of a local householder, who promised to pay for any book that was lost. Children under fourteen were not allowed to borrow, and readers could not browse: they chose a title from a printed catalogue and waited while a librarian fetched it. E Over the following decades, these rules were gradually relaxed. Shelves were opened to the public so that readers could look through the books themselves, a separate room was set aside for children, and the number of loans each year rose many times over.
Reading Passage "A Library for Everyone" has 5 paragraphs, A–E. Which paragraph contains the following information? NB You may use any letter more than once. an objection based on the cost to local people
- Paragraph A
- Paragraph B
- Paragraph C
- Paragraph D
- Paragraph E
Show the answer and explanation
The answer is Paragraph C. Council members argued that 'running costs would have to be paid from local taxes'.
- Incorrect. A mentions the price of books and subscription fees, but these are not objections to the library.
- Incorrect. Paragraph B describes the gift that created the free library and its busy reading room; it contains no objection about cost.
- Correct. Council members argued that 'running costs would have to be paid from local taxes'.
- Incorrect. Paragraph D describes the strict early borrowing rules; it contains no objection about cost.
- Incorrect. Paragraph E describes how the rules were relaxed and use increased; it contains no objection about cost.
Tip: 'Objection' = 'argued that... which they wanted to keep low'. A cost mentioned as a fact is different from a cost used as an argument.
That's the free sample. The rest of the questions are available with a paid plan.
That's the free sample. The rest is available with a plan.
See plansFAQ
Can a paragraph be the answer to more than one question?
Yes, unless the instructions say otherwise. The instructions usually say that you may use any letter more than once.
How is matching information different from matching headings?
Matching headings asks for the main idea of each paragraph. Matching information asks where a specific detail is, which may be a small part of a paragraph.
IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IELTS Australia and Cambridge University Press & Assessment. examplat is an unofficial question bank written by Sakakikaen Co., Ltd. and is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Back to IELTS Reading practice.