Reading: Matching Headings for the IELTS Exam

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Selecting a heading because of a single matching keyword rather than the paragraph's main idea
• !Not eliminating already-used headings (most matching-heading sets allow each heading once only)
• !Failing to read the paragraph topic sentence and conclusion sentence — the central idea usually anchors at one of these

Study tips

• 1Read the heading list first, underline the differentiating keyword in each (cause, effect, history, comparison, criticism, etc.).
• 2For each paragraph, read the first and last sentence carefully — the main idea is almost always anchored there.
• 3Cross out used headings as you assign them so the remaining options shrink for harder paragraphs.
• 4Tackle Matching Headings AFTER easier task types (Sentence Completion, TFNG) so you have a sense of the passage's structure.

Sample IELTS Reading: Matching Headings questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real IELTS questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   A reading paragraph begins "While Edison is widely credited..." and ends "his role was, in fact, more managerial than inventive." The best heading is:

   • AEdison's many inventions
   • BA reassessment of Edison's contributionCorrect
   • CEdison's rivalry with Tesla
   • DThe history of electric light
   Why this answer?

   The opening "while" plus the closing "in fact, more managerial than inventive" signals reassessment/critique of Edison's reputation. The other options pick up surface keywords (inventions, history) but miss the paragraph's argumentative core.