IELTS General Reading Matching Headings

Table of Contents

1. IELTS General Reading Matching Headings
2. IELTS General Reading Matching Headings - Strategies & Tips to Solve
3. Matching Headings Practice Exercise 1
4. Answers for Practice Exercises
5. Conclusion

IELTS General Reading Matching headings is a commonly asked question type in the IELTS General Training Test. A general training test is supposed to be taken if you are planning to work or migrate to English speaking countries. In this task, you will be given a list of headings and a number of lettered paragraphs (A, B, C, ..), each dealing with a particular theme. You are required to match the headings to the corresponding paragraphs. It will be a time-consuming task without proven tips and practice. 

Matching headings demands you to grasp the main idea of the paragraph to match it with the suitable heading. If you choose a heading as an answer just because it has one or more words in the paragraph could lead to mistakes. You need to be skilled in skimming and paraphrasing to successfully complete this task.

IELTS General Reading Matching Headings is one of the important IELTS general reading question types. You can get to know tips and strategies to crack IELTS general reading matching headings by reading this article. It will help you to perform well on the IELTS general reading test. 

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IELTS General Reading Matching Headings - Strategies & Tips to Solve

We are offering free 12 expert-proven IELTS general reading matching headings tips and strategies for you to answer the questions well. 

1. Picking up a heading as your answer only because it has one or two words from the paragraph might lead to a wrong answer. Look for the gist.
2. A major detail in the paragraph could be the heading but only in the absence of the central idea.
3. Normally, the first sentence of the paragraph expresses the main idea, but selecting the heading by focusing only on the first sentence can lead to mistakes. Sometimes, the first sentence refers to the previous paragraph.
4. Look for signpost words in the paragraph - Such as, However, Although, Additionally, So, etc. These words denote the progress of the paragraph. For example, ‘However’ indicates a shift in the focus of the paragraph to a contrasting idea.
5. Sometimes, two headings seem to be correct. In that case, reread the paragraph to select the most appropriate one.
6. The aim is to comprehend the paragraph as a whole. Paying attention to each and every word could confuse your mind.
7. Try to understand the main idea of the paragraph rather than looking for the heading-related words. Grasping the main idea is vital to identify the corresponding headings.
8. As there are extra headings provided in the question, first try to figure out how many extra headings are there and then proceed with the matching.
9. Keep in mind, there is only one matching heading available for every paragraph.
10. If you’re not confident with your chosen answer, move on to the next question. You can always return to the question that you didn’t answer. It prevents you from wasting time and mental exhaustion.
11. Paraphrasing helps you to understand the accurate meaning of the heading. By identifying the gist of it, you can relate it with the paragraphs' main ideas that you’ve found by reading.
12. Summarization will be helpful for you. Writing passages in your own words will help you to understand the key idea of the passage. It can help you to guess the accurate heading to the passage.

These IELTS general reading matching headings tips and strategies enable you to attain a 7.5+ band score in the IELTS Reading test. 

Also read: IELTS reading tips

Challenges faced while answering the Matching Headings Question

• You will find more headings than what is required. Therefore, it can confuse you to choose a suitable heading.
• The meaning will be similar in some headings
• It can consume a lot of your time.
• You may confuse the main idea of the paragraph with the specific details in the paragraph

Skills required to answer Matching Headings Question

• Time-Management Skill
• Ability to grasp the main idea of the paragraph
• Paraphrasing skill
• Patience and Attentiveness 

Matching Headings Practice Exercise 1

Questions 1 - 5

The reading passage has five paragraphs, A-E.

Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i-viii, as your answer to each question. 

List of Headings

• i. Healthy Diet
• ii. Regular Exercise
• iii. Causes of High Cholesterol
• iv. Lungs and Cholesterol
• v. Ancient Medicines for Cholesterol
• vi. Types of Cholesterol
• vii. Cholesterol and Age
• viii. Lose Weight

1. Paragraph A
2. Paragraph B
3. Paragraph C
4. Paragraph D
5. Paragraph E

Managing Cholesterol Reading Passage

1. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in all cells of the body. Cholesterol is needed for the body to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help one to digest the foods. If one has excess cholesterol in the body, it combines with  other substances in the blood, which in turn, forms the plaque. Plaque will stick to the walls of the arteries. This can lead to coronary heart disease. Low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein are some of the main types of cholesterol.
2. Generally, an unhealthy lifestyle leads to high cholesterol. Eating bad fats can heighten your LDL cholesterol. Bad fats include saturated fat, is found in meats, dairy products, chocolate etc., and trans fat which you can find in fried and processed foods. Physical activity can help to regulate cholesterol levels. It means lack of physical activity can also contribute to high cholesterol. High Cholesterol could also be a genetic problem.
3. Eating Healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy foods can reduce and manage cholesterol. Saturated foods mostly found in meat and dairy products. It can raise your cholesterol level. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can be reduced by reducing the consumption of saturated fats. Trans fats can be found in crackers, fried and processed foods. It also raises your level of cholesterol. Hence, it should be consumed less. Salmon, mackerel, and walnuts are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids; it could lower one’s blood pressure. Absorption of cholesterol in the bloodstream can be reduced by intaking soluble fibers. It can be found in oatmeals, kidney beans, and Brussels sprouts.
4. Excess weight contributes to high cholesterol. Keeping track of one’s calories can help one be aware of how much to eat. Incorporating some form of activity in one’s life such as riding a bicycle or taking steps instead of using life can really help one to reduce weight. These may seem simple but it really adds up and brings some effective results. 
5. Lack of exercise is found to be one of the causes of high cholesterol. Aerobic exercise is the best exercise to reduce cholesterol. There are different forms of exercises to reduce cholesterol and to keep the body healthy. One needs to choose a form of exercise that is suitable to their life and should follow that regularly. Even simple exercises can be useful if it is regularly followed. Cycling, Jogging, Swimming and Yoga are good exercises to start. The way to commit to the exercise is to build a routine and follow that regularly. 

Check the answer for this exercise

Answers for Practice Exercise

Find the answers with explanations given below for the above practice exercise and check your answers. 

Managing Cholesterol Reading Answers

(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the answer in detail.)

Paragraph A = vi 

Explanation: Low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and very-low-density lipoprotein are some of the main types of cholesterol.

Paragraph B = iii

Explanation: Generally, an unhealthy lifestyle leads to high cholesterol. Eating bad fats can heighten your LDL cholesterol.

Paragraph C = i 

Explanation: Eating Healthy foods and avoiding unhealthy foods can reduce and manage cholesterol. 

This whole paragraph advises about what to eat and what not to eat in order to manage cholesterol.

Paragraph D = viii 

Explanation: Incorporating some form of activity in one’s life such as riding a bicycle or taking steps instead of using life can really help one to reduce weight.

Paragraph E = ii 

Explanation: There are different forms of exercise to reduce cholesterol and keep the body healthy. One needs to choose a form of exercise that is suitable for their life and should follow that regularly.

Also, check IELTS general reading locating information

Conclusion 

Hopefully, the tips and skill-building exercises given in this blog will be helpful for your IELTS general reading matching headings preparation. Practice the given mock tests several times to improve your skimming, scanning, understanding, paraphrasing and answering skills.