IELTS Reading – Matching Paragraph Information Quickly and Accurately.

One of the frequent question types occurring in the IELTS Reading test is Matching paragraph information with the correct option. Having an excellent approach to solving this question can make you confident in advance, saving a lot of time. Therefore, today I will share some essential tips and strategies to answer Matching Paragraph Information quickly and accurately to boost your score.

IELTS Reading – Matching Paragraph Information

In matching the paragraph information questions, the candidates will be given the data in paragraphs in the reading text to pair with the correct information from a set of 3 to 6 statements. This data can be in the form of a description of a topic, facts, opinions, explanations, predictions, reasons, challenges, or likewise.
For example, check the below question to know how it appears in the actual IELTS Reading exam.

The above passage gives data on the courses available at Norty Coast College Campus. There are three categories of courses: Agriculture, Health Programs, and Environmental Studies. The candidates need to match each campus with the field of study available there. There are 7 campuses to pair accurately with 11 areas of study.
How to answer Matching Paragraph Information quickly and accurately to boost your score?

Firstly, understand what this question type tests?

‘Pair the Information’ question type assesses the IELTS aspirant’s ability to read the detailed passage, scan for particular information, skim and focus on main ideas of the text, understand and identify synonyms, and know to paraphrase.

IELTS Reading Matching Paragraph Information Tips & Strategies

The following are essential tips and strategies for IELTS Reading Matching paragraph information questions. Follow them to answer effectively.

Read the Instructions as well as Statements.

The first and foremost step is to read the instructions and statements carefully. Instructions are crucial to keep in mind as aspirants require to answer in a manner the examiner guides. Moreover, statements lead to primary keywords to be aware of the required answers.

Answers are not in Order.

Recognize that the answers are not in a sequence in the IELTS reading module, unlike other exam modules. Therefore, you need to look for specific information, keywords, or the main idea to find the answer.

Solve Questions you are sure about

After reading the statements, have an eye on the paragraphs and look for your correct response. First, answer the easiest one or the ones you are sure about. Words with similar names, numbers, and places can be easy to scan and respond to.

Paragraphs may have more than one answer.

Moreover, there are possibilities of having more than one answer in a paragraph as the question is about matching information from the Reading, and there are more statements than paragraphs. One strategy is making notes to point out where in the section the data is.

Look for specific information and not main ideas.

At times, the information does not match the main idea but the statement in the paragraph. On account of which the candidates must pay heed to every word of the reading text.

Synonyms and Paraphrasing

Considering IELTS Reading, the text consists of many synonyms and paraphrases to trick the students. Synonyms and Paraphrasing are crucial to boosting the score in IELTS Reading because it ensures whether the candidate can process the same data and statements in different ways. Having a strong vocabulary can be a win-win situation to score high bands.

Method of Elimination

If nothing works, the method of elimination does. The candidates can use this method to eliminate options and choose the best. There are 50% chances of getting the answer right utilizing this technique.

Let’s solve the above sample using these tips and strategies.

15) Wollongbar

Statement in the passage: The Wollongbar campus is renowned for its tropical fruit growing program and has introduced modules on macadamias, bushfoods, and coffee production.

Here, synonyms are used to mislead the candidates towards the wrong response. Further, the examiner didn’t question the campuses, Taree and Mullumbimby, that follow Wollongbar in the Agriculture part of the reading text to waste students’ time.
Vocabulary
Tropical Fruit: A fruit grown in warm conditions

Macadamias: A tree native to Australia, producing nuts.
Bushfoods: Australian Food
Answer: Option B – Banana Cultivation as Banana is one of the most important
tropical fruits.
16) Grafton
Statement in the passage: Grafton, meanwhile, offers traineeships in agriculture, including Beef and Dairy.

While looking at the fields of study, the word cattle relates to beef and dairy. Cattle farming is raising cattle until they produce milk for consumption. Beef cattle farmers look after cattle until their adulthood for most beef.
Answer: Option H – Cattle Farming.
17) Tweed Head

Statement in the passage: Fitness Instruction courses are offered at Tweed Heads and teach students how to put together and lead a safe fitness program.
Tweed Heads is all about health and fitness.
This is the trickiest one; let’s look at similar fields of study.
E – elderly care, however, is the care or safety program; the main idea of this campus
does not involve the concern of the elderly.

G – herbal therapy, the course is about treating students to be fit but not through herbal treatment.
J -animal health, the health of animals instead of students, is nowhere mentioned.
K – Recreational programs involve activities for enjoyment, relaxation, or pleasure. However, exercising is not a recreational program entirely but being fit relaxes and gives pleasure and satisfaction to a human being.
Answer: Option K Recreation Programs.
18) Lismore
19) Port Macquarie

Statement in the passage: Lismore offers the aged support program, and Port Macquarie offers the early childhood nursing program.

The most obvious response to the aged program is elderly care, so the correct option for 18 is E.
For question 19, early childhood means infant, so the right choice is D – infant illness.
20) Ballina

Statement in the passage: The Environmental practice course, which includes Coastal management, is offered through Ballina Campus.

Coastal Management means protecting the area of the coast, i.e., the beach. So the answer is I – Beach Protection

21) Coffs Harbour

Statement in the passage: Marine Industry Management programs are offered at Coffs Harbour.
Marine means something of the sea or found in the ocean. There is a field of fish farming related to marine, which is true.
Accordingly, as mentioned in the tips, the examiner in the above sample question had mapped out all the strategies. It involved the trickiest question, few options to respond to directly, and some with a lot of synonyms to match the information. Therefore it is quintessential for the candidates to be attentive to what’s coming in their way for the IELTS exam to score effectively.