Matching information: which paragraph contains…?
The question type that does not follow the order of the passage.
12 minutes · A free lesson from Reading: more question types
You are given a list of pieces of information — an example, a reason, a comparison, a warning — and asked which paragraph contains each one. A paragraph can contain more than one, and some contain none.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Does matching information follow the order of the passage?
- Yes, always
- No: work paragraph by paragraph
- Only in Academic Reading
Show the answer
B: No: work paragraph by paragraph — Read the statements first, then check each paragraph against all of them.
Quick check: Can one paragraph contain more than one answer?
- Yes, and some paragraphs contain none
- No, each contains exactly one
- Only the last paragraph can
Show the answer
A: Yes, and some paragraphs contain none — So do not cross a paragraph off once you have used it.
Quick check: How is matching information different from matching headings?
- You match the main idea, not a detail
- There is no difference
- You match a detail, not the main idea
Show the answer
C: You match a detail, not the main idea — The answer may be one sentence in the middle of a paragraph about something else.
Quick check: A statement mentions “changes in what people wore”. What will the passage probably say?
- Exactly “changes in what people wore”
- Nothing about it
- The same idea in other words, such as “clothing”
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C: The same idea in other words, such as “clothing” — Expect paraphrase: you are matching meaning, not words.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now