Matching tasks in Parts 2 and 3

How to answer IELTS Listening matching questions - reading the box, following the numbered items in order and recognising paraphrased options.

In a matching task you connect a numbered list of items (people, places, activities, sections of a report) with a set of options in a box. It appears in Part 2, where a single speaker describes several things, and in Part 3, where students discuss several things and give an opinion or make a decision about each. In recent tests it has sometimes appeared twice in one paper, so it is worth mastering.

What the task looks like

What do the students decide to do about each of the following sections of their report? Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–G, next to Questions 26–30.

Decisions A make it shorter B add some photographs C rewrite it in a more formal style D present the information in a table E check the references F ask their tutor for advice G divide it into sub-sections

26 Introduction 27 Methods 28 Results 29 Discussion 30 Conclusion

Two versions exist:

• More options than questions, each used once at most (as above). Some options are never used.
• Fewer options than questions, with the note ‘NB You may use any letter more than once’. For example, three speakers (A Anna, B Ben, C both) and six opinions.

Always check which version you have.

What is said and what is paraphrased

This is the key to the task:

• The numbered items (26 Introduction, 27 Methods…) are said in the recording more or less in the words printed, and in order. They are your signposts.
• The options in the box are paraphrased. You will not hear ‘make it shorter’; you will hear ‘it’s over six hundred words. It needs to be about half that.’

So your eyes should rest on the numbered list to keep your place, and your mind should be ready to translate what you hear into one of the options.

Before you listen

1. Read the question at the top. It tells you the relationship you are listening for: what they decide, what disadvantage is mentioned, what each area offers.
2. Read the box and turn each option into a short label, and think of how it might be said.

3. Read the numbered items so that you will recognise each one when it is said.

While you listen

• When you hear an item named (‘What about the introduction?’), put your attention on that number.
• Listen to everything said about it before choosing. In Part 3, one student often suggests an option that the other rejects.
• Choose, click and immediately look at the next item.

Worked example

Maya: OK, shall we go through the draft section by section? What about the introduction? Tom: It’s well written, but it’s over six hundred words. It needs to be about half that. We can lose all that background on the history of the valley. Maya: Agreed. I’ll cut it down. Now, the methods section. I wondered about dividing it into sub-sections. Tom: I don’t think it’s long enough to need that. What it does lack is anything visual. We’ve got those pictures you took of the equipment. Let’s put two or three of them in. Maya: Good idea. And then the results. At the moment I’ve described every figure in sentences, and it’s really hard to follow. Tom: Why don’t we set the figures out in a table, one row for each site? Maya: Much better. What about the discussion? I still can’t explain why the oxygen level went up at site four. Tom: Me neither. I think that’s one to take to Doctor Ellis. She has office hours on Monday. Maya: OK. And that leaves the conclusion. The content’s fine, actually. The references are all there, I checked. It’s just the way it’s written. It sounds like a blog post. Tom: Fine. I’ll go through it and make the style more academic.

26 Introduction – ‘over six hundred words… about half that… I’ll cut it down’ → A

27 Methods – Maya suggests sub-sections (G). Tom: ‘I don’t think it’s long enough to need that’ – rejected. ‘What it does lack is anything visual… pictures… put two or three of them in’ → B

28 Results – ‘set the figures out in a table’ → D

29 Discussion – ‘one to take to Doctor Ellis’ → F

30 Conclusion – ‘The references are all there, I checked’ (E is mentioned and ruled out). ‘It sounds like a blog post… make the style more academic’ → C

Options E and G are heard but not used. That is typical: the unused options are not simply ignored by the recording; they are mentioned as distractors.

When letters can be used more than once

Who expresses each of the following opinions? A Anna B Ben C both Anna and Ben

Here you are tracking who says what and whether the other person agrees.

• Learn the two voices in the first few seconds (usually one male, one female).
• For each opinion, note who states it, then listen to the reply: ‘Exactly’, ‘I couldn’t agree more’, ‘That’s true’ → both; ‘Hmm, I’m not sure’, ‘Do you think so?’, ‘I see it differently’ → only the first speaker.

Lesson 8 covers the language of agreement and disagreement in detail.

Matching in Part 2

With a single speaker there is no disagreement to follow, but the speaker still supplies distractors by mentioning what used to be the case or what was considered:

‘The Customs House… We used to hold a baking competition in there, but that’s been dropped this year. Instead, it’s where the chefs will be giving their demonstrations.’

‘We wondered about putting extra food stalls there, but in the end we’ve built a stage, and local bands will be playing.’

Signals: used to… but…, instead, in the end, in previous years, this year.

Tips

• Do not try to cross options off too early in tasks where letters can be reused.
• In the once-only version, do cross them off. By the last item only a few remain.
• If you miss an item, leave it and catch the next name. You can often fill the gap by elimination afterwards.
• Do not match on a single shared word. If you hear ‘references’ and see ‘check the references’, wait: were they told to check them, or told that they were fine?

Key points

• Numbered items are said in order, in their printed form; options are paraphrased.
• Prepare a label and likely paraphrases for each option.
• Listen to the whole exchange about an item, including rejected suggestions.
• Check whether options can be used more than once.
• Unused options are often mentioned as distractors.

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