Matching information to paragraphs
Answer “Which paragraph contains the following information?” by hunting for a type of information (an example, a reason, a comparison, a prediction) rather than a topic, even when the questions jump around the passage and letters are used twice.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Explain how matching information differs from matching headings and why it is usually harder
- Recognise the information types the questions target: examples, reasons, descriptions, comparisons, contrasts, references, predictions and more
- Turn every question into a search target made of an information type plus a topic, and predict the signal language
- Handle questions that are not in passage order, letters that may be used more than once and paragraphs that are never used
- Complete a seven-question matching information task in about 12 minutes
What the task looks like
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A–G.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A–G, in boxes 1–6 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
Then comes a list of questions written as noun phrases, not full sentences:
1 an example of a city that reversed its decision
2 a reason why early estimates were inaccurate
3 a comparison between two methods of storage
Facts you must know:
- The answer is always a paragraph letter.
- The questions are in random order: Question 1 may be paragraph F, Question 2 paragraph B.
- There are often fewer questions than paragraphs, so some paragraphs are never used.
- If the NB line is there, a letter may be the answer to more than one question. If it is not there, use each letter only once.
- Each question has two parts: an information type (an example of, a reason for, a comparison between) and a topic (a city that reversed its decision). You need both to match.
Matching headings vs matching information
| Matching headings | Matching information | |
|---|---|---|
What is tested | The main idea of the whole paragraph | A specific detail somewhere inside one paragraph |
Order of questions | Paragraph order (A, B, C…) | Random order |
Reusing options | Each heading used once | Letters may be reused if the NB line appears |
Unused options | Extra headings in the list | Some paragraphs may not be the answer to any question |
What you write | A Roman numeral (i, ii, iii…) | A paragraph letter (A, B, C…) |
Best moment to do it | Early: it gives you a map of the passage | Usually last for that passage, when you already know where things are |
Decoding the information types
| The question says… | You are looking for… | Typical signals in the passage |
|---|---|---|
an example of… | one specific case that illustrates a general point | for example, for instance, such as, a case in point, take…, names of places, people or organisations |
a reason for… / an explanation of why… | a cause | because, since, as, due to, owing to, this is why, the reason, lies in, was caused by |
a description of… (how / what) | what something is like or how it works, often in steps | first, then, once…, consists of, works by, is made up of; process verbs |
a comparison between… / with… | two things side by side: similarities or differences | than, more / less, as … as, similarly, likewise, like, unlike, compared with |
a contrast between… | a clear difference or opposition | whereas, while, by contrast, on the other hand, unlike, however |
a reference to… / a mention of… | the thing is mentioned, possibly very briefly | the noun or a synonym; can be just a few words in a long sentence |
a prediction about… | a statement about the future | will, is likely to, is expected to, forecast, could, by 2050, in the coming decades |
an account of… / a summary of… | a sequence of events or an overview | dates, In 1990…, later, eventually, since then |
a criticism of… / a warning about… | negative evaluation or a danger | critics, flawed, risk, threat, danger, failed to, problem |
a suggestion / recommendation… | advice about what should be done | should, ought to, it would be wise to, recommend, propose, the answer may be |
Why it is harder than headings
1. The detail can be tiny. A paragraph mainly about storage methods might contain one clause that is a reference to the cost of electricity. You will not find it by skimming for main ideas.
2. The paragraph's main topic can be misleading. A paragraph about history may contain a prediction in its last line. Never decide by topic alone.
3. No help from order. In most tasks, finding Question 3 tells you where Question 4 is. Here it tells you nothing.
4. The topic word appears in several places. In a passage about seed banks, the word seed is in every paragraph. Only one paragraph contains a prediction about seeds. The information type is what separates the candidates.
5. Heavy paraphrase. A reason why farmers abandoned traditional crops may appear as “As farmers adopted a small number of high-yielding varieties… traditional seeds were simply no longer planted.” No word reason, no word abandon.
A Before 2022, travellers from Dhaka to the south-western districts faced a crossing of the Padma River that could take anything from two hours to most of a day, depending on the weather and the length of the queue for ferries. Lorries carrying perishable goods such as fish and vegetables were sometimes forced to wait so long that their cargo spoiled.
B The bridge that opened that year changed the journey dramatically. Unlike the ferries, which were suspended whenever fog or strong currents made the river unsafe, the bridge carries traffic in almost all conditions, and a crossing that once took hours now takes minutes.
C Economists expect the effects to spread far beyond transport. Some have predicted that easier access to Dhaka's markets will encourage new factories in the south-west and could add around one percentage point to the country's annual economic growth.
Which paragraph contains…
- a comparison between two ways of crossing a river
- an example of economic losses caused by delays
- a prediction about industrial development
- a reference to weather conditions that stopped a service from operating
- 1 → BType = comparison. Signal: “Unlike the ferries… the bridge carries traffic in almost all conditions”. Paragraph A mentions ferries too, but it compares nothing.
- 2 → AType = example. Lorries whose “cargo spoiled” is a specific case of economic loss caused by long waits (= delays). Topic words such as “losses” and “delays” are paraphrased, not repeated.
- 3 → CType = prediction. Signals: “expect”, “have predicted”, “will encourage”. Topic: “new factories” = industrial development.
- 4 → B (not A)Both A and B mention weather. A says the weather affected how LONG the crossing took. B says ferries “were suspended whenever fog or strong currents made the river unsafe”: the service stopped. The exact type of information decides.
- The skillTopic words got you to the right area; the information type gave you the answer. That is the whole task in miniature.
A method that works under pressure
- 1
Do it after the other tasks for that passage
If the passage also has headings, TFNG or completion questions, do those first. By the time you reach matching information you will already know roughly what each paragraph contains.
- 2
Analyse each question: type + topic
Underline the information type and the key topic word, then predict signals and synonyms. a reason why the project was delayed → look for because / due to / owing to near postponed, held up, behind schedule.
- 3
Read paragraph by paragraph, not question by question
Read paragraph A carefully and ask: Which questions could this paragraph answer? Then paragraph B, and so on. You read the passage once, instead of scanning it seven times for seven questions.
- 4
Pencil in possible letters
Write candidate letters next to the questions as you go (Q3: C or G?). You will often find a better match later in the passage.
- 5
Confirm the type, not just the topic
Before you finalise, point to the exact words that make it an example, a comparison or a prediction. If you cannot point to them, keep looking.
- 6
Use the NB line intelligently
If it says you may use a letter more than once, do not reject an answer just because you have already used that letter. Do not try to use every paragraph either: some are distractors.
- 7
Never leave a blank
If time runs out, guess using the paragraph whose overall topic is closest. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
Check your understanding
7 questions- 1
What does “Which paragraph contains the following information?” mainly test?
- 2
Match each information type with a typical signal.
an example of…a reason for…a prediction about…a contrast between…a recommendation - 3
A Jute was once known as the “golden fibre” of Bengal, and in the 1950s and 1960s it was the region's leading export.
B Its decline began when cheaper synthetic materials made from petroleum replaced jute in sacks and carpet backing.
C Today, rising concern about plastic waste has led some manufacturers to return to jute for shopping bags and packaging.
Which paragraph contains a reason for falling demand for a product?
- 4
Same text as the previous question. Which paragraph contains a reference to a recent change in attitudes?
- 5
In a matching information task, every paragraph is the answer to at least one question.
- 6
The questions in a matching information task follow the order of the paragraphs.
- 7
In the question “a prediction about future water shortages”, the words “a prediction” tell you the of information you need to find.
Answer every question to check.
Exam practice: which paragraph contains…?
Work at exam pace. The timer is a guide — it won't stop you.
Use this text for the first six questions of the final quiz.
A Bamboo has been used for building across Asia for thousands of years, but engineers in Europe and North America long dismissed it as a material for temporary shelters. Its reputation began to change in the late twentieth century, when laboratory tests showed that the tensile strength of some species, weight for weight, rivals that of steel.
B Unlike hardwood trees, which may take fifty years or more to reach a harvestable size, many bamboo species mature in three to five years. Because the plant regrows from its underground roots after cutting, a plantation can be harvested again and again without replanting.
C Bamboo's weaknesses are equally well known. Untreated stems are attacked by insects and fungi and, in humid climates, may last only a few years. Joining stems is another difficulty: each one is hollow and varies in diameter, so connecting pieces securely requires a craft skill that is becoming increasingly rare.
D Architects who specialise in bamboo believe these obstacles will gradually disappear. They expect new preservation treatments and standardised, factory-made bamboo panels to make the material as easy to use as steel or concrete within a generation.
- Before you startRead each paragraph once and note its type signals: “began to change… laboratory tests” (A), “Unlike… Because” (B), “weaknesses… may last only” (C), “believe… will… expect” (D).
Final quiz: matching information
10 questions- 1
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains a prediction about the future use of a material?
- 2
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains a comparison of how quickly two materials can be produced?
- 3
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains a reason why a material may not last long?
- 4
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains a reference to scientific testing?
- 5
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains an explanation of why new planting is unnecessary after a harvest?
- 6
Bamboo text: which paragraph contains a mention of an ability that fewer and fewer people have?
- 7
Choose TWO reasons why matching information is usually harder than matching headings.
Select 2.
- 8
The word “pesticides” appears in paragraphs B, D and F. The question asks for “a criticism of the use of pesticides”. What should you do?
- 9
Put the matching information method in order.
Drag the cards (or use the arrows) into the correct order.
- 1Underline the information type and topic in each question
- 2Confirm each answer by pointing to the words that show the type
- 3Complete the other question groups for the passage first
- 4Read paragraph A and check it against all the questions
- 5Pencil in possible letters, then move to the next paragraph
- 10
Matching information questions are usually best attempted the other question groups for the same passage.
Answer every question to check.
Key takeaways
Vocabulary from the passage
Saved as flashcards with a free accountgerminate
verb/ˈdʒɜːmɪneɪt/
(of a seed) to start growing and produce a shoot
অঙ্কুরিত হওয়া
Rice seeds usually germinate within a few days in warm, wet soil.
viable
adjective/ˈvaɪəbl/
able to live or grow; also, able to work successfully
টিকে থাকতে সক্ষম, কার্যকর
Only half of the stored seeds were still viable after thirty years.
duplicate
noun/ˈdjuːplɪkət/
an exact copy of something, kept in case the original is lost
প্রতিলিপি, অনুলিপি
The university keeps duplicates of all its research data on a separate server.
safeguard
verb/ˈseɪfɡɑːd/
to protect something from harm or loss
সুরক্ষা করা
Community seed banks help farmers safeguard local rice varieties.
seep
verb/siːp/
(of a liquid) to flow slowly through small openings
চুইয়ে পড়া, চুঁইয়ে ঢোকা
During the monsoon, water seeped through the cracks in the classroom wall.
conserve
verb/kənˈsɜːv/
to protect something from being damaged, lost or used up
সংরক্ষণ করা
The project aims to conserve the genetic diversity of traditional crops.
complementary
adjective/ˌkɒmplɪˈmentri/
different but useful together, each adding what the other lacks
পরিপূরক
Seed banks and on-farm conservation are complementary, not competing, strategies.
deposit
verb/dɪˈpɒzɪt/
to put something in a place for safe keeping; also, to leave a layer of a substance (such as silt) somewhere
জমা রাখা
Each year, national gene banks deposit thousands of new samples in the vault.
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