IELTS Listening: Matching Questions
IELTS listening matching tests whether you can connect a list of items (people, places, features, opinions) to a second list of options while listening once, using paraphrase rather than exact words.
What this question looks like
In matching questions you get a list of items, often numbered speakers, topics, dates, or activities, on the left, and a list of options (usually letters A to H) on the right. You choose which option goes with each numbered item, and some options may not be used at all or may be used more than once, depending on the instructions. These usually appear in Section 2 or Section 3, where a guide describes several places, or students discuss several modules or plans. The tricky part is that the audio almost never uses the same wording as the option list, so you must match meaning, not words.
Step-by-step approach
- 1Read the instructions carefully first: check whether each option can be used once, more than once, or not at all, because this changes your strategy while listening.
- 2Read the numbered list (the items) and the lettered options before the audio starts, and predict what kind of words might link them, for example synonyms for prices, locations, or feelings.
- 3Underline the key noun or idea in each option so you recognise its paraphrase quickly, since the speaker will rarely say the option word for word.
- 4Track the order: matching questions almost always follow the order of the recording, so if you just matched item 3, expect the clue for item 4 to come soon after, not before.
- 5Listen for signpost language that introduces a new item, such as a name change, a new date, or 'moving on to', and use that moment to refocus on the next number.
- 6If you miss one, leave it and move to the next item immediately, then come back with an educated guess at the end rather than losing the following answers too.
Worked example
You hear a university librarian describing four study rooms to new students. Questions 1 to 3 ask you to match each Study Room (1 The Quiet Room, 2 The Group Room, 3 The Media Room) with a feature from the list (A Bookable in advance, B No talking allowed, C Has computers for editing video, D Open 24 hours). The recording says: 'The Quiet Room is popular with final-year students and it's the only space open all night, so keep that in mind near deadlines. The Group Room can get noisy, so if you want it for a project meeting you do need to reserve it online first. And the Media Room has all the software you need for filming and editing your coursework.'
1 = D, 2 = A, 3 = C
The Quiet Room is linked to 'open all night', which paraphrases option D 'Open 24 hours'. The Group Room is linked to needing to 'reserve it online first', which paraphrases option A 'Bookable in advance'. The Media Room is linked to 'software... for filming and editing', which paraphrases option C 'Has computers for editing video'. Option B is never mentioned, which is normal since matching lists often include one extra unused option.
Try it yourself
Read the short context and question, then choose the correct option.
You hear a tour guide describing three museum galleries. She says: 'The Egypt Gallery on the ground floor is currently closed while the mummy display is repaired, so please don't queue there. Upstairs, the Natural History Gallery has just installed a new dinosaur skeleton, and it's proving very popular with families. The Art Gallery, also upstairs, is completely silent by request of the artists, so please switch phones off before entering.' Question: Which gallery is temporarily closed to visitors?
Common mistakes
- !Matching by hearing the exact same word as the option and ignoring the meaning, then missing the real answer because it was paraphrased.
- !Losing track of item order and jumping ahead or back, which causes a chain reaction of wrong answers for several questions in a row.
- !Forgetting to check whether options can be reused, so wrongly assuming each letter is only used once when the instructions allow repeats.
- !Writing a letter instead of following the exact answer format asked for, or writing full words when only a letter is required.
- !Spending too long trying to recall a missed answer and losing focus on the next one or two questions as a result.
Quick quiz
1. In an IELTS listening matching task, the wording of the options in the question paper compared with the recording is usually:
2. Why is it important to check if options can be used more than once before listening?
3. If you miss the answer to one matching item while listening, what should you do?
4. Matching questions in IELTS Listening most commonly appear in which part of the test?
Practise this in a real IELTS test
Take a free Listening test with expert evaluation and apply the technique under exam conditions.
Take a free Listening testIELTS Listening: Matching Questions — FAQ
Do matching questions always follow the order of the recording?
Yes, almost always. The items in the numbered list are addressed in the same order they are mentioned in the audio, so you can use your progress through the list as a guide to where you are in the recording.
What happens if an option is never mentioned in the recording?
This is normal and deliberate. Many matching tasks include one or two extra options that are never used, precisely to stop you guessing based on elimination alone, so always match based on what you actually hear.
How can I practise for matching questions specifically?
Practise predicting paraphrases before you listen, by taking any option list and brainstorming two or three ways the same idea could be worded differently. This trains the exact paraphrasing skill the recording will test.