IELTS Listening: How to Answer Matching Questions!

A common task in Listening Test I is a

matching

question. There are two types of

matching

questions

and in this video we'll look at strategies for both and apply them to some practice

questions

, so here's the first type of matching question. and as we can see there are more options than questions, which means that you will not use all the

answer

options. As you can see, for this question there are six options but only four questions, so you won't use all the options, there will be two. spare, we will come back to questions 1-4 soon and listen to the audio to

answer

the questions, but before we do that, let's take a quick look at the other type of match question, so here is an example of the second type of match. question and as we can see there are only three options a b or c because there are only five questions, you will need to use some options more than once, just like the first set of matching questions we saw, we will go back to these sample questions and have First try to answer them .

Let's look at a way to address both types of overlapping questions on the

listening

test. You have time to prepare before

listening

to each part. It is important to make good use of this time. Read ahead and form an idea. What type of information do you need to hear? There are five key steps to doing this. Let's look at these steps one at a time. Step One. Read the instructions. It is important to know if you can use a letter more than once. keywords. This focuses you even more on the information you need to hear for step four. think of synonyms and parallel expressions.

We will discuss this technique as we do our sample questions together. Step Five Listen as you seek to maximize your perceptual potential by focusing your eyes on the key words in the questions while listening. The information that matches the words will likely be different but the meaning will be the same. Okay, let's start with the first sample match question which is about wedding venues, okay, step one, read the instructions that say, choose the answers from the box and write the correct answers from a to F next to the questions 1 to 4, so we have to choose four answers from six options, it does not say that we can use. a letter twice once we have chosen an answer we can remove it from our options for the remaining questions now let's move on to step two read the questions one can cater for different diets di AR requirements two offers accommodation three is only available in the summer four provides Vehicles now step three underlines or highlights key words for question one we can highlight dietary requirements for question two we can highlight accommodation for question three we can highlight summer and for question four we can highlight Vehicles now step four think about synonyms and parallel expressions What are some other words or phrases that could be used to provide this information?

Let's jot down some ideas. Information about dietary requirements may include words such as vegetarian, vegan, or dairy-free instead of accommodation. The audio may mention rooms or stay in place of your. We might hear something. About the warmer months or seasons, a synonym for vehicles could be transportation or a type of transportation like a car or van, even if you don't predict the correct answer, this process leads you to be open to different possibilities, okay, we are ready to listen to step five listen while you watch keep looking at the options so you are ready for the information when it arrives listen to the audio and choose your answers you will hear the answers in the same order as the questions your job is to choose the correct letter ready the audio It starts now good afternoon, how can I help?

Hello, we are looking for a wedding reception venue in the area. I was wondering if you had any information on the options available. This is a very popular area for weddings because it is close to the city. and has such beautiful scenery, there are six main places. Would you like me to give you a quick summary? It would be great. Thank you if you are looking for a larger venue that can accommodate 100+ guests. There are three available. Williamson Manor Scott. House and Pacific View are beautiful properties with full restaurants offering a wide range of options. Williamson Manor specializes in medieval-themed roasts.

Scott House offers a very good variety of gluten-free options, while Pacific View is famous for its wide variety of seafood. Any of them have rooms available for guests to stay. Pacific View used to offer a honeymoon suite with a spectacular view of the coast, but unfortunately they suffered considerable damage in the recent storms and that is not available at this time. Williamson Manor has six double suites. Available for use by members of the bridal party, but of course there is an additional charge. I see there will be around 40 guests, so those venues may be too big for us.

What are the other options? There's Chateau the Rustley and Ascot. in the park The Chateau is closed during winter, spring and autumn. Both Rustley and Ascot in the park are smaller, more intimate venues that can accommodate up to 50 guests. Would you like to know what they offer? Yes please, it looks like this is the size we are looking for, ok the Rustley has a traditional garden with water features, alfresco dining options and a swimming pool. Just looking for any information we have on Ascot in the park. Ah, here it is. I'll read it out loud. Ascot in the park. is a beautiful event venue centered around restored 19th century stables.

Traditional horse-drawn carriages to take the wedding party to the charming and picturesque summer house wedding chapel are provided free of charge to all wedding parties. It sounds pretty good. I think it sounds like us. I will have to do it. Talk to my fiancé about it, of course, thank you very much, you have been a great help, you are welcome, best wishes for the big day, how did it go? Let's take a look at each question and answer the answer to question one, which wedding venue can cater. for different dietary requirements was option B Scott House the speaker did not mention dietary requirements using those words let's see what he said Scott House offers a very good variety of gluten free options while Pacific View is famous for its wide variety of gluten free seafood. is a type of special dietary requirement, although we hadn't exactly predicted that answer, the fact that we had considered the dairy-free option alerted us to the possibility of an answer like this question two asked which wedding venue offers accommodation, in fact , the accommodation was mentioned in connection with two of the other places let's listen to that part of the recording again Pacific View used to offer a honeymoon suite with a spectacular view of the coast but unfortunately they suffered considerable damage in the recent storms and that is not available at this time Williamson Manor has six double suites available for use by members of the wedding party but of course there is an additional charge.

Note that the use of the phrase used to mean that the honeymoon suite was available in the past, but is not now. The word no is also used. to indicate that Pacific View option f is not the correct answer. This is a common feature of I's listening. The test wants to make sure that you understand the spoken text completely and don't just hear familiar words, hence distractions with phrases like used to or is. planned is frequently used what may initially appear to be a correct answer due to the inclusion of appropriate vocabulary is actually not the correct answer more information identifies the correct option notice how the words in the answer options almost never appear in the audio text The answers come in the form of synonyms and paraphrases, the next question asked which wedding venue is only available in summer, while summer is the key word in the question, the answer comes in this case with the inclusion of an antonym, a word with the opposite meaning presented in a negative context let's listen again the Chateau is closed during the winter spring and autumn did you hear the anonymous one?

See how an anonymous can be used to provide information to answer the question. The answer is option A. The Chateau is fine. One more question to check number four. which wedding venue provides vehicles the audio mentioned a particular type of vehicle, not one we had anticipated, but because we were listening to one type of vehicle, we had a good chance of identifying the correct information. Here is the audio. Ascot in the park is a beautiful event venue. Centered around restored 19th century stables, traditional horse-drawn carriages to transport the wedding party to the charming and picturesque summer house wedding chapel are provided free of charge to all wedding groups again.

This is a common way of presenting the information you need to answer the question while the the question includes a general term like V vehicle the audio mentions a more specific word a type of vehicle in this case h car drawn okay, we're starting to see and understand one of the main characteristics of this type of listening task in which we must concentrate on the key words of the question to be ready to hear the appropriate information; However, the audio does not use the same words, we must listen to the synonyms and paraphrase the list. After all, the test tests our understanding of what we hear.

Before attempting another practice task here is a reminder of the steps we used before and during the test step one read the instructions step two read the questions step three underline or highlight key words step four think about synonyms and parallel expressions and step five listen while you watch Try another practice question, feel free to pause the video now and take 30 seconds to read the questions. Ok, now try listening to the audio and answer the questions. Hello Paul, sit down, what can I do for you? I'm trying to decide. what jobs to choose for next year and there really isn't much information about them.

I know the jobs I need to do, but I'm not sure which ones would be better. Can you help me? Maybe I'll try what theme they are. you're majoring I'm hoping to double major in English and History, so I selected the required papers for that. There's a course called Renaissance Poetry and Professionals that I have to take at some point, but I'm not really that interested. To be honest, it sounds a bit boring. I like modern writing. I find older things quite difficult. It is taught by Professor Jackman. He is a great teacher. He really brings the material to life.

It is fun. And he makes even the most difficult writers seem relevant. you have to take that course and the teacher could change. He would sign me up and I would do it next year. What other courses are you looking at? I thought Australian literature seemed interesting, but I wonder if it might be too specific and that a more general course might be more useful. I understand what you're saying. It's a new course this year and I don't know anything about it. I'm afraid I guess it could be quite interesting. I really can't advise you. On that, sorry, what about contemporary American thought and writing?

It sounds much more like my kind of thing than Renaissance poetry. Pros, he says, it's in an English article or a history article, so it gives you more options later. Well, my friends have been excited about this course called biology and man that they have been taking this year. It sounds really fascinating. They recommended it to me. It may be fascinating, but it is not a good option for you. You can not. Choose courses only based on Friends recommendations. They don't major in English or history. It's true? You'd probably advise me against my other option. It's a philosophy article called Introduction to Logic that is also straying too far from my basic studies.

I guess not at all, that would be an excellent choice. A foundation in philosophy will help you in the years to come. It really is great. It has been very helpful to receive your comments. Thank you so much. You're welcome, Paul. How did you hear the answers? He expressed the idea of ​​Mary recommending or discouraging each course, but different spoken expressions were used. Let's listen again to the relevant part of the audio for each question, since we know that the information for the answers comes in the same order as the questions. This is where you get the information for question 21.

I hope to double major in English and history, so I selected the required papers for that. There is a course called Renaissance and Professional Poetry that I have to do at some point, but I'm not really keen, to be honest, it sounds a bit boring. I like modern writing. I find old things quite difficult. It is taught by Professor Jackman. He is a great teacher. He really brings the material to life. He is very fun and does even the most difficult thing. The writers seem relevant, tooyou have to take that course and the teacher could change.

He would come in and do it the next year. What other courses are you looking at? Notice how the name of the course Renaissance Poetry and Professionals is only mentioned once after that. like this or that course, this is common practice when listening, it tests your ability to follow the passage and understand the use of referring pronouns. Mary doesn't specifically say I recommend the course, she says she would go in and do it next year. short for I'd go in and do it next year if I were you. This use of i' is a common way to recommend the answer here.

Ideally, as you read the question and prepared to listen, you were thinking of different phrases that Mary could use to express recommendation and deterrence. Advise against a particular choice. Let's listen to the information for the next question. Does she recommend the Australian literature course? I thought Australian literature sounded like it might be interesting but I wonder if it will be too specific and if a more general course might be more useful. I understand what you're saying about it being a new course this year and I don't know anything about it. I'm afraid not. I suppose it could be quite interesting.

I can't really advise you on that. I'm sorry. Then Mary says that she doesn't know anything about the course and that she can't really advise him. So the answer is C. She neither recommends it nor recommends it. advises against the course, notice that again the name of the course is only mentioned once, so you have to listen carefully to connect the reference words like that and that, let's listen to the next two answers again. Mary uses another expression to recommend contemporary American thought and In writing, she says to do so as a way of recommending the course, so the answer to question 23 is question 24 is B.

She advises against biology and man by saying it is not a good option for you. Let's listen and read again for those. What about the contemporary? American thought and writing sounds much more like my kind of thing than Renaissance poetry in Pros. This is an English or history article, so it gives you more options in the future, do it, what else have my friends told me? this course called biology and man that you've been taking this year sounds really fascinating it was recommended to me it may be fascinating but it's not a good option for you you can't choose courses just based on recommendations from friends they're not majoring in english and history are they okay ?

I think we are getting used to this, we are hearing the meaning, not the repetition of words. You probably noticed that the recommended words and recommendations were used in that part of the audio, they were distractors for the purpose of engagement. You know, they were discussing Paul's friend's recommendation, not Mary's, when one word of the question appears in the audio, it could be a distraction, okay, one last question to check number 25, let's listen again, right , you'd probably advise me against my other option. a philosophy work called introduction to logic that is also straying too far from my basic studies.

I guess it wouldn't be an excellent choice at all. A foundation in philosophy will help you in the years to come. Did you realize how distracting this is? In this case, the distractor comes from Paul, but Mary contradicts him by saying that it does not at all mean that the answer is a, she recommends the course instead of b, she advises against the course. Many questions in this video had distractors, remember to watch out for these in All IELTS Listening Tasks on test day. Being aware that distractors may appear will help you stay focused and find the correct answer.

It may be a challenge, but you can do it. One last piece of advice: never leave an answer blank if you don't write. anything you can't answer correctly if you don't know a lucky guess may be enough to increase your result by half a score thanks for watching and good luck with your preparation.