IELTS Listening matching questions: how to answer
In IELTS Listening matching, you match a list of items (such as people, places or dates) to a shared box of lettered options. Options usually outnumber items, letters may be reused unless stated otherwise, and the items are discussed in the order they are numbered — so read the box first, then listen for what is said about each item in turn.
What the question looks like
You get a numbered list of items and a lettered box of options (A, B, C…). You write the letter that matches each item.
It is common in Section 3, an academic discussion between two to four speakers, for example matching each student to the opinion they hold.
How to answer
- •Read the whole option box before the audio, so you can recognise a paraphrase of each option when you hear it.
- •Track the items in order; the conversation moves through them one by one.
- •Listen for meaning, not matching words. The correct option is usually a paraphrase, and the exact option words are often a trap said about the wrong item.
Frequently asked questions
Can options repeat in a matching question?
Sometimes. Read the instructions: if it says choose from the box, a letter may be reused; if it says each is used once, it will say so.
Why are there more options than questions?
The extra options are distractors. You will not use all of them, which is why understanding meaning rather than spotting keywords matters.
Related guides
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