Find details and paragraph purpose
Scan for specific information and summarise a paragraph.
The idea
A heading should cover the paragraph’s main function, while a matching-information item may concern just one detail.
A method to try
- Summarise each paragraph in a few words.
- Scan for a paraphrase, then read nearby sentences.
Follow the reasoning.
A paragraph first explains a problem with a measurement method, then describes a revised method and why it is better. What should its heading capture?
- The heading should reflect the paragraph’s overall function: improving a measurement approach. It should not focus only on one instrument mentioned as an example.
- For a matching-information question, the same paragraph might be selected for a specific detail about the old method. The task determines whether you need the main idea or a narrow fact.
- Summarise the paragraph in your own words before comparing headings. This helps avoid a distractor that repeats a prominent noun while misrepresenting the paragraph’s purpose.
Think it through first.
Should a heading usually describe one minor example or the paragraph’s central purpose?
Show the explanation
Its central purpose.
Supporting examples illustrate the idea but do not necessarily define the full paragraph.
Make it your own
After reading, explain the method in your own words and identify the condition that makes it valid. Then try the linked starter practice without referring back to the worked example. Review the reasoning behind an error before repeating the same item; remembering an answer is different from being able to solve a new problem.
This lesson is one part of a short starter pathway. It does not cover the full exam syllabus or establish a predicted score.
Official references
These provider and publisher links explain the exam or underlying concepts. Our lessons and questions are original, independent practice.
View 3 references and checked dates
- IELTS: Academic test (opens in a new tab)Checked 2026-09-20
- IELTS: Academic Reading format (opens in a new tab)Checked 2026-09-20
- IELTS: official sample tasks (opens in a new tab)Checked 2026-09-20