FCE Reading Part 7: multiple matching
FCE Reading Part 7 asks you to match ten statements to several short texts or to sections of one text. It rewards fast, accurate scanning: the questions come before the text, and one section can be the answer to more than one question.
- Questions
- 10 (Q43–52)
- Marks
- 1 each
- Time to spend
- ≈ 12 min
- Counts towards
- Reading
What FCE multiple matching tests
Part 7 is the last part of the Reading and Use of English paper. The ten questions (43–52) come first, followed by either one long text divided into sections or up to six shorter texts on the same theme, labelled A, B, C and so on. For each question you decide which text or section contains the information. Each letter can be the answer to more than one question.
The questions describe what someone says, thinks or did, but almost never in the same words as the text. The part tests:
- reading for specific information and detail, quickly;
- understanding opinion, attitude and implication (who regrets…, who was surprised…);
- recognising paraphrase: the same idea expressed in different words;
- rejecting near misses: a text that mentions the topic but says something different about it.
How it is marked: one mark per question, 10 marks in total, counted towards your Reading score. Because it comes last, Part 7 is where candidates who mismanage their time lose marks, so it is worth planning your 75 minutes to leave at least 12 for it.
FCE multiple matching practice
This shortened set has three texts and four questions. In the exam there are ten questions. For each question, choose from the people (A–C). The people may be chosen more than once.
Starting again: three people who changed career in their thirties
A Tom
I'd been an accountant for twelve years when I took an evening class in woodwork, mainly to get out of the house. Within a month I was spending every weekend in my shed. What surprised me wasn't how much I enjoyed it but how much I already knew: years of checking figures had made me careful in a way that suits furniture making. The first year of running my own workshop was tight financially, and I still do my own accounts, which my old colleagues find hilarious.
B Priya
People assume I left law because of the long hours, but honestly I didn't mind those. What I missed was seeing the result of my work. Cases dragged on for years. In a classroom, you can see a child understand something by Friday that confused them on Monday. Retraining took a year, and I was the oldest on my course by some distance, which felt strange at first. My pay is lower now, but I've stopped buying things I don't need, so it balances out.
C Leo
I never planned to leave engineering. The company I worked for closed, and while I was looking for a similar job I started volunteering at a nature reserve. One of the rangers was retiring, and the manager asked if I'd consider applying. My family thought I was mad to give up a profession I'd trained for. They've changed their minds since visiting me at work. I do sometimes miss solving technical problems, though I solve plenty of practical ones now.
Which person…
43 says their relatives now think differently about the change?
44 found that skills from their old job were useful in their new one?
45 wanted to see the effect of their work more quickly?
46 admits to feeling out of place during their training?
Show the answer and explanation
43 C. "My family thought I was mad … They've changed their minds." Relatives paraphrases family; think differently paraphrases changed their minds.
44 A. "Years of checking figures had made me careful in a way that suits furniture making." Leo (C) mentions technical problems, but he says he misses them, not that his skills transfer.
45 B. "What I missed was seeing the result of my work. Cases dragged on for years." Note the trap: Priya mentions long hours only to say they were not the reason.
46 B. "I was the oldest on my course by some distance, which felt strange at first." B is used twice, which is normal in this part.
How to do FCE Reading Part 7 in about 12 minutes
- 01
Read the ten questions first and underline the key idea in each, not just a key word. "Regrets" and "mentions" are very different questions about the same topic.
- 02
Skim each text quickly so you know roughly what each person or section covers. One sentence of notes in your head per text is enough.
- 03
Take one question at a time and scan for a paraphrase of it. Expect synonyms and different grammar, not the words in the question.
- 04
When you find a possible match, read that sentence carefully and check it matches the whole question. Many texts mention the same topic, but only one says exactly what the question describes.
- 05
Do the questions in any order, easiest first, and remember that a letter can be the answer more than once or not at all.
- 06
If time runs out, guess the remaining answers. There is no penalty, and a guess has a fair chance of being right.
Mistakes in FCE Reading Part 7
Word-spotting. The question's key word often appears in the wrong text on purpose. In the example, long hours appears in B, but Priya says they did not matter.
Matching half the question. "Found the training difficult" needs both the training and the difficulty. A text that mentions training but says it was easy is a trap.
Expecting an even spread of letters. Some texts may answer three questions and others only one. Do not change a correct answer to balance the letters.
Leaving it until the last five minutes. Ten marks are at stake. Plan your paper so you start Part 7 with time to scan properly.
Paraphrase spotting: how questions reword the text
The key skill in FCE multiple matching is recognising the same idea in different words. These pairs show the kind of rewording to expect.
| Question says | Text might say |
|---|---|
| was surprised by… | I hadn't expected… / What struck me was… |
| regrets a decision | Looking back, I wish I'd… / If I had the chance again… |
| made a financial sacrifice | My pay is lower now / I had to live on much less |
| relatives now think differently | My family have changed their minds |
| was encouraged by someone else | It was my manager who suggested… / A friend talked me into it |
| found it harder than expected | It took far longer than I'd imagined |
Practise Part 7 in full FCE Reading and Use of English tests
Each FCE Reading and Use of English test on this site has its own Part 7, timed with the whole paper and marked as soon as you submit, with an explanation for every answer.
FCE Reading Part 7 questions
How many questions are in FCE Reading Part 7?
Ten, numbered 43 to 52. Each correct answer is worth one mark, so the part is worth 10 marks towards your Reading score.
Can the same letter be used more than once in FCE multiple matching?
Yes. The instructions say the texts may be chosen more than once, and some may be the answer to several questions.
Should I read the questions or the texts first in Reading Part 7?
Read the questions first so you know what to scan for, then skim the texts once. Reading every text in detail before looking at the questions takes too long.
Why is FCE Part 7 worth one mark per question when Parts 5 and 6 are worth two?
Part 7 tests faster reading for specific information across more questions, while Parts 5 and 6 test deeper understanding of fewer points. Cambridge weights the marks to reflect this.
Sources
- B2 First Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 7, 16
- B2 First exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
- B2 First preparation materials: Cambridge's own sample tests
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
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