IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings: Quick Technique

Quick Answer: The Matching Sentence Endings task requires you to complete sentences by selecting the correct ending from a list. The key is to focus on grammatical clues (e.g., verb tense, singular/plural, prepositions) and logical meaning rather than reading the entire passage first. Skim the sentence beginnings, predict the ending’s grammar, and match quickly.

Table of Contents

What Is the Matching Sentence Endings Task?

Why This Task Is Tricky

The Quick Technique: 5 Steps

Band Score Comparison Table

What Is the Matching Sentence Endings Task?

In the IELTS Reading test, you’ll often see a task like this:

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A–G.

You are given sentence beginnings (e.g., “The author argues that…”) and a list of endings (e.g., “A. …climate change is reversible.”). Your job is to match them logically and grammatically.

This task appears in both Academic and General Training tests, often in the second or third passage. It tests your ability to:

Understand meaning within the passage.

Recognize grammatical agreement (e.g., subject-verb, tense).

Scan for specific information quickly.

Why This Task Is Tricky

Many students lose marks because they:

Read the passage too thoroughly first, wasting time.

Ignore grammar and guess based on keywords.

Overthink and confuse similar endings.

But with the right technique, you can finish in under 4 minutes per reading passage.

The Quick Technique: 5 Steps

Follow these steps in order. Practice them until they become automatic.

Step 1: Skim the Sentence Beginnings

Read only the first few words of each incomplete sentence. Don’t look at the endings yet. Example beginnings:

The study found that…

According to the report,…

One reason for the decline is…

Notice the verb tense and subject:

“The study found” – past tense.

“According to the report” – expects a fact or opinion.

“One reason… is” – present tense.

Step 2: Predict the Ending’s Grammar

For each beginning, ask: What type of ending fits grammatically?

If beginning ends with “that,” the ending likely starts with a clause (subject + verb): “that climate change is real.”

If beginning is “One reason for X is,” the ending should be a noun phrase or gerund: “the lack of funding.”

If beginning is “The author argues,” the ending should be a claim: “that education is key.”*

Step 3: Scan the Endings List

Now look at the list of endings. Match by grammar first, then check meaning. Example endings: A. …was caused by deforestation. B. …is increasing globally. C. …the main cause of pollution.

“The study found that” (past tense) → Only “A. was caused” (past tense) fits.

“According to the report,” (no tense clue) → Match by logic.

“One reason for the decline is” (present) → “B. is increasing” doesn’t make sense (decline vs. increase). So “C. the main cause” could work, but check meaning.

Step 4: Confirm with the Passage

Don’t read the whole passage. Scan for keywords from the sentence beginnings and endings.

For “The study found that… was caused by deforestation”:

Scan for “deforestation” in the passage.

If it’s mentioned in relation to a finding, the match is likely correct.

Step 5: Eliminate Wrong Options

If you’re unsure, cross out endings that:

Don’t match grammar (wrong tense, singular/plural mismatch).

Contradict facts in the passage.

Are repeated or too similar.

Band Score Comparison Table

Band	What Examiner Wants
6	Can match some endings correctly but may ignore grammar or rely on keywords; often needs extra time.
7	Identifies grammatical clues and matches most endings; uses scanning but may miss subtle logical mismatches.
8	Quickly predicts grammar, confirms with passage scanning, and avoids common traps.
9	Instantly matches using grammar and logic without wasting time; can handle tricky distractors.

Sample Answers

Band 7:

“I read the whole passage first, then tried to match each beginning. I got 4 out of 6 correct.”

→ Slow and inefficient; relies on memory. Band 8:

“I skimmed the beginnings, noticed that ‘The study found that’ needed a past tense verb. I scanned for ‘deforestation’ and matched it.”

→ Uses grammar and scanning; efficient. Band 9:

“I predicted the ending’s grammar for each beginning. For ‘One reason is,’ I knew only a noun phrase fits. I quickly scanned and saw ‘the lack of funding,’ which matched perfectly. I finished in 3 minutes.”

→ Automatic, fast, accurate.

Common Mistakes

❌Ignoring verb tense – Matching “The study found that” with “is increasing” (present tense) is wrong. Always check tense.

❌Reading the whole passage first – This wastes time. Only scan specific paragraphs after guessing the ending.

❌Choosing based on one word – Example: “deforestation” appears in two endings. Check grammar and context to pick the right one.

Top Tips

Tip 1: Always underline the verb in each sentence beginning. Match it to the verb in the ending.

Tip 2: If an ending has a preposition (e.g., “to,” “of”), ensure the beginning needs it.

Tip 3: Practice on IELTS Active mock tests to build speed.

Resources

Check out IELTS Active for practice tests and study materials. They offer timed exercises for Matching Sentence Endings.

FAQ

Q: How much time should I spend on this task? A: Aim for 3–4 minutes per passage with 6–8 questions. Use the technique to avoid overthinking. Q: Can I match without reading the passage? A: No. You must confirm with the passage, but you can guess the grammar first to narrow options. Q: What if two endings fit grammatically? A: Use logical meaning. Scan the passage for the specific idea. One ending will contradict the text. Q: Is this task harder than Matching Headings? A: It’s different. Matching Sentence Endings tests grammar + logic, while Matching Headings tests summary skills. Both require practice.

Key Takeaways

✅Always check grammar (tense, subject-verb agreement) before meaning.

✅Skim beginnings first; predict endings.

✅Scan the passage only for keywords from your predicted matches.

✅Eliminate wrong endings quickly.

✅Practice with IELTS Active to improve speed.

Related Posts:

IELTS Reading: Matching Headings Strategy

IELTS Reading: True/False/Not Given Tips

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