IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings

In this lesson, we will cover the Matching Sentence Endings question type, which will test your ability to complete sentences by matching the start of the sentence with the correct ending, given in a list in options. In short, it will require you to locate precise information in the passage using the scanning technique as well as understanding what you are reading, which will use the skimming technique.

The Matching Sentence Endings question type will feature answers that are usually letters (A – G), and there are usually more endings given that you need. You will not be able to repeat endings as answers, since they will each be specific to a sentence. Keep in mind that the completed structure must be grammatically correct, therefore, it is also important to pay attention to grammar as well as the information. However, more difficult exercises will usually have options that make sense grammatically with all potential sentences. Unlike most of the different question types in the reading section, these answers do not necessarily present themselves in order in the passage. Here is an example question:



Now let's look at some tips of how to approach this section and what not to do when approaching this type of question on the exam. Please note that we will provide the reasoning and tips on confronting the logic of the exam in our example, but the following tips represent a simplified strategy to take when approaching the short answer question type.

What To Do:
1. Read the Sentences and Endings and Underline Key Words – Familiarize yourself with the theme and the vocabulary of the passage. Underline key words in both the sentences and the endings that will help you when scanning the passage.

2. Scan the Passage – Starting with the first sentence, scan the passage for the underlined words. Once you've found an area that looks promising, move on to the next step.

3. Skim as Necessary – Once you've read the sentence and scanned the passage, skim read in order to find the correct ending for the sentence half.

Eliminate as Possible – Once you've skimmed and have a potential answer in mind, go back to the sentence endings to see what would make the most sense. As you browse your answer endings, eliminate the endings that would not make sense with the beginning of the sentence that you are working with. Mark an ‘x' by these options. This will help you narrow down your search and effectively use Process of Elimination (POE) as necessary.

What Not To Do:
Do not read the entire passage, and do not read the passage first, as you won't know what you are looking for. As a general rule for the Reading section, it is not necessary and actually time-restrictive to read the entire passage, word for word. Be sure to use the scanning technique, first and foremost, and then the skimming technique as necessary. Do not match up sentence endings that are not grammatically correct, even if you think the idea is correct.

Do not reuse a sentence ending unless explicitly stated to do so in the instructions. Again, this question type usually does not require test takers to repeat answers.

Do not assume that answers will come in order. Mark your answers in the passage in order to maintain organization, but you may have to read out of order.

Using these tips, let's look at an example of a passage with this specific question type.

Matching Sentence Endings Recap
In this section, we examined the Matching Sentence Endings section of the IELTS Academic Reading section. Here are some brief tips to remember when approaching this question type:

Do:

• Read the questions first, underline key words, and scan for information.
• Remember that answers do not necessarily come in order.
• Remember to make sure that the sentence ending must make grammatical sense.
• Let your keywords guide your scanning and skimming.
• Eliminate options as you go on.

Don't:

• Read the entire passage first.
• Match up sentence endings that do not make grammatical sense.