IELTS Reading Matching Sentence Endings: Strategy and 3 Worked Examples
How to answer IELTS Reading matching sentence endings: what the official format says, a grammar-then-meaning method, distractor types, and three original worked examples with explanations.
Quick answer
In matching sentence endings you join each sentence beginning to one ending from a longer list. IELTS.org says there are more endings than beginnings, the beginnings follow the order of the text, and the task tests main ideas. Locate each beginning, cut the list by grammar, then pick the ending the text actually supports.
| Step | What to do | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Locate | Find the beginning's key idea in the passage | Beginnings follow text order, so each answer sits after the last one |
| 2. Filter by grammar | Cross out endings that cannot finish the sentence grammatically | Often removes a third to a half of the options |
| 3. Match meaning | Choose the ending that states what the text says about that subject | True but unrelated endings are the main trap |
| 4. Check the whole sentence | Read beginning plus ending against the passage once more | Catches reversed cause and effect |
Source: IELTS Academic Reading format (IELTS.org), question type 7, checked 2 November 2026. Method and tips are our own advice, not official IELTS guidance.
What the official format says about matching sentence endings
IELTS.org lists matching sentence endings as question type 7 in Academic Reading (IELTS Academic Reading format (IELTS.org)). You receive the first half of a sentence based on information in the text, and you choose the best way to complete it from a list of possible endings. Three official details shape the whole strategy: "There will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them"; "The sentence beginnings are in the same order as the information in the text"; and the question type "tests your ability to understand the main ideas in the text".
That last point is important. Matching sentence endings is not a word-spotting task. The correct ending usually paraphrases what the passage says about the subject of the beginning, while wrong endings often repeat words from the passage in the wrong relationship.
| Format fact | Official detail | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Order | Beginnings follow the order of the text | Search forward from your previous answer |
| Extra options | More endings than beginnings | Some endings are deliberate distractors |
| Skill tested | Understanding main ideas | Match meaning, not matching words |
| Number of questions | Variable | Expect a short set, often inside a longer passage |
| Reading paper | 60 minutes, 3 sections, 2150 to 2750 words, 40 questions | About 1.5 minutes per question on average |
| Marking | Each correct answer receives 1 mark | A hard set is worth the same as an easy one |
Source: IELTS Academic Reading format (IELTS.org), checked 2 November 2026. The order of the endings list itself is not stated officially, so do not assume the endings are in passage order.
A four-step method: locate, filter, match, check
Most mistakes in this question type come from reading the endings first and then hunting for them in the passage. Work the other way round: the beginning tells you where to read, and the passage tells you which ending is true.
- 11. Underline the subject of each beginningPick the name, noun phrase or concept that the sentence is about (for example a researcher, a material or a policy). Names and technical terms are the fastest anchors, because they are rarely paraphrased.
- 22. Locate it in the passage, moving forwardBecause beginnings follow text order, the answer to question 2 sits after the answer to question 1. If you cannot find question 2, find question 3 and look between them.
- 33. Read the surrounding two or three sentencesWork out in your own words what the passage says about that subject. Do this before reading the endings so the options do not steer you.
- 44. Filter the list by grammarCross out endings that cannot follow the beginning. A beginning that ends with tend to needs a base verb; one that ends with because needs a clause; one that ends with a preposition needs a noun phrase or -ing form.
- 55. Match meaningFrom the remaining endings, choose the one that restates your summary. Watch for endings that are true about something else in the passage.
- 66. Read the full sentence onceCheck the joined sentence against the text for direction (increase or decrease), certainty (may or will) and cause and effect.
Grammar filter: which endings can follow which beginnings
Look at the last word or two of each beginning and predict the form of the ending before you read the list. The table shows common patterns. They are a quick elimination tool; always confirm with meaning.
| Beginning ends with | Ending must start with | Example ending form |
|---|---|---|
| a modal or tend to, is likely to | a base verb | reduce costs over time |
| because, although, since | a subject and verb (a clause) | it requires little maintenance |
| a preposition such as of, for, by | a noun phrase or -ing form | limiting access to water |
| a subject noun phrase | a finite verb | was abandoned after a decade |
| a comparative such as more effective | than plus a noun phrase or clause | than earlier designs |
| a passive verb such as was replaced | by or with plus a noun phrase | by a cheaper alternative |
The four distractor types to expect
| Distractor | What it looks like | How to spot it |
|---|---|---|
| Word match, wrong relationship | Repeats a passage word but links it to the wrong subject | Ask who or what the passage says this about |
| True elsewhere | States a correct fact from another part of the passage | Check it answers this beginning, not a nearby one |
| Reversed cause and effect | Swaps the cause and the result | Find the because, so or led to in the text |
| Overstated certainty | Turns may, some or in some cases into always or all | Compare hedging words in the text and the ending |
These categories are a teaching framework we use for practice, not an official IELTS list. You will see each of them in the worked examples below.
Worked example 1: urban trees and heat
Practice passage (written for this guide; it does not report a specific study):
City planners have long valued street trees for their appearance, but in recent decades attention has shifted to their effect on temperature. A mature tree cools the air around it in two ways: its canopy blocks sunlight before it reaches pavements, and water evaporating from its leaves absorbs heat. The second process depends on the tree having enough water, so during long droughts the cooling effect can weaken just when it is most needed. For this reason, some cities now pair tree planting with underground systems that store rainwater. Critics point out that such systems raise installation costs considerably, and they argue that the money might achieve more if it were spent on reflective roofing instead.
- Planners' interest in street trees has moved towards
- The cooling produced by evaporation from leaves
- Underground rainwater storage is criticised because
- A. their contribution to lowering temperatures.
- B. can become less effective in dry periods.
- C. it increases the cost of planting.
- D. reflective roofing is cheaper to install.
- E. blocks sunlight before it reaches the ground.
- F. their value for improving the appearance of streets.
| Q | Answer | Why it is right | Why the main distractor is wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Attention has shifted to their effect on temperature | F is the older interest the passage says planners have long had, not where interest has moved |
| 2 | B | During long droughts the cooling effect can weaken | E is true, but it describes the canopy, not evaporation (true elsewhere) |
| 3 | C | Such systems raise installation costs considerably | D is not stated: critics say money might achieve more on roofing, not that roofing is cheaper (overstated) |
Worked example 2: learning a second language in adulthood
Practice passage (written for this guide; it summarises general debates rather than a specific study):
It is often claimed that adults cannot learn a new language as well as children. Researchers who study second language learning tend to describe a more mixed picture. Adults usually make faster progress in the early stages, partly because they can apply grammar rules consciously and draw on what they know about their first language. Children, by contrast, start more slowly but are more likely in the long run to develop an accent that sounds native. Some researchers attribute this difference to biological changes in the brain, while others emphasise that children typically receive far more hours of exposure and face less pressure to communicate perfectly from the start.
- The belief that adults are poor language learners
- In the first stages of learning, adults
- Researchers who stress amount of exposure suggest that children's advantage
- A. is too simple, according to many researchers.
- B. is caused by biological changes in the brain.
- C. tend to advance more quickly than children.
- D. may come from more input and less pressure.
- E. always develop a native-like accent.
- F. has been proved wrong by recent experiments.
- G. forget their first language more easily.
| Q | Answer | Why it is right | Why the main distractor is wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Researchers tend to describe a more mixed picture than the claim suggests | F overstates: the passage never mentions experiments or proof |
| 2 | C | Adults usually make faster progress in the early stages | E is about children, and always overstates more likely in the long run |
| 3 | D | Others emphasise more hours of exposure and less pressure | B is the view of a different group of researchers (word match, wrong relationship) |
Worked example 3: a factory switches to recycled plastic
Practice passage (a fictional company, invented for this guide):
When a mid-sized furniture maker decided to replace new plastic with recycled material in its chairs, the managers expected resistance from customers. In fact, sales were largely unaffected; the main problems came from inside the factory. Recycled pellets varied in colour and strength from one delivery to the next, which forced engineers to test each batch before use. Over time, the company reduced this variation by signing long-term contracts with two suppliers rather than buying from whoever was cheapest. The managers now say that the change cost more than planned, but that it gave the firm a selling point that competitors found difficult to copy.
- Contrary to the managers' expectations, customers
- Engineers had to test every batch of pellets since
- Working with a small number of suppliers
- A. the material was not consistent between deliveries.
- B. did not change their buying behaviour much.
- C. lowered the overall cost of the project.
- D. helped to make the quality of the material more stable.
- E. refused to buy chairs made from recycled plastic.
- F. competitors had copied the design.
| Q | Answer | Why it is right | Why the main distractor is wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | Sales were largely unaffected | E is what the managers expected, the opposite of what happened |
| 2 | A | Pellets varied in colour and strength from one delivery to the next | F reverses the passage: competitors found the change difficult to copy |
| 3 | D | Long-term contracts with two suppliers reduced this variation | C contradicts the text: the change cost more than planned (reversed effect) |
Timing and how this type compares with similar tasks
With 40 questions in 60 minutes, you have about 1.5 minutes per question on average. A set of three or four sentence endings usually takes four to six minutes once you know the method, because locating each beginning in order saves search time. If one beginning will not resolve, mark your best guess, move to the next, and come back later. Every correct answer is worth 1 mark, so never leave a box empty.
| Question type | What you choose | Order in the text | Main skill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matching sentence endings | An ending from a list of options | Beginnings follow text order | Main ideas |
| Sentence completion | Words copied from the passage | In text order | Locating detail within a word limit |
| Summary completion | Words from the passage or from a list | May not be in order; usually one part of the text | Detail and paraphrase |
| Matching features | An option from a list of features for each statement | Order not stated officially | Relationships between facts, opinions and theories |
| Matching information | A paragraph or section for each statement | Order not stated officially | Scanning for specific information |
Order facts for the other types come from IELTS Academic Reading format (IELTS.org) (checked 2 November 2026); timing advice is our own. For the related types, see sentence completion, summary completion, matching features and matching information. For a full timing plan, see Reading timing and question types.
Common mistakes and a quick drill
- Reading all the endings before locating the beginning in the passage.
- Choosing the ending that shares the most words with the passage.
- Assuming the endings list is in passage order (only the beginnings are).
- Ignoring hedging such as may, some or tend to.
- Using one ending twice when the instructions do not allow it; read the rubric for each set.
Drill: take any Reading passage you have already finished, write three sentence beginnings about its main ideas, and write six endings, including one of each distractor type from the table above. Writing distractors yourself is one of the fastest ways to recognise them under time pressure. Then try a full timed set in our Reading practice.
Matching sentence endings FAQ
Are the sentence beginnings in the same order as the passage?+
Yes. IELTS.org states that the sentence beginnings are in the same order as the information in the text. The list of endings is not described as being in order, so treat it as random.
Will I use every ending in the list?+
No. IELTS.org says there will be more sentence endings than beginnings, so you will not use all of them. The extra options are distractors.
What skill does matching sentence endings test?+
According to IELTS.org, it tests your ability to understand the main ideas in the text. The right ending usually paraphrases the passage rather than copying its words.
Should I read the endings or the passage first?+
Locate the beginning in the passage and summarise what it says first, then read the endings. Reading the endings first makes it easier to be pulled towards word matches.
How can grammar help me choose the ending?+
The last words of the beginning often limit the form of the ending, for example a base verb after tend to or a clause after because. Use this to cross out impossible options, then decide by meaning.
Does matching sentence endings appear in General Training too?+
The official format quoted in this guide is the IELTS.org Academic Reading page. Check the General Training Reading format on IELTS.org for that test version.
How long should a set of sentence endings take?+
There is no official time per question type. With 40 questions in 60 minutes, about 1.5 minutes per question is a useful average, and a short set often takes four to six minutes once you know the method.