Matching Features and Matching Sentence Endings in IELTS Reading
Sameer from Jabalpur had to match four statements to five researchers in his practice test. He kept losing track of who said what across the paragraphs.
Matching features asks you to match statements to options taken from the text, such as people. Matching sentence endings asks you to choose the ending that fits both the grammar and the meaning of the text, so check the text, not what sounds right.
How Matching Features Works in IELTS Reading
You match a set of statements to a list of options, which are features from the text. The official example matches descriptions of inventions to the people who invented them.
When any option may be used more than once, the instructions say: “You may use any option more than once.”
How Matching Sentence Endings Works in IELTS Reading
You get the first half of a sentence, based on information in the text, and choose the best ending from a list. The official page does not mention grammar, so checking it is our advice.
An ending that cannot complete the sentence is out, and one that fits the grammar must still say what the text says.
A Clear Strategy for Both Tasks
| Feature | Matching features | Matching sentence endings |
|---|---|---|
| Spare options | Some options may not be used | More endings than beginnings |
| Reuse | Allowed if the instructions say so | Not mentioned on the official page |
| Text order | The official page gives none | Beginnings follow the text order |
| What to check | Who or what each statement is about | Grammar, then meaning |
This method is our advice, not an IELTS rule:
- Mark the options first: for matching features, find every name or group from the list in the text before you read the statements.
- Predict the match: for sentence endings, guess the ending in your own words, then look for it; our paraphrase spotting guide shows how questions reword the text.
- Check against the text: match on what the text says about that person or point, not on the topic alone.
Practice passage (written for this post)
Recent migration trends show distinct motivations among young rural adults relocating to metropolitan areas. Dr Aruna Sen argues that social networks exert the strongest pull, observing that individuals rarely move without friends or extended relatives already settled in the destination city. In contrast, Professor David Vance contends that formal employment contracts are secondary; instead, migrants seek informal apprenticeships and flexible work environments that offer rapid skill acquisition. Meanwhile, Dr Meera Joshi highlights civic infrastructure, noting that access to digital connectivity and reliable public transport often outweighs immediate wage gains during early career stages. Sen also notes that peer pressure within village communities accelerates these decisions, whereas Vance suggests that municipal housing costs deter long-term settlement despite high initial arrival rates. Joshi concludes that regional transport subsidies would encourage more balanced distribution between large capitals and secondary towns.
Questions
Questions 1–3: match each statement with the correct researcher, A, B or C. You may use any option more than once.
- A: Dr Aruna Sen
- B: Professor David Vance
- C: Dr Meera Joshi
- Young migrants value public transport and internet access above their first wages.
- Relocation decisions are strongly influenced by the presence of family or friends.
- Informal on-the-job training attracts young people more than formal job offers.
Questions 4–6: complete each sentence with the correct ending, A–E, below.
- Dr Aruna Sen suggests that peer influence in home villages
- High accommodation expenses in cities
- Dr Meera Joshi proposes that cheaper transit options
- A: can discourage migrants from remaining permanently.
- B: quickens the pace of migration choices.
- C: remove the need for migrants to look for work.
- D: might help spread young workers across smaller urban centres.
- E: provides free accommodation for new arrivals.
Show answers
- C — Joshi notes that “access to digital connectivity and reliable public transport often outweighs immediate wage gains”.
- A — Sen says individuals “rarely move without friends or extended relatives already settled in the destination city”.
- B — Vance says migrants “seek informal apprenticeships and flexible work environments”, with formal contracts “secondary”.
- B — Sen notes that “peer pressure within village communities accelerates these decisions”, which matches “quickens the pace of migration choices”.
- A — Vance suggests that “municipal housing costs deter long-term settlement”, which matches “discourage migrants from remaining permanently”.
- D — Joshi says “regional transport subsidies would encourage more balanced distribution between large capitals and secondary towns”.
Common Traps to Avoid
Incorrect: “I should choose a sentence ending because it completes the sentence with correct grammar.”
Correct: In question 5, ending C also fits the grammar, but the passage says nothing about migrants no longer needing to look for work.
Incorrect: “I can assume each researcher or category will be used once in matching features.”
Correct: Reuse is allowed only when the instructions say so, and some options may go unused.
Tip
Before reading the statements, mark each name from the list wherever it appears in the text.
Key Takeaways
- Matching features uses options from the text; some may be unused or reused.
- Matching sentence endings has more endings than beginnings, so some are unused.
- Sentence beginnings follow the order of information in the text.
- A correct ending says what the text says, not just what fits the grammar.
The bottom line: Before you commit to any match, point to the words in the text that prove it.