How the task looks
You get four sentence beginnings (A–D) and six endings (1–6). Each beginning has one ending, and two endings are extra. You cannot change any words.
Match the beginning and the end of the sentences.
| Beginning | Ending |
|---|---|
| A) If you don’t train regularly, | 1) that help people relax after work. |
| B) Hobbies are activities | 2) you won’t win the competition. |
| C) My sister is too young | 3) to drive a car. |
| D) She likes reading so much | 4) that she finishes a book a week. |
| 5) enough to drive a car. | |
| 6) because she has no time. |
Answer: A–2, B–1, C–3, D–4. Endings 5 and 6 are extra.
Two things must work: the grammar of the whole sentence and its meaning. An ending can be grammatically possible but illogical, or logical but grammatically impossible.
Step-by-step method
- Read all beginnings and all endings before matching.
- For each beginning, ask: what is missing? An object? A verb? An infinitive? A that-clause? The second part of a pair (so… that, not only… but also)? Write it down.
- For each ending, look at its first word: to, that, who, which, and, but, because, than, as, -ing, a noun, a verb. It shows what kind of beginning it needs.
- Make the certain matches first — strong grammar pairs (too… to, so… that, either… or).
- Read each complete sentence aloud in your head. Check agreement, tense, pronouns and logic.
- Check the extra endings. Each of them must fit none of the beginnings. Often an extra ending is grammatically possible for one beginning but gives a wrong meaning.
What does the beginning need?
| The beginning ends with… | It needs… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a verb that needs an object (bought, found, made) | a noun phrase | She bought / a new laptop. |
| it is common / normal / easy for someone | to + V1 | It is normal for teenagers / to sleep late. |
| want, decide, hope, plan, too + adj., enough | to + V1 | He is old enough / to vote. |
| enjoy, avoid, finish, look forward to, be used to, without, by | V-ing | I am used to / getting up early. |
| a noun for a person | who + verb, or a full clause | the man / who called you |
| a noun for a thing or place | that / which / where + clause | a town / where many tourists stay |
| so + adj. / such + noun | that + result clause | It was so cold / that the lake froze. |
| a comparative (bigger, more expensive) | than… | This flat is bigger / than ours. |
| as + adj. | as… | She is as tall / as her mother. |
| not only… | but (also)… | He not only sings / but also plays the guitar. |
| either… / neither… / both… | or… / nor… / and… | You can either stay / or come with us. |
| would rather / prefer | V1 than / to + noun or V-ing | I prefer tea / to coffee. |
| an if-clause | a main clause with the matching tense | If it rains, / we will stay home. |
| a subject with no verb yet | a verb that agrees with it | The first person to arrive / was my uncle. |
Look at the first word of the ending
| The ending starts with… | It fits a beginning that… |
|---|---|
| to + V1 | needs an infinitive (too, enough, want, it is… for…) |
| that + clause | has so / such, a reporting verb (said, thought), or a noun needing a relative clause |
| who / whose | ends with a person |
| which / where / when | ends with a thing / place / time |
| and / but / or + verb | has a verb of the same form before it (parallel structure) |
| V-ing | ends with a preposition or a verb like enjoy, avoid, stop |
| than / as | has a comparative or as + adjective |
| because / although / so | is a complete clause, and the logic must be cause / contrast / result |
| a verb | has a subject without a verb |
| a noun | ends with a verb or a preposition that needs an object |
Agreement and parallel forms
- Subject and verb: My brothers / work in Paris ✓ (not works). Bread and butter (one dish) / is… ✓.
- Parallel forms after and / but / or: Her duties included checking emails / and booking hotels ✓ (two -ing forms). ✗ checking emails / and to book hotels.
- Tense: When I was a child, / I lived in Gyumri ✓. ✗ When I was a child, / I will live…
- Articles and number: She is an / excellent student ✓ — an needs a vowel sound next. one of the / best players ✓ — plural noun after one of the.
Logic: does the sentence make sense?
When two endings are grammatically possible, decide by meaning:
- Cause: because, since, as — the ending must be a real reason for the beginning.
- Contrast: but, although, however — the two halves must be different or surprising together.
- Result: so, so… that, such… that — the ending must follow from the beginning.
- Condition: if, unless — the result must logically depend on the condition.
- Pronouns: he / she / it / they in the ending must refer to someone in the beginning with the right number and gender.
- Positive / negative: The film was not just interesting — / it was the best film of the year ✓ (it continues and strengthens the idea).
If you don’t train regularly, / you will become a champion. ✗ — grammatically fine, but it contradicts the condition.
If you don’t train regularly, / you won’t win the competition. ✓ — logical result.
The most common traps
| Trap | Example |
|---|---|
| right grammar, wrong meaning | If you don’t study / you will pass easily. |
| right meaning, wrong grammar | He is too tired / that he can’t walk. (too → to; so → that) |
| broken parallel structure | She likes swimming / and to ride horses. |
| wrong person for who / which | the book / who I bought |
| pronoun with no clear owner | The teachers / said she was busy. |
| an ending that repeats a word already there | It is common for / for people to… |
| a subject without a verb | The company / with a friendly team. (no main verb) |
Worked example
| Beginning | Ending |
|---|---|
| A) The museum was so crowded | 1) to see the paintings properly. |
| B) Most visitors come in summer | 2) that we could hardly move. |
| C) We arrived too late | 3) when the weather is warm. |
| D) The guide, who spoke three languages, | 4) explained the history of every room. |
| 5) enough to see the paintings. | |
| 6) because the tickets are cheaper. |
A–2. so crowded needs that + result → that we could hardly move.
C–1. too late needs to + V1 → to see the paintings properly. Ending 5 has enough, which needs an adjective before it (early enough), not too late.
D–4. The beginning is a subject with a relative clause but no main verb → ending 4 gives the verb explained.
B–3 or 6? Both are grammatically possible. Ending 6 says visitors come in summer because tickets are cheaper — nothing in the beginning supports this, and tickets are usually more expensive in the busy season. Ending 3 gives a natural reason: the weather → B–3.
Extra endings: 5 and 6.
Final checklist
- Have I read all beginnings and endings first?
- What does each beginning still need (object, infinitive, V-ing, that-clause, verb, second part of a pair)?
- Does the first word of the ending fit that need?
- Agreement, tense, articles, parallel forms — all right in the full sentence?
- Is the logic right: cause, contrast, result, condition?
- Are the words unchanged and is each ending used only once?
- Do the two extra endings really fit no beginning?