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Name Matching Mastery
Learn to track experts, scientists, and researchers to link them to their specific theories and findings.
Mini-Masterclass: Decoding Researcher Opinions
Let’s look at how to scan for a name, read around it, and match the paraphrased finding to the correct statement.
Read the Text Extract:
“A number of studies have looked at the effect of yoga on stress. Research carried out in 2005 by Andreas Michalsen of the University of Duisberg-Essen followed 24 women suffering from emotional distress. Findings showed a significant reduction in their levels of cortisol which is the primary stress hormone.”
Statement to Match:
“1. The importance of yoga in decreasing the main hormone linked to stress.”
Step 1: Scan for the Name. We easily found “Andreas Michalsen” because of the capital letters.
Step 2: Read Around the Name. We look at the sentence immediately following his name to find his “findings.”
Step 3: Match Paraphrasing. The text says “significant reduction”. The statement says “decreasing”. The text says “primary stress hormone”. The statement says “main hormone linked to stress”. The match is perfect!
Step 2: Read Around the Name. We look at the sentence immediately following his name to find his “findings.”
Step 3: Match Paraphrasing. The text says “significant reduction”. The statement says “decreasing”. The text says “primary stress hormone”. The statement says “main hormone linked to stress”. The match is perfect!
The 7-Step Matching Strategy
Do not read the text from start to finish. Use this “Name-First” strategy to save massive amounts of time.
1
Understand the Statements
Carefully read the list of statements first. Try to understand the general meaning of each one. Don’t spend too long, just get a feel for what kind of opinions or findings you are looking for.
2
Scan and Highlight Names
Before reading the text, scan quickly through the whole passage and underline or circle every name from the list. Capital letters make this very fast. Pro Tip: If you have a multi-colored pen, use a different color for each name!
3
Beware of Shortened Names
Writers rarely use a person’s full name every time. ‘Andreas Michalsen’ might be introduced fully in paragraph 2, but later in paragraph 5, he might just be called ‘Michalsen’ or ‘A. Michalsen’. Highlight all variations.
4
Start with the Easiest Name
Look at your highlighted text. Did one name only appear once in the entire passage? Start with that person! It will be the easiest to match and will eliminate one statement from your list immediately.
5
Read Around the Name
Once you select a name, read the sentence where the name appears, the sentence before it, and the sentence after it. A researcher’s theory or finding is usually clustered right next to their name.
6
Match the Paraphrase
Read the details of their finding in the text, then go to the list of statements. Look for matching meaning, not exact words. If the text says “circulatory system”, look for “cardiovascular system” in the statements.
7
Cross and Repeat
When you are sure you have the correct match, write the letter of the name next to the statement number on your answer sheet. Cross through the statement on your question paper so you don’t read it again, and move to the next name.
10 Quick Strategy Challenges
Click to reveal how you should analyze these common Name Matching scenarios.
1. The instructions say: “You may use any letter more than once.” What does this mean?
It means one researcher (e.g., Researcher A) might be the correct answer for TWO different statements. Do not cross out Researcher A’s name from your list just because you used it once!
2. True or False: The names will appear in the text in the same order they are listed in the question box.
False. The list of names (A, B, C, D) is usually alphabetical. In the text, Researcher C might appear in paragraph 1, while Researcher A doesn’t appear until paragraph 5.
3. You highlight “Dr. Smith” in paragraph 2. You read the sentence, but it just says “Dr. Smith arrived at the university in 1999.” Where is his theory?
Keep reading! Sometimes the text gives biographical background first. His actual research findings or opinions will likely be in the very next sentence.
4. Statement: “The connection between yoga and the circulatory system.” The text says: “He focused on the cardiovascular system.” Is this a match?
Yes! “Cardiovascular system” is a direct, advanced synonym for “circulatory system” (heart and blood vessels).
5. You find a name in the text, but you don’t understand the scientific words (e.g., ‘cortisol’) in their finding. What should you do?
Look at the verbs and adjectives around the difficult word. If the text says “reduction in cortisol”, look for a statement that says “decreasing a hormone”. You can match the grammar and context without knowing the exact science.
6. Researcher B’s name appears four different times across three different paragraphs. What should you do?
Skip Researcher B for now! Do the researchers who only appear once first. Once you eliminate their statements, you will have fewer options to choose from when you finally tackle Researcher B’s long text.
7. You read a great theory in the text that perfectly matches Statement 3. However, there is no name attached to the theory. Can you use it?
No. If a theory is just stated as a general fact by the author, and is not specifically credited to one of the researchers in your list, it is a distractor. Ignore it.
8. The text mentions a “Dr. Jones”. You look at your list of researchers (A-E), but “Jones” is not on the list. What do you do?
Ignore Dr. Jones completely! Reading passages often include extra people to provide background information or act as distractors. Only focus on the names in your question list.
9. The statement says “the advantage of yoga compared to relaxation”. How might the text paraphrase “compared to”?
The text might say “yoga provided better results than relaxation,” “unlike relaxation, yoga…”, or “measuring the differences between yoga and relaxation.”
10. You have matched 3 names perfectly, but you cannot find the match for the 4th name. You have 1 minute left. What do you do?
Look at the remaining statements. Pick the one that seems most logical and guess! Never leave a blank box on your answer sheet.
10 Full Name Matching Tests
Put your strategies to the ultimate test with these full IELTS Reading tasks.
