# Should match\_phrase be used in if using match\_phrase\_prefix?
**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Created:** [August 12, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845 "2017-08-12T15:31:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jaspreet\_Singh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jaspreet_Singh)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845/1 "2017-08-12T15:31:25Z")
I want to support partial name searches against authors field.
SO I have something like ...
```auto
{"match": {"authors": "schm"}},
{"match_phrase": {"authors": "schm"}},
{"match_phrase_prefix": {"authors": {
"query" : "schm",
"boost":10,
"max_expansions" : 10
}}}
```
I had a couple of clarifications to seek ...
1. Do I need both match and match\_phrase? I think yes. If searching for "Chris John", "match\_phrase" wont give back hits for "Chris", and "match" wont give preference to simultaneous occurance of "Chris John".
2. More importantly, if I have match\_phrase\_prefix, do I need "match\_phrase" since match\_phrase\_prefix builds up on original phrase anyway, somewhat like wildcard?
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@Jaspreet\_Singh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jaspreet_Singh)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845/2 "2017-08-16T16:39:31Z")
Anyone any thoughts?
---
### Author:  [@abdon](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/abdon)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2017, 9:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845/3 "2017-08-18T09:08:54Z")
It all depends on the business rules behind your partial name search of course, but:
1. Yes, you are right. If you also want to find documents that contain just parts of the phrase, then you also need to include a `match`
2. I don't think you need the `match_phrase`, as the `match_phrase_prefix` will already score exact matches higher than "wildcard" matches.
---
### Author:  [@Jaspreet\_Singh](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Jaspreet_Singh)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845/4 "2017-08-24T20:31:51Z")
Thank you so much. That helps.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/should-match-phrase-be-used-in-if-using-match-phrase-prefix/96845/5 "2017-09-21T20:31:52Z")
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