Basic Editing: Match On Action

Match on action is where an editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. Even though the different shots may have been shot hours apart from each other the match on action gives the impression of continuous time when watching the edited film.

For example if there was a shot of a person going into a room and they push the door with their left hand, them in another shot viewed from inside the room that they are entering, it would appear that the person is pushing the door still to get into the room but with the same hand and same amount of force. So if from one shot the door was to be pushed fast, then straight away in the next shot, you would still see the door being pushed fast. 

Here is a video demonstrating Match On Action