Complete the Words

What Is Complete the Words?

Restore missing letters in incomplete words inside a short text. You must integrate the surrounding meaning with word formation, spelling and sentence grammar; recognizing a topic alone does not determine the missing word.

Detail	Study reference
Exam	TOEFL iBT (2026 format)
Response	Supply missing letters
Timing	Reading section timer; follow the current module instructions
Primary skill	Spelling, morphology and contextual meaning

How It Is Scored

Accuracy depends on restoring the intended word. Review the full spelling, including the letters already present. The task contributes to Reading; a personal practice percentage should not be treated as a guaranteed reported band.

Official Video

Watch the official TOEFL explanation of the updated Reading section, then apply it to this task using the notes below. This video covers the section as a whole.

Technical Foundations

Morphology

Identify roots and suffixes. A slot after an article may need a noun; a slot modifying a noun may need an adjective. Compare development, develop and developmental: they share a root but serve different grammatical roles.

Local and global evidence

Nearby words constrain grammar, while the full paragraph constrains meaning. A scientifically plausible term can still be wrong if it does not match the visible letters or the number of missing positions.

Orthographic patterns

Practise doubled consonants, silent letters and suffix changes: study becomes studies, while environment becomes environmental. Check the exact target rather than adding a familiar suffix automatically.

Step-by-Step Approach

Step	Action and purpose
1	Read the complete text to establish its topic and sequence.
2	For each gap, identify the likely part of speech and visible letter constraints.
3	Predict the complete word and check meaning against both neighboring clauses.
4	Enter only the missing letters as instructed and reread the reconstructed sentence.

Worked Examples

These are original teaching examples, not official ETS questions. Suggested practice timings are study targets, not extra test time.

Example 1

Teaching notation: Plants use sun___ht to produce energy. Each underscore represents one missing letter.

Explanation / model: Missing letters: lig, producing sunlight. The topic points to a source of energy, and the visible sun and ht constrain the spelling. Sunshine would match the broad topic but not the supplied letters.

Example 2

Teaching notation: The library has exten___ its opening hours during exams.

Explanation / model: Missing letters: ded, producing extended. Has requires a past participle here. The object opening hours supports an increase in duration. Extension is a noun and cannot follow has in this construction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why it fails	Correction
Guessing from the first letters	Several words can begin alike.	Use meaning, grammar and the final letters together.
Entering the entire word	The interface may request only missing letters.	Follow the field instructions.
Ignoring inflection	A correct root can have the wrong tense or number.	Check the complete clause.

Practice Routine

Read a short academic paragraph and remove three to five letters from several words. Restore them the following day. Label each correction as spelling, morphology or context. Keep an error list of complete words with one example sentence; copying isolated missing fragments is less useful for transfer.

Quick Reference

Check	Reminder
Before answering	Read the complete text to establish its topic and sequence.
Before submitting	Enter only the missing letters as instructed and reread the reconstructed sentence.
Review focus	Spelling, morphology and contextual meaning

Sources and Format Check

Format checked on 22 October 2026 against ETS TOEFL guidance. Explanations, examples, routines and time allocations within tasks are teaching guidance. Follow the instructions and timer on your test screen.