Complete the Words Mastery - TOEFL 2026 Reading Guide

How Complete the Words Works

This is a brand-new task type for TOEFL 2026. You read a short academic paragraph where some words have missing letters. You type in the complete word based on the letters shown and the context of the sentence.

What You'll See:

We know from drawings that have been preserved in caves for over 10,000 years that early humans performed dances as a group activity. We mi___ think th__ prehistoric peo___ concentrated on__ on ba___ survival.

Answers:

mi___ = might • th__ = that • peo___ = people • on__ = only • ba___ = basic

What's Tested

Vocabulary recognition from partial spelling
Using context clues to identify words
Accurate spelling
Reading comprehension

Key Constraints

Spelling must be exact (no partial credit)
~6-10 seconds per blank
Case-insensitive (capital vs lowercase OK)
Can't skip and come back

Key Insight: This task combines vocabulary, spelling, AND reading comprehension. You need to understand the sentence to figure out the word—the letters alone usually aren't enough.

Understanding Difficulty Levels

The number of letters shown determines difficulty. Here's what to expect:

Easy

40-50% letters shown

Common words with clear context

mi___ → might
peo___ → people
th__ → that

Medium

30-40% letters shown

Academic vocabulary

pr____ss → process
sp____ic → specific
in____ding → including

Hard

20-30% letters shown

Advanced academic terms

ph____non → phenomenon
ad____ation → adaptation
bi____escence → bioluminescence

Pattern Recognition: First letters are almost always shown. Pay close attention to them— knowing "pr____" starts with "pr" narrows down possibilities significantly.

Word Types You'll See

Certain word categories appear frequently. Knowing what to expect helps you recognize patterns faster.

Transition Words

Signal logical relationships—very common!

How____ = However
Th____ore = Therefore
Alt_____ = Although
F____rmore = Furthermore

Academic Vocabulary

TOEFL-level academic words

sig____cant = significant
env____ment = environment
res___ch = research
ev____ce = evidence

Function Words

Common words that connect ideas

th__ = that/this/them
wh___ = which/where/when
th___ = their/there/these

Verb Forms

Watch for tense and suffixes

dev____ped = developed
oc___s = occurs
dem____ate = demonstrate

Study Tip: Familiarize yourself with the Academic Word List (AWL). These 570 word families appear frequently in TOEFL reading and are prime candidates for blanks.

Your 4-Step Strategy

Follow this process for every blank to maximize accuracy.

1

Read the Full Sentence First

Don't look at the letters immediately. Understand the sentence's meaning first. What word would make sense here? Get a mental prediction before looking at the blank.

2

Check the Letters Shown

Now look at the partial word. Does your prediction match the letters? If not, what other words fit both the context AND the letter pattern?

3

Consider Grammar

What part of speech is needed? A verb, noun, adjective, adverb? Check for plural forms (-s), past tense (-ed), or other suffixes that the grammar requires.

4

Type Carefully and Verify

Spelling must be exact. Before moving on, quickly verify your answer makes sense in the sentence. Read it back mentally.

Strategy in Action:

The pr____ss of fossilization oc___s when organic ma____al is pr____ved in sedimentary rocks.

pr____ss

1. Context: "of fossilization" suggests a noun
2. Letters: starts with "pr"
3. Prediction: process

pr____ved

1. Context: something happens to organic material
2. Letters: "pr" + past tense "-ed"
3. Prediction: preserved

Practice Examples

Easy History Topic

Many anc___t civilizations dev____ed writing systems to rec___ important inf____tion. The Egyp____s used hiero____ics, wh___ the Sumerians cr____ed cuneiform.

Answers:

ancient • developed • record • information • Egyptians • hieroglyphics • while • created

Medium Science Topic

The pr____ss of phot____thesis conv___s sunlight into ch____cal energy. Plants abs___ carbon di___ide from the atm____here and rel___e oxygen as a bypr____ct.

Answers:

process • photosynthesis • converts • chemical • absorb • dioxide • atmosphere • release • byproduct

Hard Psychology Topic

Cog____ve bi___s infl____ce decision-making in pred____able ways. Conf____tion bias causes ind____uals to favor inf____tion that supp___s their pre-ex____ing beliefs.

Answers:

Cognitive • biases • influence • predictable • Confirmation • individuals • information • supports • pre-existing

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Spelling Errors

"enviroment" instead of "environment," "seperate" instead of "separate." There's no partial credit—one wrong letter means zero points for that blank.

Guessing from Letters Alone

"pr____ss" could be "process," "progress," or "princess." You MUST use context to choose the right word. Letters narrow options; context confirms.

Forgetting Grammatical Forms

If the sentence needs a plural ("these people") or past tense ("they developed"), make sure your answer has the correct ending. "develop" is wrong if "developed" is needed.

Rushing Without Reading

You have ~60 seconds per paragraph. Use the first 10-15 seconds to read the whole thing before filling in blanks. Understanding the topic makes individual words much easier.

Confusing Similar Words

"effect" vs "affect," "their" vs "there," "its" vs "it's." Context determines which word is correct—they're not interchangeable.

Your Complete the Words Practice Plan

Build vocabulary recognition and spelling accuracy with systematic practice.

Days 1-2: Build Vocabulary Awareness

Practice 5-8 easy paragraphs with explanations
Focus on transition words and common academic terms
Review the AWL (Academic Word List) top 100 words
Note patterns: which word types appear most often?

Days 3-5: Build Speed and Accuracy

Practice 8-10 paragraphs daily (mixed difficulty)
Time yourself: aim for ~60 seconds per paragraph
Focus on the 4-step strategy
Track spelling errors—create a personal "trouble words" list

Days 6-7: Test Simulation

Complete 2-3 paragraph sets back-to-back under timed conditions
Practice with harder, academic vocabulary
Review errors and reinforce correct spellings
Target: 85%+ accuracy before moving on

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