[2026] TOEFL iBT Reading Complete the Words | Step-by-Step Strategies

Описание: Practice Test Link: https://www.mytoefl.io/practice-test/...

The Complete the Words task is a significant component of the Writing section in the updated TOEFL iBT. This task presents a short academic passage where several words are partially deleted. Your objective is to fill in the missing letters to reconstruct the full text accurately. While it may seem like a simple spelling test, it is actually a sophisticated measure of your overall linguistic proficiency, requiring a blend of reading comprehension and writing precision.


This task measures several critical skills simultaneously. First, it evaluates your spelling accuracy and your familiarity with academic vocabulary. Second, it tests your grammatical awareness, as you must determine the correct form of a word—such as its tense, number, or part of speech—based on the surrounding sentence structure. Finally, it assesses your ability to use context clues to infer meaning, ensuring that the words you complete contribute logically to the paragraph's theme.


To approach this task effectively, the first step is to read the entire passage from beginning to end without stopping to fill in the blanks. This initial overview allows you to understand the main idea and the logical flow of the information. Without this global understanding, you may choose words that are technically possible but do not fit the specific academic context of the passage. Understanding the subject matter is your strongest tool for narrowing down word choices.


Once you have grasped the general meaning, focus on the specific sentence containing the missing letters. Use syntactic clues to identify the part of speech required. For example, if a blank follows an article like "the" or "an," you are likely looking for a noun or an adjective-noun combination. If the blank follows a modal verb, you will need a base form verb. Analyzing the sentence structure prevents you from making basic grammatical errors in your reconstructions.


Semantic clues are equally vital. Look for transitional words like "however," "therefore," or "furthermore," which signal the relationship between ideas. If a sentence describes a cause-and-effect relationship, the missing word might be a verb related to "resulting in" or a noun related to "consequence." By looking at the words immediately before and after the gap, you can often predict the word before even looking at the provided letters.


A common mistake to avoid is "blind guessing." Many test-takers try to fit any word that matches the starting letters provided. This often leads to errors where the word is out of place semantically. Always verify that your chosen word makes sense within the logic of the entire paragraph. If the passage is about history, the vocabulary should reflect that specific academic register rather than casual or unrelated language.


Another frequent pitfall is ignoring morphological endings. You might correctly identify the root of a word but forget to add the "-ed" for past tense, the "-s" for a plural noun, or the "-ly" for an adverb. These small errors in word form can lead to a loss of points. Always check the subject-verb agreement and the temporal markers in the sentence to ensure the word ending is perfectly aligned with the rules of English grammar.


Efficiency and accuracy can be improved through a systematic review process. After you have filled in all the blanks, read the passage one last time in its completed form. Listen to the "rhythm" of the sentences. Often, your linguistic intuition will alert you if a word sounds awkward or incorrect. This final check is crucial for catching typos or accidental misspellings that occur during the pressure of the exam.


To prepare for this task, focus on expanding your recognition of academic collocations—words that naturally go together. For instance, knowing that the word "research" often pairs with "conduct" or "analyze" can help you solve blanks more quickly. Developing a strong habit of reading academic articles will expose you to the formal structures and vocabulary patterns that are typical of these TOEFL passages.


In summary, success in the Complete the Words task depends on your ability to integrate vocabulary knowledge with careful contextual analysis. By reading for meaning first, identifying the correct part of speech, and double-checking your morphological endings, you can ensure high accuracy. Systematic practice and a focus on academic word forms will help you navigate this section with confidence and precision.

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