Complete the Words is the first TOEFL iBT Reading task type. You read a short academic paragraph in which some words are only partly shown and type the missing letters, using grammar, word form, collocation and the meaning of the paragraph together.
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What this guide covers
| Reading task | What you do |
|---|---|
| Complete the Words | Type the missing letters of partly shown words in an academic paragraph |
| Read in Daily Life | Answer questions about short practical texts such as notices, emails and schedules |
| Read an Academic Passage | Answer multiple-choice questions about a short academic passage |
ETS lists the Reading section at about 30 minutes and 50 items, with multistage adaptive delivery, so timing and item counts can vary.
Each incomplete word shows its first letters, and you supply the rest. To do that quickly you need several skills at once:
This paragraph was written by English AIdol to show the style of the task. It is not an official TOEFL item.
Many cities plant trees along their streets. Tre__ provide sh___ in summer, wh___ can lower the temperature of near__ buildings. They al__ absorb rainwater, red_____ the risk of flooding after heavy storms.
| Partial word | Answer | Clue used |
|---|---|---|
| Tre__ | Trees | Plural subject of "provide", repeating "trees" from the first sentence |
| sh___ | shade | Meaning: what trees provide in summer that lowers temperature |
| wh___ | which | Grammar: a relative pronoun after a comma, referring to the whole idea |
| near__ | nearby | Word form: an adjective before the noun "buildings" |
| al__ | also | Meaning: adds a second benefit |
| red_____ | reducing | Grammar: an -ing participle phrase describing the result of absorbing rainwater |
| Part of speech | Common endings | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | -tion, -ment, -ity, -ance, -ness | reduction, development, stability, performance, awareness |
| Verb | -ize/-ise, -en, -ate, -ify | organise, strengthen, demonstrate, classify |
| Adjective | -al, -ive, -ous, -able, -ful | environmental, effective, numerous, reliable, successful |
| Adverb | -ly | gradually, significantly, relatively |
When the grammar of the sentence calls for a noun but the visible letters start a verb, such as "devel…" after "the", the answer is usually the noun form: "development".
Practise the task in TOEFL Complete the Words practice, and see TOEFL Reading practice for the other two Reading task types.
Checked against ETS: TOEFL iBT test content and ETS: understanding TOEFL iBT scores on 3 October 2026. English AIdol is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. TOEFL is a registered trademark of ETS. The examples on this page are original practice material, and English AIdol feedback is an unofficial estimate, not an ETS score.
It is a current TOEFL iBT Reading task. You read a short academic paragraph in which some words are only partly shown and type the missing letters.
It tests grammar, word form, collocation, spelling and understanding of the paragraph together.
ETS lists the current Reading section at about 30 minutes and 50 items. Because it is adaptive, timing and item counts can vary.
Learn word families, notice collocations while reading academic texts, practise spelling common academic words and check word endings before moving on.