TOEFL iBT® · Reading · 2026
TOEFL Complete the Words: how the task works
Complete the Words is one of the three Reading task types in the 2026 TOEFL iBT® test. It uses a well-known format called a C-test, and it measures your ability to process written text for both meaning and form. Here's exactly how it works, with a worked example — then you can try it in a free full-length mock.
What the task is
The Complete the Words task presents a short academic paragraph of about 70–100 words. The first sentence is left intact to give you the topic and context. From then on, every second word keeps only its first half — you type in the letters that are missing. Each text has 10 of these gapped words.
Because you have to recognise each word from its first half and the surrounding text, the task rewards a mix of vocabulary, spelling, word-form knowledge and reading comprehension at once.
A worked example
This is our own illustration of the format (not an official test item). The first sentence is complete; after it, every second word shows only its first half — you supply the rest. Real texts run to about 70–100 words with 10 such gapped words.
Grammar and meaning pin each word down: "they mo__ from pl___ to pl___" can only be move … plant … plant. Even short words like as lose their second half.
How many items, and how it's scored
- 30 items — the Reading section contains 30 Complete the Words items in total (out of 50 Reading items overall).
- Machine-scored — you supply the missing letters and each word is checked automatically against its correct completion.
- CEFR B1–C1+ — the task targets independent-to-proficient levels.
- It sits in the Reading section, which comes first, takes about 30 minutes, and is two-stage adaptive (a router module sets whether you get an easier or harder second module).
What the texts are like
Texts are adapted from authentic sources and each one is a self-contained, coherent paragraph — its meaning doesn't depend on any other passage. They cover common, widely accessible topics: not highly specialised, with no technical jargon and few proper nouns, written in standard, grammatically accurate English.
How to prepare
- Read the intact first sentence carefully — it sets the topic and primes the vocabulary you'll need.
- Use the whole sentence, not just the fragment. Grammar (verb agreement, tense, singular/plural) and meaning usually make only one word fit.
- Mind the word form. The visible first half plus the grammar tells you whether you need a noun, verb ending, plural -s, and so on.
- Watch high-frequency words — short connectors like that, from, because and only recur, so they're quick points once you spot the pattern.
- Spell accurately. The task is machine-scored on the exact letters, so check your completion before moving on.
- Practise under timing. A free full-length mock lets you try real Complete the Words sets in the 2026 format.
Practise Complete the Words free
Take a full-length practice mock built to the 2026 TOEFL iBT® format — including Complete the Words — and get a predicted 1–6 band. No card required.
Avermond Test Prep is an independent preparation service. TOEFL® is a registered trademark of ETS. This product is not endorsed or approved by ETS. Task descriptions and item counts reflect ETS's published January-2026 TOEFL iBT test specifications and may be subject to minor revision before launch.