TOEFL Complete the Words: Complete Guide | TOEFL 2026 New Format
Complete the Words is one of the new question types introduced in the TOEFL iBT® overhaul that took effect on January 21, 2026. It is part of the redesigned Reading section, and it did not exist on the old test. If you studied for the TOEFL before 2026, you have not seen this format.
It looks like a simple fill-in-the-blank exercise, but the way it is scored makes small mistakes expensive. This guide explains exactly what Complete the Words is, how it is scored using the official ETS numbers, and the strategies that raise your score.
Table of Contents
- What is the "Complete the Words" question type?
- How "Complete the Words" is scored
- Tips to do well on "Complete the Words" questions
- How to practice "Complete the Words" questions
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
What is the "Complete the Words" question type?
According to ETS, in Complete the Words you "complete partially missing words in a short text." The task measures your vocabulary knowledge and your ability to understand meaning from context. You see a short passage where many words are missing their endings, and the first few letters of each missing word are given.
Complete the Words is one of three task types in the 2026 Reading section, alongside Read in Daily Life and Read an Academic Passage. The texts are academic, and the target level runs from B1 to C1 and above. A common surprise: many missing words are short function words that link ideas (however, although, because, despite), so following the logic of the sentence matters as much as knowing rare vocabulary.
Here is a short example of what it looks like:
Answers: However, with, because, who
For more worked examples like this one, see our 50 Complete the Words practice questions with answers, which cover the full range of contexts and patterns you may face.
How "Complete the Words" is scored
This is where careless errors cost the most, so be precise. The official ETS 2026 Test Blueprint states:
- There are 30 Complete the Words items.
- Every item is machine scored, not rated by a human or AI.
- The maximum is 1 point per item, so the task is worth up to 30 points.
- The target level runs from B1 to C1 and above.
Because a machine checks your answer, the word must be exactly right. The correct word in the wrong form scores zero: if the gap needs studied and you write studying, you get no point. A spelling slip does the same. There is no partial credit for being close.
Complete the Words sits inside the Reading section, which uses a multistage adaptive format. ETS does not publish a separate time limit for this task. ETS lists the Reading section at about 30 minutes of base time, and because the section is adaptive the exact time can vary. Because the section adapts, answering accurately early can route you to a higher module, so accuracy matters beyond the single question.
Tips to do well on "Complete the Words" questions
Read the whole sentence before you fill anything
The task measures meaning from context, so a blank rarely makes sense on its own. Read the full sentence, and often the sentence before and after, before you decide on a word. The surrounding words usually point to one answer.
Expect function words, not only vocabulary
Many blanks are short words that connect ideas: however, although, because, despite, while, therefore. Test takers who only hunt for hard vocabulary miss these easy points. When a blank links two ideas, ask what relationship the sentence needs: contrast, cause, result, or addition.
Use the given letters to narrow part of speech
The first letters are a strong clue. Combine them with what the sentence needs grammatically. If the slot needs a verb and the letters are stu, the answer is a form of study, not student. Letters plus grammar usually leave one option.
Get the word form exactly right
Decide the tense, the singular or plural, and the part of speech the sentence requires. The machine needs the exact form: studied, studies, studying, and study are different answers. Check the subject and the time words in the sentence to pick the right one.
Spell the word exactly
A correct word with one wrong letter scores zero. After you fill a blank, read the completed word letter by letter. Watch common trouble spots like double letters, ie versus ei, and word endings.
Learn academic connectors and common collocations
Academic English reuses a small set of linking words and fixed phrases. Knowing connectors (however, therefore, in contrast, as a result) and collocations (contribute to, associated with, in the absence of) lets you recognize a word from only its first letters.
Use the sentences before and after for clues
The text stays on one topic, so words repeat and ideas build. A blank you cannot solve from its own sentence often becomes clear from the next one. Read a little past the gap before you commit.
Fill the easy words first, flag the hard ones
Short function words are usually fast and certain. Lock those in first to secure points and to give the passage more context. Then return to the harder content words with the meaning of the whole text in mind.
Never leave a blank empty
An empty blank scores zero for certain. A reasonable guess built from the given letters, the grammar, and the context can still score. Always write your best attempt before you move on.
Be accurate early, because the section adapts
The Reading section is multistage adaptive. Strong, accurate answers early can move you into a higher module with more chances to score. Slow down enough at the start to get those answers right.
How to practice "Complete the Words" questions
Working through a huge pile of random passages does not raise your score by itself. Two things make the difference: practicing texts at your own level, and learning from the words you miss. Because each item is scored exactly, a wrong answer only helps if you stop and see whether you missed the meaning, the word form, or the spelling.
Arno makes both of those easy, and free. You practice Complete the Words passages matched to your level instead of a random set that is too easy or too hard, and you get feedback on what you got wrong so each miss teaches you something. That is how you turn the tips in this guide into real points on test day.
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Frequently asked questions
How many Complete the Words questions are on the TOEFL?
There are 30 Complete the Words items. It is one of three task types in the 2026 Reading section, along with Read in Daily Life and Read an Academic Passage.
How is Complete the Words scored, and is there partial credit?
Each item is machine scored and worth a maximum of 1 point, for up to 30 points. There is no partial credit. The word must be exactly correct in form and spelling.
Does spelling count on Complete the Words?
Yes. The task is machine scored, so a correct word with a spelling mistake or the wrong form scores zero. Always check the completed word letter by letter.
How long do you get for Complete the Words?
ETS does not publish a separate time limit for this task. It sits in the Reading section, which ETS lists at about 30 minutes of base time; the section is adaptive, so the exact time can vary.
Is Complete the Words a vocabulary test or a grammar test?
Both. It measures vocabulary and meaning from context, and a large share of the blanks are function and linking words that depend on grammar, such as however, because, and although.
Is Complete the Words new on the 2026 TOEFL?
Yes. It was introduced in the TOEFL iBT update that took effect on January 21, 2026, as part of the redesigned Reading section. It did not appear on earlier versions of the test.
Conclusion
Complete the Words rewards careful reading and exact answers. There are 30 items, a machine scores them, and the word must be right in meaning, form, and spelling to earn the point. Read each sentence in full, expect linking words as often as hard vocabulary, and check every answer letter by letter before you move on. With steady practice at the right level, this becomes one of the more reliable parts of the Reading section.