Complete the Words practice with answers, printable
Gapped passages where the ends of words are missing and only one completion fits the sentence and the spelling both. Every gap here is printed with its answer and the note explaining why it is the one that works.
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What is in it
- Every Complete the Words passage Reach120 has editorially approved for publication, printed whole with its gaps intact.
- The answer for each gap with the explanation for the completion that fits and, where the item records them, the reasons the near-misses do not.
- The domain and word count of each passage, so a set can be picked by the kind of text rather than at random.
- A pack you can work in pen, which suits this task better than any other on the test — it is a spelling and collocation drill as much as a reading one.
What it does not cover
- The other two Reading task types. Read in Daily Life and Read an Academic Passage ship together as the Reading passages pack.
- Automatic marking. On paper you check against the key; the free browser drill marks each gap as you type it.
- Every gapped passage in the bank. Only editorially approved passages are published, which is a smaller set than the bank and deliberately so.
2 gapped passages, 20 gaps with answers
Read each passage through before filling anything in; most gaps are decided by a clause that arrives after them. The completion and the note explaining why it fits follow each set.
Passage 1
Caring for Objects in a Museum
Art Conservation · Level 4 · 86 words · 10 questions
1. Complete the partially missing word not____.
- A.notions
- B.notches
- C.notaries
- D.notesAnswer
Why D (notes) is the answer: 'recorded in detailed notes' fits keeping a written history of care.
- A. 'notions' means vague ideas and does not fit 'detailed' records.
- B. 'notches' are cut grooves and do not mean written records.
- C. 'notaries' are officials and are unrelated to records.
2. Complete the partially missing word deter____.
- A.deter
- B.detergent
- C.determine
- D.deteriorateAnswer
Why D (deteriorate) is the answer: 'can deteriorate ancient paint' means to make it worse over time.
- A. 'deter' means to discourage and does not take 'paint' as an object of decay.
- B. 'detergent' is a noun for a cleaner and cannot be this verb.
- C. 'determine' means to decide and does not fit damaging paint.
3. Complete the partially missing word appr____.
- A.apprentice
- B.appreciateAnswer
- C.apprehend
- D.approach
Why B (appreciate) is the answer: 'to appreciate for generations' fits scholars and visitors valuing the artifacts.
- A. 'apprentice' is a noun for a trainee and cannot follow 'to' as this verb.
- C. 'apprehend' means to arrest or grasp and does not fit enjoying art.
- D. 'approach' means to come near and misses the sense of valuing.
4. Complete the partially missing word care____.
- A.carefullyAnswer
- B.careless
- C.careful
- D.carefulness
Why A (carefully) is the answer: The adverb 'carefully' modifies 'studies', describing how the piece is examined.
- B. 'careless' means without care and reverses the meaning.
- C. 'careful' is an adjective and cannot modify the verb 'studies'.
- D. 'carefulness' is a noun and is ungrammatical after the verb.
5. Complete the partially missing word rever____.
- A.reversibleAnswer
- B.reversing
- C.reverence
- D.reversal
Why A (reversible) is the answer: 'must be reversible' means the repair can be undone, matching the next clause.
- B. 'reversing' is a participle and does not fit as a predicate adjective here.
- C. 'reverence' means deep respect and is unrelated.
- D. 'reversal' is a noun and does not fit after 'must be'.
6. Complete the partially missing word appe____.
- A.appeal
- B.appease
- C.append
- D.appearAnswer
Why D (appear) is the answer: 'if better methods appear' means become available in the future.
- A. 'appeal' means to plead and does not fit 'better methods'.
- B. 'appease' means to calm and is unrelated to methods emerging.
- C. 'append' means to attach and does not fit the sentence.
7. Complete the partially missing word sur____.
- A.surge
- B.surname
- C.surplus
- D.surfaceAnswer
Why D (surface) is the answer: 'see beneath the surface' fits using X-rays to look under the top layer.
- A. 'surge' means a sudden rise and does not fit 'beneath the'.
- B. 'surname' means a family name and is unrelated.
- C. 'surplus' means an excess and does not fit 'beneath the'.
8. Complete the partially missing word stab____.
- A.stabilizer
- B.stable
- C.stability
- D.stabilizeAnswer
Why D (stabilize) is the answer: 'to stabilize an object' takes the base verb after 'to'.
- A. 'stabilizer' is a noun and cannot serve as the infinitive verb.
- B. 'stable' is an adjective and is ungrammatical after 'to'.
- C. 'stability' is a noun and cannot follow 'to' as a verb.
9. Complete the partially missing word ava____.
- A.avail
- B.availability
- C.avalanche
- D.availableAnswer
Why D (available) is the answer: 'remain available' uses the predicate adjective after 'remain'.
- A. 'avail' is a verb and does not fit after 'remain' as a predicate.
- B. 'availability' is a noun and cannot follow 'remain' here.
- C. 'avalanche' is a snow slide and is unrelated.
10. Complete the partially missing word fra____.
- A.fraction
- B.fragment
- C.fragrant
- D.fragileAnswer
Why D (fragile) is the answer: 'fragile objects' fits things easily damaged that conservators protect.
- A. 'fraction' means a part and cannot describe objects here.
- B. 'fragment' is a noun for a broken piece and does not fit before 'objects' as a describer.
- C. 'fragrant' means sweet-smelling and is unrelated to damage.
Passage 2
Carrying Water Across Roman Valleys
Engineering History · Level 4 · 94 words · 10 questions
1. Complete the partially missing word gra____.
- A.gravityAnswer
- B.granular
- C.grateful
- D.gravel
Why A (gravity) is the answer: 'Gravity' alone kept the water flowing downhill.
- B. 'Granular' describes texture, not a force.
- C. 'Grateful' is an emotion and does not move water.
- D. 'Gravel' is small stones, not the force keeping water flowing.
2. Complete the partially missing word wat____.
- A.waterproofAnswer
- B.watering
- C.waterfall
- D.watchful
Why A (waterproof) is the answer: A 'waterproof' lining prevented leaks in the channel.
- B. 'Watering' is a verb form and misfits the noun phrase.
- C. 'Waterfall' is a falling stream, not a lining.
- D. 'Watchful' means alert and cannot describe a lining.
3. Complete the partially missing word int____.
- A.intern
- B.interruptedAnswer
- C.internal
- D.interested
Why B (interrupted) is the answer: A valley 'interrupted' the route, meaning it broke the path.
- A. 'Intern' is a trainee and is irrelevant.
- C. 'Internal' is an adjective and does not work as this verb.
- D. 'Interested' is an emotion and does not fit a valley.
4. Complete the partially missing word pre____.
- A.preventedAnswer
- B.preferred
- C.prepared
- D.presented
Why A (prevented) is the answer: The lining 'prevented' leaks, meaning it stopped them.
- B. 'Preferred' means chose and does not fit stopping leaks.
- C. 'Prepared' means got ready and does not mean stop.
- D. 'Presented' means showed and is illogical for leaks.
5. Complete the partially missing word lev____.
- A.levying
- B.levelingAnswer
- C.levitate
- D.levers
Why B (leveling) is the answer: 'Leveling tools' measure whether a surface is flat or sloped.
- A. 'Levying' means imposing a tax and is irrelevant.
- C. 'Levitate' means to float and does not fit.
- D. 'Levers' are bars for lifting, not slope-measuring tools here.
6. Complete the partially missing word con____.
- A.consent
- B.conduitAnswer
- C.concert
- D.conduct
Why B (conduit) is the answer: A 'conduit' is the channel the arches support high above ground.
- A. 'Consent' means permission and is irrelevant.
- C. 'Concert' is a musical event, not a water channel.
- D. 'Conduct' as a noun means behavior and does not carry water.
7. Complete the partially missing word gra____.
- A.grammar
- B.granite
- C.grateful
- D.gradientAnswer
Why D (gradient) is the answer: A 'gradient' is the calculated downward slope of the channel.
- A. 'Grammar' concerns language and is irrelevant.
- B. 'Granite' is a rock, not a slope value.
- C. 'Grateful' is an emotion adjective and does not fit.
8. Complete the partially missing word aqu____.
- A.aquarium
- B.aquifer
- C.aquatic
- D.aqueductsAnswer
Why D (aqueducts) is the answer: 'Aqueducts' are the water-carrying structures Romans built.
- A. 'Aquarium' is a fish tank, not a city water channel.
- B. 'Aquifer' is underground rock storing water, not a built structure.
- C. 'Aquatic' is an adjective and cannot be the object built.
9. Complete the partially missing word sur____.
- A.surveyorsAnswer
- B.surface
- C.surplus
- D.surrender
Why A (surveyors) is the answer: 'Surveyors' measured the slope using leveling tools.
- B. 'Surface' is a noun for the top of something, not the workers.
- C. 'Surplus' means excess and does not name people.
- D. 'Surrender' means to give up and is irrelevant.
10. Complete the partially missing word eno____.
- A.enormity
- B.enormously
- C.enormousAnswer
- D.enough
Why C (enormous) is the answer: 'Enormous heated baths' were the large public bathhouses citizens used.
- A. 'Enormity' is a noun and cannot modify 'heated baths' as an adjective.
- B. 'Enormously' is an adverb and cannot fill the adjective slot.
- D. 'Enough' is a quantifier and reads awkwardly before 'heated baths.'
Every question in these files is a Reach120 practice item taken from the bank our learners practise against. None of them is a real TOEFL test question, and nothing here is published, licensed, endorsed or reviewed by ETS.
What Complete the Words actually tests
A passage runs normally until a word loses its ending, and you supply the missing letters. Two things have to be true at once for an answer to work: the word has to be the one the sentence needs, and it has to be spelled correctly from the letters that survive. That combination is why a strong reader can still lose points here.
What ETS states
The 2026 specification lists the Reading section at 50 items and 35 raw points, with task types Complete the Words, Read in Daily Life, and Read an Academic Passage.
These are published blueprint values, which the specification states are subject to minor revisions until the official launch. The item count includes non-scored items, so items do not equal raw points — the specification lists a maximum of 1 point per scored item.
The specification lists an estimated Reading time of an 18–21 minute router plus a 9 minute module, in a two-stage router-plus-module adaptive design.
The times are estimated. Reading prints a single 9 minute module for both routes, unlike Listening, which prints two discrete module lengths.
Reading items are machine-scored selected responses, evaluated by rule-based algorithms per the specification’s item-type notes.
Machine-scored is not exclusive to Reading and Listening — Build a Sentence is machine-scored too. This says nothing about how Reach120 scores your practice.
Sourced from the ETS 2026 test specifications, read 2026-07-27. Everything outside this box is Reach120’s own reading of it.
How to work a gapped passage
- 1Read the whole passage once without filling anything in. Most gaps are decided by a clause that arrives after them.
- 2Fill the gaps you are certain of first. Each one narrows the sense of the sentences around it.
- 3On a gap you cannot place, name the part of speech the sentence needs before you guess the word. The grammar is usually easier to see than the vocabulary.
- 4Check spelling separately from meaning. Half the marks lost on this task are lost by people who knew the word.
Common questions
- Do I need an account to download this?
- No. The PDF downloads directly from this page with no account and no email address, and every passage and answer is printed on this page as well.
- Are these real TOEFL passages?
- Every question in these files is a Reach120 practice item taken from the bank our learners practise against. None of them is a real TOEFL test question, and nothing here is published, licensed, endorsed or reviewed by ETS.
- Is the first letter of the word always given?
- In these practice passages the opening letters are kept and the ending is removed, which is how the task presents a gap. That is why the answer is a single word rather than a choice between several: the surviving letters plus the sentence leave one completion that works.
- How is this task scored?
- Reading items are machine-scored selected responses evaluated by rule-based algorithms per the 2026 specification’s item-type notes, read on 2026-07-27. That describes the real test; it says nothing about how Reach120 marks a practice attempt.