TOEFL Reading · Practice

TOEFL Complete the Words Practice: Beginner Exercises

Practice TOEFL Complete the Words passages with realistic C-test style exercises. Start with the beginner examples on this page, then unlock the full library of 60 TOEFL-style practice sets covering beginner through advanced difficulty.

3 free sample passages below · 60 sets in the full library · By the LingoLeap Research Team

Practice 60 TOEFL-style Complete the Words passages. Create a free account to unlock the full exercise library.

How do I practice TOEFL Complete the Words?

Read each passage below, restore the truncated words using grammar and context clues, then check your answers against the explanations. Focus on accuracy first, then build speed over time.

How to Use This Page

1

Read

Read the truncated passage and try to restore every blank.

2

Check

Expand the answers section and compare your responses.

3

Review

Read the grammar/context clue for each word to understand why.

Quick Review: The C-Test Rule

Before you start, remember how TOEFL Complete the Words works:

  • The first sentence is always intact — it sets the context.
  • Starting from the second sentence, every second word has its second half removed.
  • Each passage has exactly 10 truncated words.
  • Use grammar clues (tense, plural, word form) and meaning to restore each word.

Sample Practice Passages

These sample passages help you practice the TOEFL Complete the Words format before moving to the full exercise library. Each passage follows the C-test style pattern used in TOEFL reading tasks.

To practice all 60 sets with answer tracking and progress reports, use the full practice library.

Passage 1: Weather and ClimateBeginner

Restore the missing words

Weather describes the conditions of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. Temper_____ and humi_____ are two impor_____ factors that scien_____ measure every d__. These measure_____ help forecas_____ predict sto_____ and other eve_____.
Show answers & explanations

Temper_____

Temperature

Noun — topic word from first sentence context

humi_____

humidity

Noun — paired with 'Temperature' via 'and'

impor_____

important

Adjective modifying 'factors'

scien_____

scientists

Plural noun — subject of 'measure'

d__

day

Short noun — 'every day' is a common collocation

measure_____

measurements

Plural noun — refers back to what scientists do

forecas_____

forecasters

Plural noun — people who predict weather

sto_____

storms

Plural noun — a type of weather event

eve_____

events

Plural noun — 'other events' completes the list

Passage 2: Public LibrariesBeginner

Restore the missing words

A public library is a place where people can borrow books and other materials for free. Libra_____ also prov_____ access to compu_____ and the inter_____. Many commun_____ depend on the_____ services for educa_____ and rese_____.
Show answers & explanations

Libra_____

Libraries

Plural noun — subject of 'also provide'

prov_____

provide

Verb — 'also provide access'

compu_____

computers

Plural noun — things you access at a library

inter_____

internet

Noun — paired with 'computers' via 'and the'

commun_____

communities

Plural noun — groups of people

the_____

these

Demonstrative — refers back to library services

educa_____

education

Noun — paired with 'research'

rese_____

research

Noun — common academic activity at libraries

Passage 3: Sleep and HealthBeginner

Restore the missing words

Sleep is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health. During sle_____, the bo__ repairs dama_____ tissues and streng_____ the imm_____ system. Adu_____ generally ne__ between seven a__ nine hours o_ sleep each night.
Show answers & explanations

sle_____

sleep

Noun — repeats topic word from first sentence

bo__

body

Noun — 'the body repairs' is the subject

dama_____

damaged

Adjective (past participle) modifying 'tissues'

streng_____

strengthens

Verb — parallel with 'repairs'

imm_____

immune

Adjective — 'immune system' is a fixed phrase

Adu_____

Adults

Plural noun — subject of the sentence

ne__

need

Verb — 'Adults need between...'

a__

and

Conjunction — 'seven and nine'

o_

of

Preposition — 'hours of sleep'

Want more practice?

LingoLeap includes 60 Complete the Words exercises covering multiple topics and difficulty levels:

  • Beginner passages with everyday topics
  • Intermediate passages with academic vocabulary
  • Advanced academic passages for high scorers
  • TOEFL-style answer explanations for every set
Practice Complete the Words

Sign up to access the full exercise library and save your progress.

Beginner Tips for Complete the Words

1

Read the full first sentence carefully

It sets the topic and often contains vocabulary that reappears in truncated form later.

2

Look at word endings first

Suffixes like -tion, -ment, -ing, and -ed narrow down possible answers before you think about meaning.

3

Use the letters you have

The visible first half of each word is your biggest clue. Think of words that start with those exact letters.

4

Do not overthink short words

Words like 'of', 'and', 'the', 'is' can be truncated too. If you see 'o_' or 'a__', try common function words first.

Next Steps

Once you can consistently restore 8+ words correctly per passage, move on to advanced Complete the Words exercises with harder vocabulary. You can also review targeted strategies for solving these questions faster under timed conditions.

Unlock the Full Complete the Words Practice Library

LingoLeap provides 60 TOEFL-style Complete the Words exercises, from beginner to advanced difficulty. Practice with answer explanations and track your progress across sets.

Unlock 60 Practice Sets

Frequently Asked Questions

How many practice passages should I do per day?
Start with 2–3 passages daily. Each passage takes 3–4 minutes, so a 10–15 minute daily practice session is enough to build consistency without burnout.
Are these practice passages the same difficulty as the real TOEFL?
The passages on this page are designed at a foundational level (CEFR B1–B2) to help beginners build confidence. The real TOEFL may include slightly more complex academic vocabulary.
Should I time myself during practice?
Not at first. Focus on accuracy and understanding the C-test pattern. Once you can consistently restore 8–10 words correctly, start timing yourself at 3–4 minutes per passage.
What if I cannot figure out a truncated word?
Skip it and return after completing the other blanks. Context from surrounding restored words often reveals the answer. Also check whether grammar clues (plural, tense, word form) narrow it down.
Where can I find harder Complete the Words exercises?
See our advanced exercises page for intermediate-to-advanced C-test passages with more complex academic vocabulary and longer texts.

Related Guides

Complete the Words cluster

Next practice steps