Reading Part 1: How to Approach Missing-Letter Questions

Reading Part 1: Complete the Words

In Reading Part 1 of the new TOEFL format, you are asked to complete the appropriate word for a blank in a passage. The good news is that you do not have to come up with a word entirely on your own; the first two or three letters are already provided, and you must complete the word based on the context.

The words you need to complete are not limited to content words such as nouns and verbs, but may also include grammatical elements such as prepositions.

Sample Question of Reading Part 1

Before we look at effective strategies and approaches for Reading Part 1, let’s first try a sample question in this format.

Fill in the missing letters in the paragraph.
The number of underlines shows how many letters you need to fill in. You may answer with the full word or only the missing part.
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The Earth's outer shell is divided into massive slabs of rock known as tectonic plates. These plates are in constant mo_ _ _ _ , though the movement is usually too slow to no_ _ _ _ in daily life. Over long per_ _ _ _ , however, their gradual displacement reshapes the planet’s surface. When plates collide, they form mountain ranges or triggering earthquakes. In other regions, plates move apart, allowing molten material to rise and create new cr_ _ _ . Because the Earth’s surface is always shifting, geological features that appear stable are, i_ fact, never truly sta_ _ _ . This continual mov_ _ _ _ _ reflects the dyn_ _ _ _ nature of plate tec_ _ _ _ _ _ _.

Time's up

Three Effective Strategies for Finding the Appropriate Word

You may notice that there are three main approaches to completing each word. Below are three strategies you should apply in order of priority.

1. If you can think of an appropriate word based on the context and the given letters, simply use it.
2. Read the entire passage and look for a paraphrased idea elsewhere in the text.
3. Read the entire passage again and find the exact word that appears in another part of the passage.

Realizing the Appropriate Word from Context and Given Letters

If you can think of an appropriate word based on the context and the given letters, and you are confident that it fits naturally in the sentence, you should simply complete the word.

As long as the number of missing letters matches, there is a high likelihood that it is the correct answer. For example, if you see “Over long per_ _ _ _” you may recognize that the word “periods” fits. The number of missing letters matches the word, which confirms your choice.

This strategy applies not only to content words but also to grammatical words. For instance, you might see a blank such as:

i_ fact

If you are familiar with English enough, you may quickly recognize that “in fact” is a common expression used to emphasize or clarify a statement.

Knowledge of Singular and Plural Forms Matters

Since the number of missing letters is given, you can check whether an imagined word fits the required length. However, understanding whether a noun should be singular or plural can further narrow down the possible answers.

To determine the correct form, focus on two key points:

• Is the noun countable or uncountable?
• Is the noun preceded by a singular article (a / an)?

For example, in the phrase “Over long per_ _ _ _,” there is no singular article before the noun. This suggests that a plural noun “periods” is more likely to follow “long.”

In contrast, if the sentence begins with

A period of economic prosperity is defined as a time of steady economic growth.

you can expect the singular form “period,” since the article “a” requires a singular countable noun.

Look for a Paraphrased Idea

Sometimes, a word in the passage reflects a paraphrased idea of a word that appears elsewhere in the same passage. Consider the following example:

Because the Earth’s surface is always shifting… This continual mov_ _ _ _ _ reflects…

The sentence containing the blank begins with “This,” which signals that it refers to an idea mentioned in the previous sentence. If you look at the preceding sentence, it states that “the Earth’s surface is always shifting.” You can see that “always shifting” and “continual mov…” express the same idea.

Therefore, you should think of a paraphrase of “shifting” that begins with “mov.” In this case, “movement” fits both the meaning and the given letters.

Of course, if you can immediately recognize the correct word without consciously analyzing the logic, that is perfectly fine, as mentioned in the first strategy.

Find the Exact Word in a Passage

This strategy sometimes works especially well in Reading Part 1, particularly in Module 1. If a missing word is relatively advanced or technical vocabulary, the exact word may appear earlier or later in the same passage.

Let’s think about the following example:

The Earth’s outer shell is divided into massive slabs of rock known as tectonic plates. … This continual movement reflects the dynamic nature of plate tec_ _ _ _ _ _.

The opening sentence contains the phrase “tectonic plates,” and a closely related form of the same word appears at the end of the passage as the missing word. Although the word order changes, “tectonic plates” and “plate tec…” clearly refer to the same concept.

If you notice this connection, you can identify the word “tectonic” from the earlier sentence and adjust its form to fit the blank. In this case, the correct word is “tectonics.” Even though “tectonic” is originally an adjective, the blank requires the noun form.

Since there is no singular article before the blank, the plural form “tectonics” is appropriate.

Efficient Approach is Important

Until now, you may have relied mainly on intuition when tackling Reading Part 1. That can certainly be an effective way to save time. However, it’s important to have backup strategies in case your intuition doesn’t work.

Keep in mind that Reading Part 1 appears in both Module 1 and Module 2. This section is relatively easy to score well on and makes up a significant portion of your Reading score due to the large number of questions (about 10 questions in each module).

In Module 2, there are only about 14 or 15 questions in total. Simple math shows how important Part 1 accuracy is for your overall Reading score.