Complete the Words
Complete the missing letters in an academic paragraph by using grammar, meaning and word families.
In this lesson you will
- Use grammar clues to decide the word form
- Use meaning and collocations to find the word
- Check spelling of common academic words
Learn
In Complete the Words you see a short academic paragraph where some words have their second half missing. You type the missing letters.
Use grammar: after the you need a noun or adjective; after to often a verb; plural subjects need plural verbs. Researchers ha___ found → have.
Use meaning: read the whole sentence. Over thous___ of years → thousands. Collocations help: make a deci___ → decision.
Check spelling: double letters (accommodate), endings (-tion/-sion, -ance/-ence) and plurals. Read the completed paragraph once more at the end.
Examples
- “Ea___ polyp” → Each
- “These skeletons accu___ over time” → accumulate
- “a sm___ part of the ocean floor” → small
Vocabulary
word family
words from the same root: decide, decision, decisive
collocation
words that often go together
“make a decision”
suffix
letters added at the end: -tion, -ment
clue
information that helps you find an answer
context
the words around a word
Practice
Type the missing letters.
Lesson quiz
Type the missing letters.
Review
Key points
- Grammar decides the form.
- Meaning and collocations decide the word.
- Check spelling and re-read.
What you learned
- ✓ I can use grammar clues.
- ✓ I can use context and collocations.
- ✓ I check spelling carefully.