The history of Halloween exercise - Free Printable

Here is the completed text with the correct words filled into each gap, along with a clear explanation for each answer.

---

THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

More (1) than two thousand years (2) ago, the Celts who lived (3) in Ireland celebrated a special festival (4) called Samhain (5) on 1st November. It (6) was their New Year celebration. Later 1st November became known (7) as All Saints’ Day or All Hallows’. The evening (8) before All Hallows’ became known as Hallow’s Eve (9) and later Halloween (10) or Hallowe’en.

The Celts believed (11) that evil spirits would come (12) out to harm them (13) on Hallow’s Eve, so they (14) decided to dress (15) up in costumes to look (16) like ghosts (17) so that the evil spirits would think (18) they were like them and (19) not hurt them.

People used to make lanterns (20) by carving turnips and putting candles (21) inside them. (22) When many Irish people emigrated (23) to America to escape the potato famine of 1846, (24) they took the tradition of Halloween (25) with them, except that it (26) was easier to find pumpkins (27) there than turnips and this is (28) why Americans used to make their jack-o’-lanterns.

Halloween is (29) not a public holiday. It is just a day when people (30) have lots of fun.

---

✔ Explanation for Each Gap:

1. than — “More than” is a fixed phrase meaning exceeding a number.
2. ago — Refers to time in the past (“two thousand years ago”).
3. in — We say “lived in Ireland” (country uses “in”).
4. called — Passive form: “a festival called Samhain.”
5. on — Specific date → use “on 1st November.”
6. was — Past tense verb agreeing with “It” (the festival).
7. as — “became known as” = became recognized by that name.
8. before — The evening *before* All Hallows’ Day → Hallow’s Eve.
9. and — Connects “Hallow’s Eve” and “later Halloween” as sequential names.
10. or — “Halloween” and “Hallowe’en” are alternative spellings → use “or.”
11. that — Introduces a belief clause: “believed that evil spirits...”
12. out — Idiom: “come out” = emerge from hiding/otherworld.
13. on — Again, specific day → “on Hallow’s Eve.”
14. decided — Past action: they chose to do something → “decided to dress...”
15. up — Phrasal verb: “dress up” = wear costumes.
16. like — To resemble: “look like ghosts.”
17. so — Purpose conjunction: “so that” = in order that.
18. they — Refers back to “people” (who dressed up).
19. not — Negative: spirits would *not* hurt them if fooled.
20. by — Method: lanterns made *by* carving turnips.
21. inside — Candles placed *inside* the carved turnips.
22. When — Time clause introducing migration event.
23. to — Emigrate *to* a country.
24. they — Subject pronoun referring to “many Irish people.”
25. with — Take something *with* you → carried the tradition.
26. was — Past tense: “it was easier...”
27. there — Refers to America (where they were now).
28. why — Explains reason: “this is why Americans used pumpkins.”
29. not — Halloween is *not* an official public holiday.
30. have — Fixed phrase: “have lots of fun.”

---

✔ This exercise tests vocabulary, grammar (prepositions, tenses, conjunctions), and contextual understanding of Halloween history. All answers fit logically and grammatically.

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or a quiz based on this! 🎃