The history of Halloween exercise - Free Printable

Here's the completed text with the most logical and grammatically correct words filled into each gap, along with an explanation for each choice:

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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.

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✔ Explanation for Each Gap:

1. than – “More than” is the correct phrase to indicate exceeding a quantity (more than 2000 years).
2. ago – Refers to time in the past; “two thousand years ago” is standard.
3. in – We live *in* a country (Ireland).
4. called – The festival was *named* Samhain → “called Samhain”.
5. on – Specific dates use “on” (on 1st November).
6. was – Past tense verb agreeing with “It” → “It was their celebration.”
7. as – “Became known as” is the correct idiom.
8. before – The evening *before* All Hallows’ Day → logically precedes it.
9. and – Connects two related ideas: “Hallow’s Eve and later Halloween.”
10. or – “Halloween or Hallowe’en” — both are acceptable spellings.
11. that – Introduces a clause: “believed that evil spirits...”
12. out – Spirits “come out” (emerge from hiding/otherworld).
13. on – Again, specific day → “on Hallow’s Eve.”
14. decided – Past action: they made a choice → “decided to dress up.”
15. up – “Dress up” is the phrasal verb meaning to wear costumes.
16. like – To resemble something → “look like ghosts.”
17. so – Purpose conjunction: “so that...” = in order that.
18. they – Refers back to “people” (the Celts) — spirits would think *they* (the people) were like them.
19. not – Negative: spirits would *not* hurt them if fooled.
20. by – Method: “make lanterns *by* carving...”
21. inside – Candles go *inside* the carved turnips.
22. When – Time clause introducing historical event: “When many Irish emigrated...”
23. to – Emigrate *to* a country (America).
24. they – Subject pronoun referring to “many Irish people.”
25. with – Took the tradition *with* them (carried it over).
26. was – Past tense: “it was easier...”
27. there – Contrasts location: pumpkins were easier to find *there* (in America) than turnips.
28. why – Explains reason: “this is why Americans used...”
29. not – Halloween is *not* officially a public holiday in most places.
30. have – “Have fun” is the correct collocation.

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✔ This solution fills all gaps with contextually appropriate, grammatically correct words that match the historical and cultural narrative of Halloween’s origins.