A text completion system that automatically displays a list of completion suggestions for a partial data entry in response to a pause in receipt of the data entry. To avoid annoying the user by displaying an excessive number of wrong suggestions, the text completion system applies search criteria to the partial data entry. If the partial data entry satisfies the search criteria, the text completion system obtains a prioritized list of word predictions for the partial data entry from a word prediction system. To further avoid annoying the user by displaying very short completion suggestions, the text completion system applies display criteria to the word predictions to obtain a prioritized list of completion suggestions that satisfy the display criteria. This prioritized list of completion suggestions is then displayed in a pop-up list box, typically immediately under and to the right of the partial data entry. The completion suggestions are positioned in the list based on a computed indication of likelihood of being correct. The user may accept a completion suggestion from the list by touching a stylus to the display screen over the position of the desired completion suggestion, or by using traditional selection and acceptance keystrokes, such as the "arrow" keys to select a completion suggestion and the "enter" key to accept the selected completion suggestion. Thus, the text completion system allows the user to complete the partial data entry without having to type the remaining letters of the complete data entry.