A method for sequencing a template nucleic acid molecule, the method comprising: I. an examination step comprising: (a) providing a template nucleic acid molecule primed with a primer, wherein the primer comprises a reversible terminator moiety at the 3' end; (b) contacting the primed template nucleic acid molecule with a first reaction mixture comprising a plurality of polymerases and a first unlabeled nucleotide molecule, wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule, a polymerase and the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule form a ternary closed-complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule, and wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase are capable of forming a binary complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is not complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule; (c) washing to remove any binary complex between the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase; (d) monitoring the ternary closed-complex without chemical incorporation of the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule into the primer of the primed template nucleic acid molecule due to the reversible terminator moiety of the primer; and (e) identifying the nucleotide that is complementary to the next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule by the monitored interaction of step (d); and II. repeating the examination step prior to incorporating a nucleotide into the primer. I. an examination step comprising: (a) providing a template nucleic acid molecule primed with a primer, wherein the primer comprises a reversible terminator moiety at the 3' end; (b) contacting the primed template nucleic acid molecule with a first reaction mixture comprising a plurality of polymerases and a first unlabeled nucleotide molecule, wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule, a polymerase and the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule form a ternary closed-complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule, and wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase are capable of forming a binary complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is not complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule; (c) washing to remove any binary complex between the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase; (d) monitoring the ternary closed-complex without chemical incorporation of the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule into the primer of the primed template nucleic acid molecule due to the reversible terminator moiety of the primer; and (e) identifying the nucleotide that is complementary to the next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule by the monitored interaction of step (d); and (a) providing a template nucleic acid molecule primed with a primer, wherein the primer comprises a reversible terminator moiety at the 3' end; (b) contacting the primed template nucleic acid molecule with a first reaction mixture comprising a plurality of polymerases and a first unlabeled nucleotide molecule, wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule, a polymerase and the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule form a ternary closed-complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule, and wherein the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase are capable of forming a binary complex when the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule is not complementary to a next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule; (c) washing to remove any binary complex between the primed template nucleic acid molecule and a polymerase; (d) monitoring the ternary closed-complex without chemical incorporation of the first unlabeled nucleotide molecule into the primer of the primed template nucleic acid molecule due to the reversible terminator moiety of the primer; and (e) identifying the nucleotide that is complementary to the next base of the primed template nucleic acid molecule by the monitored interaction of step (d); and II. repeating the examination step prior to incorporating a nucleotide into the primer.