Like any other standardized test, TOEIC also requires you to demonstrate various skills you have – of course, this test focuses exclusively on the English language.
So, cracking the TOEIC requires skills, and there is something common between these skills and the skills that you would need to swim, drive a car, or play rugby!
Any skill can be acquired and improved only by practicing, and unlike knowledge, which you can gain by reading a book or listening to someone or watching a video, skills can be learnt by doing.
So, the primary input required by you to acquire and improve your skills for cracking the TOEIC test is professional guidance / coaching and the secondary factor is the practice.
Practice is something that is completely dependent on you because it requires you to have the commitment, determination and the enthusiasm to put in the required number of hours of practice.
Professional guidance / help is what this book provides you – in fact, this book is an excellent source of detailed information that is a bible for anyone planning to take the TOEIC.
Chapter 1 discusses the need for the right source of information to which you should refer to when preparing to take the TOEIC, and also highlights various tips on your path to success with the test.
Chapter 2 provides you essential information about the TOEIC, including the process of registration for the test, where to take it and whether you are equipped to take it.
You will also learn how the various sections in TOEIC are scored, and methods to check whether your preparation is on track.
Chapter 3 furnishes a brief overview of each section in TOEIC, and including the “new” listening and reading sections.
Chapter 4 presents a detailed analysis of each question type in TOEIC and provides you with simple and easy to use strategies that have been compiled over 17 years of experience tutoring test takers.
It also describes what is actually being tested in each of the sections, so that you know how to answer different question types in each section.
Chapter 5 provides some useful links, references and a vocabulary list, which has been compiled based on question types included on the TOEIC.
Not all test-taking strategies and skills are universally applicable to all standardized tests.
So, you should first be aware of specific test-taking skills that are relevant to TOEIC.
In fact, there are a number of concepts that you need to learn, techniques that you need to practice, and tips that you can use so that you score high on the test.
The following are a few pointers towards your path to success on the TOEIC:
a.Follow a Study Plan: You should have a study plan that suits your learning style – this is because each individual has a different way of learning – some may need just a single reading while some others may need to study at least 3 to 4 times; some may easily learn by reading, while some may prefer to listen to an audio of the course, while some others might want to learn by doing only.
So, you have to identify what your preferred learning style is, and how much time you need for each concept, and accordingly, prepare an effective study plan for yourself.
b.All sections / questions are equally important: Each of the sections in TOEIC is equally important, and so is every question on the test.
So, you should avoid spending a lot of time on some questions because this might decrease the amount of time you have left for the other questions.
Moreover, by spending more time on one or a few questions, you lose the opportunity of utilizing that time for other questions later, which could be relatively easier.
c.Get acquainted with the test format: Often test takers end up spending a lot of time reading the instructions and trying to interpret / understand them in the actual test.
This eats away into the amount of time they effectively have left for answering the questions.
So, you have to become thorough with the test format, the different sections included on the test, the question types, instructions for each section / question type, and the amount of time you can safely spend on each section.
If you are thorough with all these details, you can directly go ahead with answering the questions, instead of getting stuck with the instructions.
d.Look for the forest, not just the trees: You should improve your global comprehension abilities so that you get the big picture, which is very essential for scoring high on the TOEIC, particularly in the reading section.
So, in addition to paying attention to the minute details, you should also practice focusing on the big picture and reading between the lines.
This is particularly useful with the new reading section, which consists of both single and double passages
e.Connect and synthesize information: With the listening section, you should understand the main idea, important details and be able to identify the structure in which the information is presented.
You should also practice drawing conclusions and forming your opinions based on what you listen.
f.Practice speaking with clarity and emphasis: For the speaking section of the TOEIC, you are expected to speak in a way that can easily be comprehended by others – so, you should have voice clarity and also be able to use the right tone depending on what you are speaking, to emphasize the importance or to draw attention to specific details.
g.Polish up your grammar and vocabulary: The writing section of the TOEIC requires you to write and respond to different tasks – so, you should be able to write grammatically correct sentences, while using appropriate vocabulary.
The aim is not to use complex vocabulary, but to use ‘appropriate’ words depending on the context and the situation you are presented with.
h.Track your progress: Like with any goal that you plan to achieve, cracking the TOEIC also requires you to keep track of your progress.
So, once you have the preparation plan in place, you need to assess at regular intervals and see how much of your preparation is completed, and how much more is still remaining.
This self assessment will help you to be on track and will also help you to identify any deficiencies that need to be addressed so that you can score high on the test.
Learning involves assimilation of knowledge, and conversion of this knowledge into skill and further strengthening of the skill.
Every skill is based on a set of knowledge parameters.
Your learning will hence be the outcome of the combination of knowledge as well as the skill set.
The more time you spend practicing, the more comfortable you would become with the test format –the sections and the various question types on the test.
Practice also helps you to become adept at responding to questions with ease and confidence.
So, practice, practice, and practice; practice is the key!
You can plot your learning curve by considering various parameters as follows:
a.The total number of questions you answer in a given amount of time
b.The total number of questions you answer correctly
c.The number of times you read a question before answering
d.The average time you take per question in each of the sections
You can schedule your study hours based on your preferences and body clock as well.
Some test takers are mentally active in the mornings, while some are active in the afternoons, while others are active during the evenings or in the late evenings.
So, once you identify the timings of the day during which you are comfortable studying and preparing for the test, you should plan for a specific number of study hours to be spent during those timings.
Research findings indicate that any test preparation / mental and cognitive study results in effective learning for most people if done between 6am and 10 am in the morning or 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm in the afternoon.
These are not rigid timings that you should definitely follow; you should identify your own.
So, as we already discussed, based on your body clock and preference, you will have to decide your own timings that you set aside to be spent studying for the test.
It is also found that if you regularly sit at the same location while preparing for the test, it also results in faster and focused learning.
So, you could probably consider this fact and decide to sit at your study table or at your desk whenever you prepare for the test.
Education Testing Services (ETS) is the organization that designs, develops and implements customized assessment tests across the world.
The mission of ETS is “to advance quality and equity in education for all people worldwide by providing fair and valid assessments, research, and related services.”
They conduct standardized tests including but not limited to GRE, MAPP, Praxis, PSAT / NMSQT, SAT, TOEFL, TOEIC, TSE, CLEP, etc to measure knowledge and skills, promote learning and educational performance, and support education and professional development of all people worldwide.
Some of the tests offered by ETS are paper based only, some are computer based / computer adaptive only, while some are offered both in the computer and paper-pencil mode.
Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is a test conducted by ETS to measure the ability of non-native speakers of English in using it in their daily work activities.
It measures the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment and hence does not require any specialized knowledge or vocabulary.
TOEIC was created with the primary aim of determining the proficiency levels of employees or potential employees for human resource planning and development in the context of business, industry and commerce.
Today the test is taken by more than 4,500,000 people each year across the world and consists of assessment of the Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills of the test takers.
The test does not focus on either “American English” or “British English,” but focuses on “International English,” the language used by speakers whose native language is not English and hence this test is taken by non-native English speakers to demonstrate their proficiency in English language.
In addition to corporations, and government agencies, English language schools, colleges and universities also use the TOEIC test – a total of more than 9000 organizations in over 90 countries!
TOEIC is used by corporations to recruit and promote their employees, do benchmarking of their proficiency in English language and measure the effectiveness of programs related to English language training.
TOEIC is also used by government agencies to recruit, hire and promote their employees and also to measure the progress in English language courses.
The results of TOEIC are used by English language schools, colleges and universities to assess and understand the students’ proficiency in order to place them at the right learning levels in a program or a course, and also to document the learning curve, and progress of the students in addition to assessing the training effectiveness of English language programs.
The test consists of questions that reflect current styles of communication in business organizations and is a paper-pencil, multiple-choice test.
The sections in the test involve usage of audio, video, pictures, visuals, graphics and written materials to assess the test-takers’ proficiency in English language.
TOEIC avoids esoteric, low-frequency and highly technical vocabulary and is based on English language formats found in the letters, memoranda and short texts used by business people in the international workplace.
If you are in the US, you can register for the test either online or through mail. In order to register online, you will require one of the following:
.Visa card
.Master Card
.American Express Card
.Discover Card
.JCB Card
Please note that which ever card you plan to use for your online registration of TOEIC, it should be registered on your name.
So, if you are not yet in possession of any of these cards, apply immediately – it usually takes about 2-3 weeks for any of these cards to be issued.
There are two modes in which ETS conducts the TOEIC: One is the open testing and the other is the on-site testing.
Open testing is available for anyone to register, and hence is also referred to as public testing.
On-site testing is conducted for a group of test takers in a particular company / organization or school / college and registration is usually limited to the patrons of that organization only; the general public is not allowed to register for it.
If you are part of a company or a school / college and would like to take the test, then the TOEIC test may be given by your employer or school college.
To find out more details, you can contact your supervisor or instructor.
Open testing is conducted 12 times in a year – once every month, at various locations in the US, and the following are the test dates for the year 2009: January 10, February 14, March 14, April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, September 12, October 10, November 14, and December 12.
The test fee for open testing is $75 in the US – this includes registration fee and the fee for taking the test; this fee may vary in other countries.
The fee for on-site testing shall be set and informed by your supervisor or instructor in your company or school / college respectively.
If you want to register online, get your card ready and log on to the test registration site at: https://toeicrts.ets.org/WebRegistration/toeic/StartPage.jsp
If you want to register by mail, you can download the application form from the link: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=3ab01fd88fca4110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=12bbfe3f4c394110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
After downloading the application form and completing it, you should mail it along with your test fee to the following address, based on whether you are in the US or Peurto Rico:
Mailing address to send your application to in the US:
TOEIC Services America
1425 Lower Ferry Road
E Wing, NJ 08618.
Mailing address to send your application to in Puerto Rico:
ETS Puerto Rico Office
Suite 315, American International Plaza
250 Munoz Rivera Avenue
Hato Rey, Peurto Rico 00918
Note:
Your application either online or by mail should reach ETS by 5:00 PM (Eastern Time – New York) on the Thursday one week prior to your test date.
For example, if you plan to take the test on August 8, 2009, then your application should reach ETS before 5:00 PM on July 31, 2009.
Incase you need to register outside the US, then you can do so by contacting the Local ETS Preferred Vendor in your geographical area – they will be able to give you complete information about the TOEIC that is applicable to your area.
Please note that while the test fee in US is $75, it may vary depending on your country / location.
To find out the contact details of the Local ETS Preferred Vendor in your area, you can go here: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=e75caf5e44df4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=70b7be3a864f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
Your country may not have a Local ETS Preferred Vendor – in that case, you can log in to the ETS – TOEIC site at the following link and fill out an Information Request Form, based on which ETS will contact you for the next step: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.1488512ecfd5b8849a77b13bc3921509/?vgnextoid=dd2ccc155fea4110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=861dfe3f4c394110VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
For test-takers with diabilities, there are a separate set of accommodations that may be provided, as follows:
e.Provision for extension of the time for taking the test
f.Provision of assistance for reading out the test content
g.Provision of alternate formats for the test including audio recording, Braille, Large print (both test paper and answer sheet), omission of section on listening comprehension, etc.
To request for any of these special accommodations, you will have to contact your Local ETS Prefered Vendor and they shall be provided if approved by the TOEIC Program.
After registering for the test, you may, due to reasons beyond your control, wish to cancel your registration or change your test date; in either case, you have to contact ETS if you are in the US, and if you are outside the US, then you need to contact your Local ETS Preferred Vendor.
If you wish to cancel your registration, please note that ETS does not refund the test fee; it is done only when ETS cancels the test due to low enrollment – and in such a case, ETS will contact you and inform you of the change.
If you wish to retake the TOEIC test, you have to wait for 28 days before doing so.
In case you happen to take the test more than once within 28 days, then ETS will not score the test, and your fee will NOT be refunded. Further, if you want to take the test again after the 28 days, you will have to repay the test fee.
The following procedures and regulations apply during the entire test session, which begins when test takers are admitted to the test center and ends when they leave the test center:
a.No test taker will be admitted after test materials have been distributed.
b.Books, dictionaries, papers, notes, rulers, calculators, watch alarms, mobile phones, listening devices, recording or photographic equipment, highlighters or aids of any kind are not allowed in the testing room.
c.Paper of any kind is not permitted in the testing room.
d.Test takers may not mark or underline words in the test book or make notes in the test book or on the answer sheet.
e.Test takers must have the supervisor’s permission to leave the testing room. Any lost time cannot be made up.
f.There is no scheduled break during the TOEIC test. If a test taker must leave the testing room, s/he is required to give the supervisor identification document(s) before leaving the room. It will not be possible to make up the time lost. At the conclusion of the test, the test taker will be required to return the test book and answer sheet to the test supervisor.
The TOEIC test contains multiple-choice questions and is a paper-pencil test. The TOEIC Listening & Reading test was redesigned in 2006 with slight changes to the number of questions and their types.
Given below is a description of the test, which we shall discuss in detail in the later chapters.
TOEIC Listening & Reading test consists of two sections of 100 questions each; each of the sections is separately timed.
Section One: Listening Section: 45 minutes: 100 questions
In this section you need to listed to a variety of questions and short conversations recorded in English, and then respond to questions.
Your responses should be based on the information you have been able to gather by listening to the conversations that are played and not based on your own personal opinions.
This section is divided into four parts as follows:
Part One: Questions based on Photographs: 10
Part Two: Questions based on Question-Response: 30
Part Three: Questions based on Short Conversations: 30
Part Four: Questions based on Short Talks: 30
Section Two: Reading Section: 75 minutes: 100 questions
In this section you have to read a variety of materials and give your answers to questions based on the content that you read.
The difference between this section and the previous section is that in the listening section, you should continue answering as the audios are being played and hence, there is the element of alertness and quickness required to be able to catch up with the recordings. Whereas in this section you can read the contents provided and answer the questions at your own pace.
This section is divided into three parts as follows:
Part Five: Questions based on Incomplete Sentences: 40
Part Six: Questions based on Text Completion: 12
Part Seven: Questions based on Reading Comprehension: 48
You are required to respond to each question by marking your answer as (A), (B), (C), or (D) on a separate answer sheet
In addition to the two sections, you are also required to respond to biographical questions about yourself and a brief questionnaire about your education and work experience.
The total time allowed for the test including the two sections, biographical questions and the brief questionnaire is 150 minutes – 2 ½ hours.
The questions in TOEIC are taken from a wide spectrum of setting and situations from the real world and include content related to travel, housing, dining out, entertainment, finance and budgeting, general business, production and manufacturing, computer and the internet, etc.
Given below is a list of contexts from which the TOEIC test questions are drawn from, as provided by ETS:
.Corporate Development - research, product development
.Dining Out - business and informal lunches, banquets, receptions, restaurant reservations
.Entertainment - cinema, theater, music, art, exhibitions, museums, media
.Finance and Budgeting - banking, investments, taxes, accounting, billing
.General Business - contracts, negotiations, mergers, marketing, sales, warranties, business planning, conferences, labor relations
.Health - medical insurance, visiting doctors, dentists, clinics, hospitals
.Housing/Corporate Property - construction, specifications, buying and renting, electric and gas services
.Manufacturing - assembly lines, plant management, quality control
.Offices - board meetings, committees, letters, memoranda, telephone, fax and e-mail messages, office equipment and furniture, office procedures
.Personnel/Human Resources - recruiting, hiring, retiring, salaries, promotions, job applications, job advertisements, pensions, awards
.Purchasing - shopping, ordering supplies, shipping, invoices
.Technical Areas - electronics, technology, computers, laboratories and related equipment, technical specifications
.Travel - trains, airplanes, taxis, buses, ships, ferries, tickets, schedules, station and airport announcements, car rentals, hotels, reservations, delays and cancellations
Note: Difference between TOEIC and TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also a test that measures the proficiency of the test takers in english language, but unlike TOEIC which is meant to evaluate the english language proficiency of the test takers for the global workplace, TOEFL is meant to be taken by those pursuing academic studies only.
Furthermore, the language context of TOEIC and TOEFL also varies – TOEIC is focussed on the language used in international communication scenarios while TOEIC is focussed on language used in academic contexts.
While TOEIC contains about 200 questions and runs for 120 minutes of actual test time, TOEFL contains 140 questions and runs for 115 minutes of actual test time.
The scoring pattern is also different in TOEIC and TOEFL:
The score range for each of the two sections in TOEIC is 5 to 495; a total of 10 to 990 score for both the Listening and the Reading sections put together.
The score range for each of the three sections in TOEFL (Listening, Structure and Writing Expression and Reading Comprehension) is 30 to 68; a total of 310 to 677 (raw score converted to graded score).
In addition to your preparation to take the test, there are some requirements that you should fulfil to be able to take it.
At the test center, you will be required to produce two forms of identification, at least one of which must be current and not expired.
The identification that you produce should have not only your signature, but also your recent photograph on it.
A few forms that are accepted as photo identification are: Passport, Driver's license, State ID, National ID, Military ID, etc.
Before taking the test, you will be required to sign your name on a testing roster and you will not be allowed to retain your personal belongings like cell phone / mobile, wallet or purse or backpack, etc with you.
The moment you enter the test center, the test has starts and it ends when you leave the center.
In order to ensure that your preparation goes well and you enjoy every moment of it, while ensuring that you are equip yourself with the skills needed to crack the TOEIC, you can consider the following:
a.Cultivate the habit of speaking in english: Like with any other skill or a language, your proficiency in english language improves if you do it on a regular basis.
So, spend at least an hour every day communicating in english. You can pair up with one of your friends who is also preparing for the test, and both of you can practice talking to each other in english.
If you have no opporunity to interact with people face-to-face and speak to them in english, you can do so over the internet through email and chatting.
You can consider writing to your friends or family members emails on a regular basis – the only condition is that you write in english.
You can also practice chatting to people over the internet in english.
This practice will make you ready in every way, and it would not be a first time attempt when you actually try to communicate on the test.
b.Practice reading more: Vocabulary is obviously one of the important parameters you need to consider enhancing if you want to perform well on the test.
And, you can improve your vocabulary by reading – you can read newspapers, magazines, novels, etc.
Unlike your practice for speaking, which needs you interact someone who has a similar need to interact, reading practice needs you to just get some good reading materials; a lot of materials are available all around you.
c.Focus on the pronunciation / stress patterns: As the TOEIC test has a section on listening, you have to acquaint yourself with various stress paterns, rhythym, intonation, etc.
So, a nice way of doing it is by listening to audio files that contain conversations or speeches or even music!
d.Keep notes: Whenver you come across new words or expressions, a good thing to do is to ener them in a dairy that you maintain; if you continue doing this, over a period of time, you will be able to improve and refine not only your vocabulary but also the sentence structures that you use.
In addition to your preparation before the test, it is suggested that you also do the following so that you do well on the actual test day:
a.Ensure that you take well-balanced food before the test: There have been situations where the test takers have come to take the test either without eating anything or having a heavy meal. In the first case they run of energy too fast, and get exhausted even before they are done with half of the test while in the second case they feel so full and heavy in their stomach that they tend to relax and become mentally less alert.
Of course, inappropriate food before the test might also lead to undesirable inconveniences, that may not let you take the test in the right physical and mental state.
b.Take good rest before the test: You should get a good night’s sleep before the test day, so that you are well rested physically and mentally. Lack of rest can easily cause drowsiness and leave you exhausted on the day of the test.
c.Start your preparation early: Often many test takers wait till the nick of the moment to start their preparation ultimately give up due to lack of adequate time.
To avoid getting into such a situation, it is better that you start your preparation for the test well before hand – most successful test takers reveal that they have started their preparation at least 10 – 12 weeks before the actual test date.
d.Start early to the test center: To avoid unnecessary delays and last moment issues, it is always better to start early to the test center.
Better give yourself extra time, instead of later repenting over spilt milk.
e.Carry all required documents: Remember that without proper identification cards and other documents as prescribed, you may not be allowed to take the test.
So, carry with you both the identification forms and any other documentation, in addition to any stationery that you require, like pen, pencils, erasers, sharpner, etc.
As you can see, this book has a lot of information that you can use right from registering for the TOEIC to receiving the score, all you have to do is have an effective preparation plan in place.
If you have the appropriate study plan, then whatever be the number of days you have before the test, you still will be able to prepare thoroughly and make the best use of your time to score high on the test.
The study plan will also help you keep on track without being stressed out too much.
In order to arrive at the most appropriate plan that suits your needs, you have to consider these two points:
a.The number of days you have before your actual test date
b.The number of hours you can spend per day in preparing for the test
If have started your preparation early and have at least 2 to 3 months time before your TOEIC test, then you can plan to use all resources that are available for you like Practice Tests in books, test Preparation CDs available in the market, etc.
You can also consider joining in a TOEIC coaching program with a reputed tutor or institute.
On the other hand, if you are left with only about a month before your TOEIC test date, then a better thing to do would be to first take a diagnostic test to identify areas that you need to improve and accordingly prepare a study plan.
Once you are aware of your weaknesses and deficiencies, you will be able to tailor your study plan according to your needs, thereby avoiding wastage of time on areas that you are already comfortable with.
For instance, if you find that you are not able to perform well in the listening section, then you can plan so that you spend more time practicing exercises that involve listening to materials and answering questions that follow.
Similarly, if you find that you are yet to improve on your speaking abilities, then you can plan to spend more time speaking in english, which would help you to improve on your fluency and also your confidence levels.
Like wise, if you find that you are not yet thorough with grammar and vocabulary, you can put in place and follow a schedule that requires you to learn more grammar rules and new words every day.
If you want to keep track of your progress and preparation for the test, then I would suggest that you definitely start by taking a diagnostic test.
Your scores on the diagnostic test will indicate your current status and that will give you an idea as to how much effort you need to put to reach the desired score.
As you practice and prepare every day, based on the amount of time available, you can continue taking practice tests every alternate day or twice a week, or once a week so that you know whether there has been any improvement in your performance on a particular section.
Sometimes, during preparation, if your score suddenly falls in a particular practice test, you don’t have to be disarmed or worried because that test could have contained more difficult questions than the previous tests.
So, irrespective of the score in one single test, if you continue taking more and more practice tests, it would help you understand the score that you are able to reach on an average in each section.
You will respond to each question on the test by marking your answer as (A), (B), (C) or (D) on a separate answer sheet that is scannable.
Once you complete the test, your answers are read by an optical scanner and recorded by an I-OPS (Integrated Operations, Processing and Scoring) software, that is designed to scan and score the anwersheets and also track the performance of individual test takers, and groups of test takers across countries and geographical boundaries.
The number of correct answers you give on the TOEIC test will determine your score.
The total number of correct answers you give is not directly considered as your score on TOEIC – in fact, a ‘Scaled Score’ is derived from it.
The Scaled Scores you receive on TOEIC indicate how well you might be able to cope up with real-life situations and continue to perform in situations where you are required to speak in english.
The new score report provides the Percentile Rank information also for every test taker.
It refers to the percentage of the TOEIC Public Testing Program population of test takers in the past three years who score below the test taker’s scaled scores.
It is calculated based on a pool of test takers from the past three years and is updated every May and made available on the ETS website at www.ets.org/toeic
TOEIC is considered to be a standardized test – it means that the scores you get on the test are reliable and valid.
But, as your english language skills can either improve or worsen over a period of time due to various reasons that can be both internal and external, the scores are considered to be valid for two years.
This means that ETS will have your scores on file for that period of two years, and if you want to continue to have your score recorded with ETS, you will have to retake the test.
It is very easy to understand the format in which your scores are reported.
If you take the TOEIC at an open test location, ETS will send you your scores directly, whereas if you take the test through your school / college or employer, then whoever is your contact person there – either your instructor or your supervisor will give you your score report.
Your score report will list out your scores on the Listening Section, the Reading Section and also your total score in the whole test in a very simple, and easy to understand format.
Your scores are kept confidential, and are released only to the organization that has sponsored you for the test (your company or your school / college) and ETS. However, if you need, on your request and approval, your scores can also be furnished to other organizations.
In case you need duplicate copies of your score report, they are available if you have taken the TOEIC test at an open test center; you can contact your Local ETS Preferred Vendor for the additional copies.
After receiving your scores, if you feel that they do not relect exactly your proficiency in english language, then you can contact your Local ETS Preferred Vendor within six months of taking the test and request for a rescoring to be done.
On receipt of your request, your answer sheet will be rescored and a new score report shall be issued to you.
In case there is a discrepancy between your first score report and the second score report, then the representative will pay for rescoring your answer sheet.
On the other hand, if there is no discrepancy found between the two score sheets – the old and the new, then you will have to pay a small fee for towards the rescoring costs.
What do the TOEIC scores indicate?
Your TOEIC scores indicate if you have the necessary skills to:
.carry out specific job responsibilities
.participate in (and benefit from) training that's conducted in English
.work and interact successfully if posted to an English-speaking country
.advance within the organization — or if further English language training is required
How are the TOEIC scores used?
According to ETS, the scores obtained in TOEIC test are used by different organizations in different ways as described below:
Small businesses, multinationals, and government agencies alike use test scores as a management tool to make personnel decisions that include:
.recruiting, promoting and deploying employees
.job training
.overseas assignments
.language training
Language schools offer the TOEIC test as an external and objective means to test language skills. Test scores are used for
.placing incoming and continuing students into appropriate class levels
.demonstrating student progress (because the test can be taken multiple times and improvement can be seen in rising scores)
.evaluating the effectiveness of the school's program (because if the test is given at the beginning and end of the training course, the increase in test scores can show how much the program improved students' language skills).
Many universities and institutions of higher education — particularly engineering and business schools — require students to take the TOEIC test prior to graduation. Test scores demonstrate if
.specific levels of English proficiency (as a part of students' overall education) are met
.students have sufficient English language ability to participate effectively in the workforce once they graduate
Note:
There is no ‘pass score’ or ‘fail score’ in the TOEIC test, your score is just a measure of your proficiency in using english language in your daily communication in an international work scenario.
According to ETS, the TOEIC test gives you a fair and objective measure of English proficiency, and hence the test will enable you to:
.verify your current level of English proficiency
.qualify for a new position and/or promotion in a company
.enhance your professional credentials
.monitor your progress in English
.set your own learning goals
.involve your employer in advancing your English ability
The following are a few pointers that successful test takers are known to have understood and implemented to score high on the TOEIC test:
a.When stress is inevitable, enjoy it
Like with most other standardized tests including your academic semester end exams, taking the TOEIC test definitely involves a lot of stress and anxiety.
It is known fact that a little amount of stress is an indication of your anxiety to perform better and hence, it is always good.
Compared to someone who doesn’t have any stress at all, not even in the least bit, if you find that you are anxious; it is a good sign, and a telltale sign that you can’t contain yourself to start working on the test!
So, learn to recognize and appreciate stress and anxiety, if any while taking the test.
b.Avoid distractions
Life is full of coincidences as well as accidents.
So, if something unexpected happens on the day of your test outside the test center or at the test center, the secret is to remain unperturbed, and continue with focus on completing the test.
ETS goes to great pains in ensuring that the test taking environment is congenial to every test taker and that no kind of distractions happen.
Even if something untoward happens, remember that your job is to focus on completing the test and scoring high, so take control of your emotions and pay attention to only things that impact your score in the test.
c.Get well acquainted with the directions for every question type
The time that you are permitted for any section is fixed and will not be extended under any circumstances.
So, you have to make the best use of time available – please note that you do not have separate time allotted for reading and understanding the instructions.
Hence, if you utilizing some of the time available for reading and understanding the instructions, then it means that you are actually losing the opportunity of using that time for answering a few more questions.
The only way you can avoid wasting time for reading the instructions and directions is to make yourself familiar with the test format, all question types, and their instructions / directions beforehand.
d.The right answer is before you!
As all the questions on the TOEIC test are multiple choice questions, it is evident that the correct answer to the question is lying right there before your eyes on the paper!
You just have to weed out all the wrong options that are presented along with the correct option.
So, when you are not very sure of the correct answer option, you can use the elimination method and ignore all wrong options so that you are finally left with the correct option.
e.Don’t spend too much time on any one question
As TOEIC is a paper-based test, you have the option of moving between questions and returning to a question later if you are not sure being able to answer it the first time. Unlike the computer based test, where you have to answer a question before moving on to the next question, in TOEIC, you are completely at your liberty to go back to a previous question after answering a question. So, do not waste time on any single question, instead, focus on answering as many questions as possible in the time that is available.
f. Mark only one answer for each question
If you respond to a question by marking two answers, then both will be considered wrong and you will not be given any score / points even if one of them is the right answer.
g. Any answers you mark in the test booklet don’t count
You are required to mark your answers on the separate answer sheet that is provided, and not on the test booklet.
So, any answers you might mark on the test booklet will not be scored.
Furthermore, the answers you mark in the ‘circles’ provided for the purpose in the answer sheet will only be scored and hence you have to pay attention to this.
Also, there is no penalty for guessing – which means you don’t get negative points / score for wrong answers.
.The TOEIC test is a paper-based test.
.You should learn to understand and think like the TOEIC test designers
.Prepare your study plan depending on the amount of time you have before the test
.Start with a diagnostic test to identify areas that you need to concentrate more
.Be thorough with all the directions and instructions so that you don’t have to waste time going through them during the test
.Don’t spend too much time on any one question
ETS continuously validates its tests by ensuring that the test content is in alignment with the purpose for which the test is being conducted, and that fairness is maintained.
The Listening & Reading sections of the TOEIC test are now redesigned so that the improved sections assess proficiency by aligning questions with everyday language scenarios that happen in today’s workplace.
Most of the question types are the same as in the old version of the Listening & Reading sections, and the scale and score range also remains the same: 5 to 495 for each of the sections.
There are four major changes done in the Listening Section as follows:
a.The number of questions in Part 1, based on photographs has been decreased.
b.Both recorded and written questions are being used in Part 3 (conversations) as well as in Part 4 (Short talks).
c.In Part 3 (Conversations), instead of individual questions, sets of questions are now being given.
d.Various english accents as spoken in the US, UK, Canada and Australia are being used as part of the stimulus for the questions.
There are three major changes done in the Reading Section as follows:
a.Questions based on error recognition which earlier constituted Part 6 have been completely removed.
b.Instead of the questions based on error recognition, questions based on sentence completion have been included in Part 6.
c.Unlike single passages being given earlier, reading sets of questions based on two passages that are inter-related are being given in Part 7.
The following table provides a comparison between the TOEIC Listening & Reading Sections and the Redesigned / New Listening & Reading Sections:
Part | Question Type | TOEIC | REDESIGNED TOEIC |
| LISTENING SECTION | ||
1 | Photographs | 20 questions | 10 questions |
2 | Question-Response | 30 questions | 30 questions |
3 | Short Conversations | 30 questions
(30 conversations; 1 question each) | 30 questions
(10 conversations; 3 questions each) |
4 | Short Talks | 20 questions
(6-9 talks; 2-4 questions each) | 30 questions
(10 talks, 3 questions each) |
| READING SECTION | ||
5 | Incomplete Sentences | 40 questions | 40 questions |
6 | Error Recognition | 20 questions | NIL |
6 | Text Completion |
NIL | 12 questions
(4 reading sets, 3 questions each) |
7 | Reading Comprehension | 40 questions | 48 questions (Single passages: 28 questions; double passages: 20 questions) |
The total number of questions, the time allotted for each section and the total time for the entire test has remained same.
The redesigned TOEIC Listening & Reading test is also paper-based, the difficulty levels have remained the same and the score range and score scale have also remained the same.
The new TOEIC Speaking and Writing tests measure the test takers’ ability to speak and write in english in the workplace environment using expressions and common words that are used in everday interactions.
Unlike the TOEIC Listening & Reading tests which are conducted in the paper-pencil mode, the TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests are delivered through the internet and are available gobally.
In the Speaking & Writing tests, you are required to speak and write your responses to real-world questions and scenarios; the contents of the test involve business phrases, key expressions and vocabulary that are used commonly everyday in international business workplaces.
For each of the 11 questions in the Speaking Section, there are specific directions provided which clearly define the amount of time allowed for preparing and speaking out your response to the question.
The total time allotted is 20 minutes, and you should try to speak as much as possibel in those 20 minutes.
While speaking, you should also take care to ensure that you demonstrate clarity in your voice and respond to each question as per the directions given.
Questions 1 and 2 involve reading a text aloud.
The text that you need to read aloud will be displayed on the computer screen and you will be given 45 seconds to prepare, after which you will be given another 45 seconds to read the text out aloud.
Question 3 involves describing a picture.
The picture that you need to describe will be displayed on the screen and you will be given 30 seconds to observe, study the picture and get ready with your answer.
After the 30 second preparation, you will be given 45 seconds to describe the picture in your own words.
Questions 4 to 6 involve responding to questions that will be asked.
You will be asked a total of three questions, and you will have to respond to them without any preparation.
Unlike the previous questions from 1 to 3, there will no time for you to prepare your answers for the questions, and you are expected to respond to them impromptu.
Questions 7 to 9 involve respond to questions using information that will be provided to you.
Information will be provided to you on the screen and you have to answer a total of three questions based on that information.
You will first be given 30 seconds to study the information before you get the questions and the time for the three questions is not equally allotted.
A total of 15 seconds will be given to you to respond to questions 7 and 8 and you will be given 30 seconds to respond to question 9.
Question 10 involves proposing a solution.
The problem to which you have to propose the solution will be presented to you on the screen and you will be given 30 seconds to study the problem and prepare your response.
After this 30-second preparation time, you will be given 60 seconds to explain the solution you propose to the problem.
While doing so, you should be careful to first clearly state the problem to indicate that you have understood it perfectly, and then go ahead with explaining your proposed solution.
Question 11 involves expressing your opinion.
The topic on which you have to express your opinion will be given to you, and you will have 15 seconds to prepare your response.
After these 15 seconds, you will be given 60 seconds to express your opinion.
While doing so, you have to ensure that you first clearly state the topic that you are going to talk about, and then continue with expressing your opinon on it.
The TOEIC Writing Section: 60 minutes: 8 questions
For each of the 8 questions in the Writing Section, there are specific directions provided which clearly define the amount of time allowed for preparing and writing your response to the question.
The total time allotted is 60 minutes, and you should try to be as precise and concise as possible, and avoid beating around the bush.
While writing your responses, you should take care to ensure that you demonstrate ability in using correct spellings, punctuation, grammatically correct sentences and appropriate vocabulary depending on the context and situation.
Questions 1 to 5 involve writing a sentence based on a picture.
The picture based on which you have to write the sentence will be displayed on the screen, and you will be given a set of two words or phrases that you need to use in your sentence while writing about the picture.
You are permitted to change the forms of the two words / phrases given to you, and use them in any order.
Questions 6 and 7 involve responding to a written request.
You will be presented with emails on the screen, and you will have to read the email, and then respond to each email by writing out your response.
You will be given a total time of 10 minutes for reading and writing out your response, put together.
Question 8 involves writing an opinion essay.
The topic on which you have to write your essay will be presented in the form of a question on the screen, that will ask you to state, explain and support your opinion on an issue.
You will have to write the essay so that it contains a minimum of 300 words.
Neither the Speaking Section nor the Writing Section requires you to have any specialized business knowledge, as they measure your ability to communicate in the context of daily life and the international work place.
Just as in the case of the TOEIC Listening & Reading Tests, there is no passing or failing score for the TOEIC Speaking & Writing Tests as well.
Both the TOEIC Speaking & Writing Tests are offered at secure, internet-based test centers across the world, and for more information, you can contact your ETS Preferred Vendor.
You can take the test once in a calendar month and scores are usually received within 3 to 4 weeks.
If you are not sure whether you should take the TOEIC Listening & Reading Tests or the TOEIC Speaking & Writing Tests or both, you should first clarify from the agency that needs you to take the tests.
It is usually your school / college or the company that stipulates that you take the tests, and hence, contact your instructor in school or your supervisor in the company and confirm from them which tests you need to take.
ETS also offers the TOEIC Practice Online: Speaking & Writing Test Preparation Tool, which can be used anywhere with internet access and without proctor supervision.
However, instead of exact score, you will receive a score range, along with advice for improvement.
So, you can use this Practice Online Tool results as a basis for feedback for self improvement.
When you take the TOEIC Speaking & Writing Tests, your score will be reported as follows:
Speaking Test Scores
.Questions 1-9: Scored on a scale of 0 to 3
.Questions 10-11: Scored on a scale of 0 to 5
The sum of your scores for all the 11 questions is converted into a scaled score of 0 to 200 and there are a total of 8 proficiency levels provided.
Writing Test Scores
.Questions 1-5 are rated on a scale of 0-3
.Questions 6-7 are rated on a scale of 0-4
.Question 8 is rated on a scale of 0–5
The sum of your scores for all the 8 questions is converted into a scaled score of 0 to 200 and there are a total of 9 proficiency levels provided.
The Listening Comprehension section consists of a total of 100 questions to be answered in about 45 minutes – that’s less than 30 seconds per question!
You will be required to listen to audio that will be played and then based on the information presented; you will have to answer the questions.
With proper preparation and the right approaches, many test takers have scored 100 percent in the listening section, and you can too!
There are FOUR question types in the Listening Section as follows:
a.Photographs: 20 questions, each question will have four choices, from which you will have to choose the right answer choice.
b.Question – Response: 30 questions, each question will have three choices, from which you will have to choose the right answer choice
c.Short Conversations: 30 questions, each question will have four choices, from which you will have to choose the right answer choice
d.Short Talks: 20 questions, each question will have four choices, from which you will have to choose the right answer choice
Let us now look at each of these question types in detail:
a. Photographs: 20 questions
You will be presented with photographs / pictures and you will be required to choose the option that best describes the picture shown.
While answering questions of this type, you should pay particular attention to:
.Homonyms: Words that are different but sound similar.
Example: fifty – fifteen; bear / bare; etc.
.Incorrect use of the right words
.Right words used in a misleading manner
.Choices that are not completely correct, but contain only partially correct information
.Words that are out of context with respect to the picture shown
.Words that are connected to the location / environment shown in the picture, but are not part of what is shown
In order to score better in these type of questions, you should observe the picture and study it thoroughly, while trying to find answers for questions that start with the 5W’s and 1 H: What, Who, When, Where, Why and How.
The following are a couple of approaches that you can practice and implement to score better in these questions based on photographs:
1.Read the picture
I know, you can’t actually read it – but what I mean is that you have to understand the picture properly and to do so, imagine that you are part of the picture – it will give you a better perspective.
Usually the pictures that are presented contain some location or surroundings or a specific atmosphere – you have to notice the details in the picture and understand them as much as possible to interpret what the picture is about.
For example, you might see a bunch of school kids in a playground – so you will have to pay attention to the details in the picture to understand the game that they are playing.
Or, the picture might show a person near a blackboard with a book in hand – you might be able to conclude that it is the picture of a teacher in a classroom.
You should also pay attention to other details in the picture – like for example, in the first example above, you might want to see how many kids are there, whether they are carrying any bats, whether there is any coach or an instructor in the picture, etc.
Likewise, in the second example, you might see whether there is a clock in the picture of the classroom to understand the time, or whether you can count the number of students in the classroom, etc.
So, focus on the picture as much as possible and try to absorb as much information as possible.
2.Use Paired Comparison method
As the picture is presented for you to see and draw your observations, the answer choices will be presented through the audio – you do not have the option of listening to the choices a second time!
So, you have to be mentally alert the first time itself, and concentrate so that you don’t miss out on any vital details.
Unlike reading section where you can read the question and the choices any number of times at your convenience, the answer choices in the listening section are played to you only once through the audio and hence you have to start assessing the choices as they are being presented, instead waiting till all the choices are read out.
So, as the first answer choice is read out, you should check whether it can be the right answer – if you think it can be the right answer option, and then hold your pencil on the circle in the answer sheet that corresponds to the first choice for that question.
Do not immediately mark it as the answer, but continue paying attention to the next choices also.
Once the second choice is also read out, you should now compare the first choice with the second choice and see which a better answer is.
If you still think that the first choice has more probability of being the right answer, hold your pencil as it is, whereas if you think that the second choice is a more appropriate answer compared to the first choice, and then hold your pencil on the circle that corresponds to the second option.
Continue comparing the best possible answer with the next choices that are being presented to you for listening through the audio, and every time you decide on a better answer option, move your pencil to the circle corresponding to that choice in the answer sheet.
Using this method of paired comparison helps you to focus on the choices instead of trying to remember all the choices for comparison later.
3.Focus on names, places, objects, etc
Every single word that you listen on the audio is significant in understanding the information that is being provided – however, the names, objects, places, etc, anything that is a noun is more important as most of the questions and answer choices might be framed leveraging on the power of the noun.
So, you should focus on the nouns and try to understand how they are linked with the other information that is being presented.
For example, let us consider that you are shown a photograph with a woman sitting at a table, with a computer on it and her fingers are on the keyboard.
Options provided:
.The woman is working on the computer
.The woman is listening to music
.The woman is reading a book
.The woman is preparing for an exam
If you observe the four answer choices, they end with the words: computer, music, book, and exam respectively – if you remember these nouns, you don’t have to worry about remembering the complete sentences in the choices.
By observing the picture you would realize that the woman is doing something with the computer and the right answer would involve that, so you can easily identify the correct answer choice as “A.”
4.Look for word stress:
Yes, you should look for any words that are being stressed; they give a clue to what you should look for in the answer choices.
Stress on a particular word indicates emphasis and significance, and you will be able to identify the right answer choice by identifying such words.
5.Use the 5Ws and 1H
The moment you see the picture, try to get answers for all questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How – it will help you collect more information from the picture.
At the same time, you will also be able to be ready with the right answer even before the audio has started.
You are not expected to create fantasies or unimaginable stories around the picture, just get straight forward answers to the 5Ws and H.
Furthermore, as you start finding answers to these questions, the words you use to frame the answers will reoccur in the answer choices and it becomes even easier to immediately pin point the right answer choice.
b. Question – Response type: 30 questions
In this part of the Listening Section, questions can be asked about anything, and you will have to choose the most appropriate answer from among the answer choices presented.
In these question types also, you should be careful with the following:
.Words that are different but sound similar.
Example: fifty – fifteen; bear / bare; etc.
.Choices that are not completely correct, but contain only partially correct information
.Possible structure of answers for “WH” questions: What, When, Where, Who, Why
.Question tags: Example: ‘The boy is writing, isn’t he?’ Or ‘The woman is dancing, isn’t she?’ etc
.Open ended / close ended questions
The following are a couple of approaches that you can practice and implement to score better in these Question-Response types of questions:
f.Answer for yourself
As you listen to the question, imagine that you are actually being questioned and form your answer instantly.
When you consider that someone is putting that question to you, then it becomes easier to identify the right answer choice based on your probable response to the question.
For example, if the question is: “Did you have breakfast in the morning?”
If you imagine that this question is posed at you, then you might want to answer saying, “Yes, I did,” or “No, I didn’t.”
Once you have framed this answer in your mind, then it becomes easier for you to look for similar answer choice in the options provided.
g.Paraphrase your answer based on the question and the choices
The correct answer choice that you choose should be one that can be rephrased or paraphrased to form a meaningful sentence based on the context.
For example, if the question is: “Which of those cars is the most expensive?” and if the choices given are as follows:
A.Write with pencil
B.Fill the tank
C.The left most one
Let us now rephrase / paraphrase the choices and the question to make sentences:
A.Write with pencil is the most expensive
B.Fill the tank is the most expensive
C.The left most one is the most expensive
As you can see, the first two either do not make sense or are not appropriate to the context and hence cannot be the correct answers.
Whereas the third sentence makes complete sense and hence Choice “C” is the right answer.
h.Look for appropriate pronouns
By focusing on specific pronouns in the question and linking them to appropriate pronouns in the choices, you will be able to identify the right answer.
For example, if the question asked is, “What are you doing?” and the options given are:
A.He is dancing
B.You are working
C.I am eating
The pronoun in the question is “you” and hence an answer to such a question would obviously contain the corresponding pronoun “I” – so, it becomes very easy to identify the right answer as choice “C.”
A few other pronouns that you should look for are: I, we, they, them, he, she, it, itself, themselves, our selves, yourself, herself, himself, etc.
c. Short Conversations: 30 questions:
In these questions, you will listen to short conversations / dialogues and then answer questions based on them.
To be able to perform well in these types of questions, you have to sharpen your short-term memory – you should be able to recollect what you have heard a few moments ago.
In this part, you should be careful about:
.Words that sound similar
.Words which are not appropriate to the context
.Order of the words
.Specific words that alter the entire meaning of the sentence spoken
.Words that have a negative connotation: Example: Though, but, yet, in spite of, despite, unless, etc.
.Words that hint at time or duration or frequency: Example: Forever, seldom, always, never, often, sometimes, etc
One strategy that is found to work well with this question type is to quickly go through the question and the choices given even before you listen to the conversation – then, you would know what to look for, and your attention will be focused on that specific information.
Of course, after you listen to the conversation, you will have to keep in mind all the options as you visualize the context in which the conversation might have happened and the subject being discussed.
The following are a couple of approaches that you can practice and implement to score better in these questions based on Short Conversations:
1.Understand the main idea of the conversation:
In any conversation, there will be a main idea about which the speakers will be talking.
One way of identifying the main idea of a conversation is by looking for repeatedly used words.
Such words tend to form the main idea of the conversation and help you understand the context for the dialogue.
For example, in a conversation about the number of animals and birds in a zoo, the words “number of animals’ or ‘number of birds’ might get repeated more often than the rest of the words and by focusing on them, you would be able to understand the main idea!
2.Look for ‘one word substitutes’ or synonyms
The TOEIC test is meant to assess your proficiency in using the English language in a business context.
So, the usage of synonyms – words that have similar meaning – is also an area for focus in the test.
So, instead of repeating the same word from the conversation, the choices might contain some other word or words with the same meaning.
You should be able to recognize the usage of synonyms if you do not want to miss out on getting the right answer just because you couldn’t identify words that are synonyms.
Example:
Man: Sam is the only unmarried person in our group
Woman: Is that so, I thought you were too!
Man: No, I am married and have a kid too!
Question: Who is the bachelor in the group?
A.The man
B.Sam
C.The woman
D.All persons in the group except the man
The right answer is “B” as the conversation indicates that Sam is the only unmarried person – a bachelor!
If you are not aware of the meaning of bachelor, then you will not be able to get the answer right for this question.
So, improve your vocabulary particularly with respect to synonyms.
3.Pay attention to the tone and pitch of the speakers
On the TOEIC test your ability to understand and recognize subtle nuances in business communication is being measured.
So, based on the change in the tone or pitch of the voice of the speakers in the conversation, you should be able to identify expression of shock, or happiness, joy, disbelief, excitement, surprise, anger, and other emotions.
When you find that a speaker who has been speaking quite normally for some time suddenly raises the tone or the pitch of his or her voice then you should realize that the information being provided by that person is important and could be significant in getting the answer for the question.
So, be alert to changes in tone or pitch of the voices of the speakers.
4.Focus on details
As you listen to the conversation, focus on specific details that are being provided.
Usually, details are in the form of adjectives that specify number, color, time, or size.
For example:
Boy: Let us prepare a fleet of paper airplanes using a couple of sheets.
Girl: How many will we need?
Boy: Let us start with eight.
Question: How many sheets did the boy want to start with?
A.One
B.Two
C.Five
D.Eight
If you have paid attention to the number of sheets mentioned in the conversation, you would know that the right answer is eight.
5.Practice drawing inferences and conclusions
During the conversation, as people speak, you should imagine yourself in their place and understand the reason for what they are saying.
It is not enough if you are just able to listen and understand the conversation, you should be able to draw conclusions and inferences based on the information presented.
Example:
Boy: I think I am going to find it difficult understanding this passage.
Woman: Why don’t you refer to the Oxford dictionary?
Question: Why did the woman mention the Oxford dictionary?
Answer: The Oxford dictionary contains meanings of words that the boy might find difficult to understand.
6.Read between the lines
Okay, listen between the lines! Sometimes the answer given by a speaker in response to a question asked by some other speaker may not seem to be directly answering the question, but if you can understand it and relate, you will be able to derive the answer that seems to be hidden in the response given.
Example:
Man: Are you done with the preparations for the dinner?
Woman: I am just done with the main course and still have the dessert to be prepared. I know I would need at least an hour for that but there is only another 20 minutes left before the guests start arriving.
If you study the answer given by the woman, it doesn’t seem to be directly answering the man’s question by saying either ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
Her response seems to be indirectly related to the question, but if you read it in entirety and derive the implications, you would realize that the woman is saying that she is not yet ready.
So, while the woman’s answer appeared to be disconnected with the question on first hearing, you know that the answer is indirectly provided in her explanation itself!
d. Short Talk: 20 questions
In this part of the listening section, you are required to listen to a monologue, based on which questions will be asked.
All the approaches we discussed for the “Short Conversations” part are applicable for this part also, and you have to be more attentive as the amount of information presented is more.
Focus on the talk and try to understand the context – if you have time, try to read the questions before listening to the audio.
If you are not sure of the answer, guess, you don’t lose marks for wrong answer.
Utilize the time available carefully, and don’t get stuck with any one question.
Don’t worry about remembering the entire information that you listen to, start answering as the audio is played.
Take care not to focus on one particular segment of the talk that you are supposed to listen, it will result in missing the next piece of information that could be important in answering subsequent questions.
There are a total of 100 questions in the Reading Section of the TOEIC that you need to answer in about 75 minutes.
Unlike the Listening Section, where you have to run with the audios that are being played, in the Reading Section, you can read and answer the questions at your own speed.
There are three Question types in the Reading Section of TOEIC as follows:
1. Incomplete Sentences: 40 questions; each question has 4 choices
2. Error Recognition: 20 questions, each question has 4 choices
3. Reading Comprehension: 40 questions, each question has 4 choices
All the questions given in the Reading Section are designed to assess your ability to express effectively in a correct manner.
So, you have to answer the questions keeping in mind the standards of written English followed in international business context.
Your focus should also be on the structures of the sentences used and the words that are used. Complex sentences are usually not part of the right answer choice.
To be able to do well in this section, you should be thorough with the different parts of speech and their usage in forming grammatically correct sentences.
A couple of grammar components that you should definitely focus are:
a.Appropriate use of prepositions
b.Appropriate use of adjectives
c.Appropriate use of tenses
d.Two-part phrasal verbs
e.Appropriate use of word forms
f.Appropriate use of conjunctions
g.Appropriate use of transition words like moreover, in the event of, therefore, however, etc.
h.Correct use of infinitives
Let us now look at each of the question types in detail:
1. Incomplete Sentences & Error Recognition:
In these question types, all the words given in the choices will seem to be appropriate and very close; so you have to try out each of them in the blank.
Instead of plugging the blank with each of the words given in the choices, a better method would be to first identify what grammatical function the word in the blank is supposed to play.
Then, it becomes easier for you to identify from the choices a word that can play that role.
You have to be thorough with grammar to score high in this part of the Reading section, and pay particular attention to the following grammar components:
i.Agreement of the subject with the verb
j.Tenses
k.Use of modals
l.Use of gerunds
m.Articles
n.Pronouns
o.Order of the words in a sentence
p.Adjectives of comparison
One important thing to remember in the questions based on error recognition is that you have to focus only on the underlined words – the other words do not contain any error!
Sometimes, words that are not needed may be present in the sentence; you should also be able to identify them.
For example, in the sentence: “The teacher she explains very clearly,” the word “she” is not necessary.
Let us look at a few more examples:
h.Word confusion:
Rule: The word “which” is used to refer to things only, while the word “that” is used to refer to either persons or things.
Example:
Our cat, which we call “betty,” is white in color.
Do you have the book that I gave you?
Is he the man that we saw yesterday?
i.Appropriate use of Pronouns
In a compound subject, to identify the correct pronoun to be used, read out each subject separately with the verb, and you will know the answer.
Example:
Sam, you and (I, me) shall watch the movie.
If you use each subject separately with the verb, we get:
Sam shall watch the movie (correct)
You shall watch the movie (correct)
I shall watch the movie (correct)
Me shall watch the movie (incorrect – you know it sounds odd, doesn’t it?)
If a noun immediately follows a pronoun, the sentence should be used without the added noun; look at the following example:
Example:
(They / Them) girls went to a movie last night.
Now, let us use the sentence without the noun:
They went to a movie last night (correct)
Them went to a movie last night (you know, it is incorrect)
j.Appropriate use of prepositions
“Pre-position” implies that it is a word that is placed before – usually a preposition is placed before a noun.
So, whenever you find a preposition, you know that it should be followed by a noun. A preposition is the first word in a prepositional phrase.
Example:
With the red dress, around the corner, behind the table, beside the car, etc
In these prepositional phrases, the last word is the noun: dress, corner, table, car, etc.
So, let’s take an example of a question now:
Example:
That’s a lady full of _________
d.Beauty
e.Beautiful
f.More beauty
g.Most beautiful
The word “of” acts as a preposition and hence we know that it should be followed by a noun.
Only the word “beauty” is a noun and hence choice “A” is the correct answer.
k.Appropriate use of the tense
If you are not very thorough with grammar, then you might find it difficult to identify the correct tense of the word.
In such a case, you can use a set of templates to make it easier for you in identifying the correct tense to be used.
Look at the following sentences:
1.I ______ now.
2.She _____ s.
3.I am ______ ing every day.
4.She has ____ed.
5.She _______ed.
You can use these five sentences as basic structures to identify the appropriate tense to be used, by plugging in the blanks with any verb and its corresponding forms.
Let us, for example, use the verb “dance.”
The five sentences become:
1.I dance now.
2.She dances.
3.I am dancing every day.
4.She has danced.
5.She danced.
Not all verbs can be used in these templates – with some verbs, you may have to make slight modifications.
For example, let us take the verb “sit.” The five sentences will be as follows:
.I sit now.
.She sits.
.I am sitting every day.
.She has sat.
.She sat.
So, you can see that the “ed” is not required to be suffixed for this verb ‘sit.”
Similarly, if you consider the verb “come.”
1.I come now.
2.She comes.
3.I am coming every day.
4.She has come.
5.She came.
You can see that the basic verb “come” has changed to “came” – there are exceptions like this, but the five structures usually help to identify most of the tense forms.
Example:
As the caravan is _________, take a good look at the horses.
A.Pass
B.Passed
C.Passing
D.Passes
If you compare this sentence with the structures we have discussed above, you will see that it is similar to the 3rd sentence.
So, you know that the right form should be “passing.” So, the right answer choice is “C.”
l.Appropriate use of Infinitives
Infinitives usually follow a verb and do not follow a noun, so whenever you have a sentence that has a noun followed by a blank, you can directly eliminate answer choices that have an infinitive in them.
So, how do you identify an infinitive?
Look for word combinations that begin with the word “to.” Example: to give, to take, to speak, to go, to ask, etc.
Example:
My responsibility is to support all the team members.
In this sentence, the infinitive “to support” follows the verb “is” and not a noun.
Example:
The man ________ everyone to go home
A. to ask
B. ask
C. asks
D. asking
In this sentence, as the blank follows the word “man” and we know that “man” is a noun, the blank cannot contain an infinitive.
So, we can directly eliminate the first answer choice “to ask.”
3. Reading Comprehension: 40 questions:
In order to answer all questions correctly in reading comprehension section, you should be well acquainted with a number of techniques like skimming, scanning, paraphrasing, using clues to understand the context, etc.
A general clue is that the order in which the questions are asked is the same order in which the information is presented in the passage.
Once you are aware of this, you can limit your search for the answer to a specific area of the passage, instead of going through the entire passage for each and every question. Thereby, you will be able to save a lot of time!
Another clue is that all the answer choices might seem very identical and sometimes are directly taken from the passage.
So, they might each appear to be the right choice because every choice seems to be correct based on the information in the passage.
You have to be careful in choosing the correct choice that answers the question asked and not just a choice that is correct.
Let us now look at a few techniques that you can use for the Reading Comprehension questions:
a.Skimming
As you read through the passage, you should try to identify the subject of the passage –the topic that is being discussed.
You can do this by quickly skimming through each paragraph to get an overall understanding.
If you can gain this overall understanding of the topic being discussed, it will also help you in forming an opinion about the related concepts that might be discussed in the other paragraphs in the passage.
Furthermore, every question will contain a clue that you have to identify to make it easier for you in finding the answer to it.
Many test takers who are not aware of appropriate strategies for the reading comprehension section just try going through the entire passage looking for the answer, which is a very random and illogical approach.
So, look for clues in the question which exist in the form of key words or ideas.
Usually the key words will be nouns, or verbs or phrases in the question that are directly picked and reproduced from the passage.
Once you have been able to locate these key words or phrases in the passage, then you just have to skim the few lines around those key words to find the required answer.
Example:
When did the team return to Los Angeles?
In a question like this, the key word is “Los Angeles” and so, you should try to locate it in the passage.
Once you find it, just skim around that word and you are sure to find your answer!
Okay, it is not always mandatory that the key words in the question should be reproduced directly from the passage.
In such a case, you have to look for the general idea of the question and accordingly look for suitable answer from the passage.
Example:
What do you think are the after effects of the renaissance?
For a question like this, the key words are “after effects” and “renaissance.”
If they are not found in the passage, then you have to look in the passage for words or concepts that are related to consequences, or change.
Sometimes, a number may be repeated in the question from the passage – in such cases it becomes very easy as you just have to go to the number in the passage and look for the required answer around it!
Example:
What was the major advancement in the information technology industry during the 21st century?
The key word in this question is “21st century” and so the moment you locate it in the passage, look for the answer in the sentences around it.
You might find that at times the answer choices given are just a repetition of the lines in the passage word for word – in such cases double check to be sure that you are answering the question and not choosing the choice just because it seems to be correct based on the information in the passage.
If you are not able to identify a key word in the question, then looking for key words in the choices is another strategy that you can follow.
b.Use contextual clues
When you have a difficulty identifying the correct answer choice from choices all of which are right, you can use contextual clues.
For example, if you are asked to identify the derived meaning or implication of a particular sentence in the passage, then directly go to that sentence in the passage and search for the implications based on its meaning.
Example:
In the passage, what is meaning of the phrase, “Laptops have become an appendage for most IT guys today?”
The key phrase is “become an appendage,” so locate it in the passage and look for its interpretation.
c.Differentiate between facts and opinions
Often test takers find it difficult to find the correct answer choice because they are unable to distinguish between facts and opinions and get confused.
One way to differentiate them is to understand that facts usually do not contain ambiguous words, while opinions contain ambiguity that is expressed through words like: “believed, considered, assumed, perceived, felt, thought, presumed, expected, etc.”
d.Use opposing choices to your advantage
Whenever you find that two choices directly contradict each other, the chances are very high for one of them to be the correct answer.
So, remember this fact and apply it whenever you come across such choices.
e.Don’t get bogged down by technical jargon
Sometimes the passage given in the reading comprehension section might be related to some technical concept and hence you might find that it contains a lot of technical jargon, most of which might be difficult for you to understand.
Do not worry about such passages and waste your time trying to understand each and every word in the passage.
You need to get an overall understanding of the idea being discussed and only if it is unavoidable, focus and go through a particular section to thoroughly comprehend the technical words or phrases.
TOEIC Main Page:
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TOEIC Listening & Reading Test Examinee Handbook can be downloaded from:
http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEIC/pdf/NTOEIC_LR_Examinee_Handbook_A4_web.pdf
TOEIC Listening & Reading Sample Test can be downloaded in PDF form from:
http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEIC/pdf/TOEIC_LR_sample_tests.pdf