TOEIC Test
http://www.ets.com/toeicORhttp://www.toeic.com
BY: Hafiz Haseeb
Outlines: What is TOEIC Test?
The Format of the TOEIC Test
Who takes the TOEIC Test?
Who uses the TOEIC Test?
The way the TOEIC is scored
The way the TOEIC is taken
Contexts for TOEIC questions
Keys to Higher Scores on the TOEIC Test
What is TOEIC Test? Test of English for International Communication A standardized test created by ETS (Educational
Testing Service) Designed to test a person’s ability to understand
English as it is used in international business situations
What format does the TOEIC follow? 1. All multiple choice questions
2. Four answer choices in most parts
3. Three answer choices in part 2
4. Two sections: Listening Comprehension and Reading (Speaking and Writing)
Two Sections
The TOEIC Listening Section 45minutes 100 questions
The TOEIC Reading Section 75minutes 100 questions
____________________________________
Total: 200 questions
Approximately: 2 hours
The TOEIC Listening Section
Picture Description 10 questions Questions and Responses 30 questions Short Conversations 30 questions Short Talks 30
questions
_________________________________________
Total: 100 questions
Approximately: 45 min
The TOEIC Reading Section Incomplete Sentences 40 questions Incomplete Texts 12
questions Reading Comprehension 48
questions
________________________________________
Total: 100 questions
Approximately: 1 hour 15 min
Who takes the TOEIC Test? Anyone who travels abroad on business Any one who has contact with international visitors All types of employees of international organizations
Managers Marketing experts Sales representatives Customer service agents Flight attendants Hotel employees Customs officials Others (e.g. job applicants : test scores + resumes)
Who uses the TOEIC Test? Trading and manufacturing companies Government agencies International banks Hotel chains Airlines Universities / academic institutions A wide variety of employers
How is the TOEIC Test scored? 3 scores are reported:
A (raw) score for Listening Comprehension A (raw) score for Reading A comprehensive score 2 raw scores
2 raw scores
→ scaled scores
→a comprehensive score
How is TOEIC scores taken? 805-900 655-800 555-650 405-550 305-400 205-300 10-200
High advanced Advanced High intermediate Intermediate High beginner Beginner 2 Beginner 1
What contexts are used for TOEIC questions?
Business situations Marketing Sales Meetings Contract
negotiations
Travel airlines Taxis hotels
Entertainment Restaurants Movies Plays museums
Health and fitness Doctors Dentists Exercise programs
The TOEIC Listening Section
Part 1 Picture Description
Question Types
1. Location Questions
2. Action Questions
3. Situation Questions
4. Similar-Sounding Word Questions
Location questions
Questions deal with the location of one person or thing related to someone or something else
Pay attention to the prepositions The woman is sitting next ___ the boy. The airplane has arrived ___ the airport. The car is parked ___ the sidewalk.
Action Questions
Questions can be in either the active or the passive form
Active: V-ing talking/packing/speaking… The rider is riding his motorcycle.The man is opening the door.
Passive: be-Ved washed/cleaned/set up…The motorcycle is being ridden by a man.Some toys are being picked up by the boy.
Situation Questions
Questions about the condition of things in the picture
Past participle forms used as adj.The glasses are broken.
AdjectivesThe car tire is flat.The water is hot.
Similar-sounding word questions
Incorrect choices often include words that sound similar to the key words of the correct answers.
Words with the same root, prefix, or suffixagree /disagree ; reread / relayed ;
undrinkable/unthinkable The man is sitting on a couch.The man is coaching the woman.
Words that have little sound differenceThe man is selling watches. vs. The man is sailing.The man is waiting for a train. vs. The is weighing a
train.
The TOEIC Listening SectionPart 2 Questions and Responses
Question Types Information questions 1-6
1. Who Questions
2. When Questions
3. Where Questions
4. What Questions
5. How Questions
6. Why Questions
7. Yes/No Questions
8. Choice Questions
9. Statements
Information questions Who’s your favorite novelist? Who didn’t attend the meeting this morning? When did he get that message? When will she like to have lunch? Where’s her new office? What is he going to tell Mrs. Wang when she calls? How much time did he finish? Why do you think he didn’t support our plan? Why was he late for work?
Yes/No Questions Is he going to attend the conference? Didn’t she go to the book fair? You are coming with us, aren’t you?
Choice Questions Will she be arriving tonight or tomorrow? Has she finished the report, or is she still working
on it? Which does your boss prefer, the yellow one or the
blue one?
Statements He’s put the accounting files on his desk. I’ve arranged the meeting for three o’clock on
Thursday. I’m afraid I can’t hear you.
The TOEIC Listening SectionPart 3 Short Conversations
Question Types (dialogues between 2 people)
1. Who Questions
2. When Questions
3. Where Questions
4. What Questions
5. How Questions
6. Why Questions
7. Which Questions
Part 3 Short ConversationsStrategies
Before the dialogue begins, read the question along with the answer choices
Try to find key words and main idea Questions asked:
The topic / relationship between speakers The place where the dialogue takes place The activity speakers are engaged in A specific time / a length of time/ frequency Reason / intention / conclusion…
Question Types Who will the woman call? When does the conference start? Where did the man go next Sunday? What does her boss decide? How are they going to try to improve sales of their
products? Why isn’t the man staying at the hotel? Which bag will the man check?
The TOEIC Listening SectionPart 4 Short Talks
Question Types
1. Main Idea Questions
2. Fact and Detail Questions
3. Inference Questions
4. Cause and Effect Questions
The Forms of Short Talks Public announcement Telephone message/ recorded phone message Weather report Message News report Public service advertisement
Test-taking Tips Only use the information given in the talk Answer the question while listening to the talk
because the questions are organized in the order in which the information is given in the talk
Read as many questions as you can before you hear the statements
Announcement I hope you’ve all enjoyed tonight’s dinner. It is no
time to welcome this evening’s guest speaker,…
Attention___ customers: If you want a great deal on _______,…
You’re listening to _____ Radio. Well, not …
Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome you aboard the ____ Express, the only no-stop service to ______...
Attention, all employees.
The TOEIC Reading SectionPart 5 Incomplete Sentences
Question Types
1. Vocabulary Questionsa) Verbsb) Nounsc) Modifiersd) Conjunctionse) prepositions
2. Grammar Questions a) Verbsb) Auxiliary verbsc) Subject-verb Agreementd) Gerunds and Infinitivese) Nouns and pronounsf) Conjunctionsg) Comparatives and
Superlatives
h) Negation
Strategies
Vocabulary Think of the
meaning of the whole sentence
Make correct use of words and phrases
Grammar Parts of speech,
tenses, agreement, positions of frequency adv., needed for the blanks
e.g. Under the new contract, everyone will get a 5%....
(A) praise (B) rise (C) access (D) raise I am -----my supervisor with job interviews.
(A) help (B) will help (C) helped (D) helping All ---- are asked to show up by noon.
(A) personnel (B) personnel's
(C) personalities (D) personal
The TOEIC Reading SectionPart 6 Incomplete Texts Vocabulary Themes
1. Banking and Finance
2. Marketing3. Hospitality4. Office5. Shopping6. Transportation
7. Health8. Telephone9. Travel10. Mail11. Insurance12. Meetings
The TOEIC Reading SectionPart 7 Reading Comprehension
Question Types
1. Main Idea Questions
2. Fact and Detail Questions
3. Inference Questions
4. Cause and Effect Questions
The Reading ComprehensionReading passages about a variety of topics and in a variety of formats, including
Memos
Memorandum
Agenda + Memo
Schedule + fax (a memo)
Fax
Letters
Information (e.g. using city buses) and letter (a letter about the info.)
Charts
Chart and memo
Chart and letter
Graphs
Indexes
Tables
Articles (e.g. article about a resume)
E-mail A v.s. E-mail B
The Reading ComprehensionReading passages about a variety of topics and in a variety of formats, including
Advertisement and e-mail
e.g. an e-mail about the advertisement
e.g. contest advertisement
e.g. job advertisement
Advertisement and memo
Announcement Message Order form
Notice Agenda and minutes Chart and report promotional
information Product information Application form News report Complaint and
response Faxes (Fax A v.s. Fax
B)
Part 7 Reading ComprehensionMain Idea Questions
What is the purpose of the e-mail / note? What is the letter/message about? What is the main idea of the passage? Why did the writer send this fax? Why did ___ write this letter?
Part 7 Reading ComprehensionFact and Detail Questions
Who is ___? What time is the flight leaving? Where can they get a permit? Which of the following should NOT be on your
resume? What is true about a resume?
Part 7 Reading ComprehensionInference Questions
Where did the man use to live? It can be inferred from the passage that… Based on the information in the passage, to which
holiday does the advertisement refer?
Part 7 Reading ComprehensionCause and Effect Questions
What may happen because of the ___? What caused ___ to…..? What has been the result of the …? Why is _____?
Eight Keys to High Scores Increase Your General Knowledge of English Learn Your Strengths and Weaknesses and Work on
Areas Needing Improvement Make the Most of Your Preparation Time Be Familiar with TOEIC Format and the Directions for
Each Section Know How to Mark Your Answer Sheet No Matter What, Always Guess! Use the Process of Elimination to Make the Most of
Your Guess Learn to Control Test AnxietySource from: Complete Guide to the TOEIC Test, 6th edition by Bruce Rogers Publisher:
Christopher Wenger
Increase Your General Knowledge of English A knowledge of the format of the test The tactics used by good test takers A general command of English (which must be built
up over a long period of time)
Use English whenever you can Look for opportunities to speak English, especially
with native speakers Take English language classes Read newspapers and magazines in English Listen to English language news programs and talk
show on the radio Attend lectures and movies in English
Sources from: ELTS www.elts.com.tw TOEIC
Suggested websites: 1) http://www.onlinenglish.net/TOEIC.h
tml TOEIC Speaking and Writing
2) http://www.toeic.com.tw/