Target Score
TOEIC® Test Preparation
TEST
RESOURCES
TOEIC ® - Test of English for International Communication™
TEST-TAKING TIPS FOR THE TOEIC ®
Part 1 Picture Identification
You should always look closely at each photo and ask yourself:
Who is in the photo?
What objects are visible?
Where was the photo taken?
What are the professions of the people?
What actions are being performed?
What are the positions of the people and the objects?
Make sure you listen to the complete statement.
Some statements may only be partially true.
Watch out for homonyms and similar-sounding words that have different meanings.
Part 2 Question/Response
You will hear different types of questions. Determine what type of question is being asked and what the purpose of the question is. Some questions ask for information but others may be invitations, suggestions or comments.
Listen carefully to the beginning of the question, especially for question words such as who, what, where, when, how, how much, how many, etc.
Do not expect the answer to a question to contain the same verb and tense as the question.
Part 3 Short Conversations
You should read the questions before you hear the recording. This will help you to focus on what is said and you may even be able to guess the meaning of words that you do not understand.
While your are listening to the conversation, try to identify:
- who the speakers are;
- where the conversation takes place; and,
- what the speakers are talking about.
Listen for keywords that will help you identify the context.
Part 4 Short Talks
You should read as many questions as you can before you hear the short talk – but you should not read the answers. You will not have enough time and the answers will distract you.
Focus on the introduction and the first part of the talk to determine the context.
Memorize key information as you listen and not try to answer any questions before you have listened to the whole talk.
Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
You should ask yourself whether the question is testing vocabulary or a grammar point. Analyze the sentence and try to identify the parts of speech – i.e. noun, adjective, etc. This will help you choose the correct answer especially on vocabulary questions.
Figure out the meaning and/or the type of word by looking at prefixes and suffixes.
Look for grammatical relationships in the sentence, i.e. cause/effect, conditionals, verb tense agreement, etc.
Part 6 Text Completions
You should scan the whole text to see how it is constructed.
Read the directions that are given for each text – this will tell you what types of documents are presented and may help you select appropriate answers, especially in questions that focus on lexical items.
Read all the questions carefully and ask yourself if you are required to:
– refer to information or arguments presented in the different parts of the text in order to answer the questions;
– analyze the grammatical structure of part of the document in order to determine the appropriate tense or form of agreement, i.e. singular/plural, etc.
Part 7 Reading Comprehension
You should skim the questions before reading the passages in order to establish a focus for reading.
Be familiar with the layout of common types of texts such as emails, memos or formal letters in order to facilitate your reading.
Read the title and the first line of the text to determine what kind of text it is and identify the main idea.
Remember that an answer may require that you understand information in different parts of the text.
Read both documents in order to understand the relationship between the two for the sections that feature double passages.
Remember that some questions will require you to cross-check information between the two documents. You should therefore allow more time for double passages.
General test-taking strategies
The following simple strategies can help you perform better on the test:
Bring a good quality pencil and eraser.
Make sure that you are familiar with the instructions for each section of the test before you take it. This will help you to concentrate on the questions and you will be able to use your time more effectively.
Don’t panic if you hear or read words that you do not understand. Focusing on the general context will usually help you answer correctly.
Remember that you are not penalized for incorrect answers, so always give an answer to each question.
If you cannot find the right answer to a question in the Listening section or you have not understood part of the recording, you should choose an answer that you think is possible and move on to focus on the next question.
Try not to let yourself be distracted by a difficult question in the Listening section. You have limited time between each question, so you must answer quickly and be ready to listen to the next recording.
Make sure that you do not run out of time when doing the Reading section – your time is limited.
Even if you do not have enough time to finish all the questions in the Reading section, you should still complete the answer grid by guessing.
TOEIC ® - Test of English for International Communication™
TEST-TAKING TIPS FOR THE TOEIC ®
Part 1 Picture Identification
You should always look closely at each photo and ask yourself:
Who is in the photo?
What objects are visible?
Where was the photo taken?
What are the professions of the people?
What actions are being performed?
What are the positions of the people and the objects?
Make sure you listen to the complete statement.
Some statements may only be partially true.
Watch out for homonyms and similar-sounding words that have different meanings.
Part 2 Question/Response
You will hear different types of questions. Determine what type of question is being asked and what the purpose of the question is. Some questions ask for information but others may be invitations, suggestions or comments.
Listen carefully to the beginning of the question, especially for question words such as who, what, where, when, how, how much, how many, etc.
Do not expect the answer to a question to contain the same verb and tense as the question.
Part 3 Short Conversations
You should read the questions before you hear the recording. This will help you to focus on what is said and you may even be able to guess the meaning of words that you do not understand.
While your are listening to the conversation, try to identify:
- who the speakers are;
- where the conversation takes place; and,
- what the speakers are talking about.
Listen for keywords that will help you identify the context.
Part 4 Short Talks
You should read as many questions as you can before you hear the short talk – but you should not read the answers. You will not have enough time and the answers will distract you.
Focus on the introduction and the first part of the talk to determine the context.
Memorize key information as you listen and not try to answer any questions before you have listened to the whole talk.
Part 5 Incomplete Sentences
You should ask yourself whether the question is testing vocabulary or a grammar point. Analyze the sentence and try to identify the parts of speech – i.e. noun, adjective, etc. This will help you choose the correct answer especially on vocabulary questions.
Figure out the meaning and/or the type of word by looking at prefixes and suffixes.
Look for grammatical relationships in the sentence, i.e. cause/effect, conditionals, verb tense agreement, etc.
Part 6 Text Completions
You should scan the whole text to see how it is constructed.
Read the directions that are given for each text – this will tell you what types of documents are presented and may help you select appropriate answers, especially in questions that focus on lexical items.
Read all the questions carefully and ask yourself if you are required to:
– refer to information or arguments presented in the different parts of the text in order to answer the questions;
– analyze the grammatical structure of part of the document in order to determine the appropriate tense or form of agreement, i.e. singular/plural, etc.
Part 7 Reading Comprehension
You should skim the questions before reading the passages in order to establish a focus for reading.
Be familiar with the layout of common types of texts such as emails, memos or formal letters in order to facilitate your reading.
Read the title and the first line of the text to determine what kind of text it is and identify the main idea.
Remember that an answer may require that you understand information in different parts of the text.
Read both documents in order to understand the relationship between the two for the sections that feature double passages.
Remember that some questions will require you to cross-check information between the two documents. You should therefore allow more time for double passages.
General test-taking strategies
The following simple strategies can help you perform better on the test:
Bring a good quality pencil and eraser.
Make sure that you are familiar with the instructions for each section of the test before you take it. This will help you to concentrate on the questions and you will be able to use your time more effectively.
Don’t panic if you hear or read words that you do not understand. Focusing on the general context will usually help you answer correctly.
Remember that you are not penalized for incorrect answers, so always give an answer to each question.
If you cannot find the right answer to a question in the Listening section or you have not understood part of the recording, you should choose an answer that you think is possible and move on to focus on the next question.
Try not to let yourself be distracted by a difficult question in the Listening section. You have limited time between each question, so you must answer quickly and be ready to listen to the next recording.
Make sure that you do not run out of time when doing the Reading section – your time is limited.
Even if you do not have enough time to finish all the questions in the Reading section, you should still complete the answer grid by guessing.
TOEIC® is a registered
trademark of Educational Testing Service
(ETS).
