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

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/