TOEIC Test Preparation Guide

The TOEIC o “Test of English for International Communication”, is an English assessment created by the “Educational Testing Services”, a pioneering organization in the development of English assessments throughout the world. 

Currently, the most prestigious educational institutions trust English proficiency exams such as the TOEFL, because it certifies the real level of English through day-to-day tests such as a telephone conversation or a work email.

TOEIC certification, how can it boost your career? 

The main objective of the TOEIC is to certify the real level of English through the evaluation of four language skills, just like the TOEFL, but the difference is that the application of the TOEIC is more practical and oriented to work situations. 

It is mainly aimed at professionals who want to improve their position, as well as university students.

To take the TOEIC you will not necessarily have to follow a specific course on the different sections of the exam, as is the case with other certificates, but rather study English at the level that corresponds to you (A1, A2, B1, B2 or C1). 

What you need to know about the TOEIC test 

The TOEIC test is an evaluation divided into two parts, in addition to having a series of interesting advantages such as the following: 

• You can take the exam on the same day or if you prefer, choose separate days. Ideal for those who need more preparation time. 
• If in one of the parts you obtain a grade below the desired score, you have the option of reapplying only to that part, without having to repeat the entire test, additionally you would only pay the fees corresponding to that part that you take.
• For some organizations requesting a TOEIC certificate, the “Listening and Reading” part is sufficient.

Duration and structure 

The TOEIC Listening and Reading is done with pencil and paper, with a total of 200 questions and a duration of 120 minutes. 

The TOEIC Speaking and Writing is done with a computer and headphones, where your answers will be recorded to be later corrected. This test lasts 80 minutes where you must solve 19 questions. It is important to note that the exam is face-to-face, not online. 

The TOEIC 4 Skills is the sum of both tests. If you decide to do it on the same day, you will be given a 10-15 minute break between the first and second parts.

Types of results

These are the factors that you should take into account with regarding TOEIC test results:

• It is multilevel, that is, regardless of your level of English, when you take the TOEIC, the test will certify your result. This is between A1 and C1.
• You will always receive an official certificate with your result.
• The exams are corrected by more than 6 fully qualified professionals, which ensures totally reliable results. 
• You get the results within 7 days. 

Will you study on your own?

If you plan to study on your own, you can take many types of TOEIC practice tests, always keeping in mind that an excellent study method is to familiarize yourself with the types of questions and answer formats. 

It is possible that many tests that you find on the internet do not offer you the same questions as in the TOEIC, but those that offer you similar tasks do. 

study tips 

• Plan the days and hours that you will dedicate exclusively to your English studies. It is very important that you know how to prioritize when you sit down to review, forgetting about everything that can cause you distractions.
• Watch all your favorite movies entirely in English, while you write down everything you understand. Once you finish, review all the phrases you managed to understand.
• Also you can apply the same methodology, but with songs in English. 
• A good way to reinforce those words that you do not fully master is to use them in sentences or phrases at least ten times a day. 

• What topics and exercises will you see in the TOEIC?

  
  This is the type of format you will see on the TOEIC Listening and Reading and the TOEIC Speaking and Writing. 

  TOEIC Listening and Reading

  Part 1: photography

  
  For each question you will see a photograph and hear short sentences. You must choose the phrase that best describes the image.

  Part 2: question and answer

  
  In this part of the test you will hear a question or phrase followed by three possible answers, where you must choose the one that best suits the question issued. 

  Part 3: conversation

  
  You will hear some conversations between two to three people, where you have to answer 3 questions per conversation. 
  There are a total of 13 dialogues with three questions each. The questions are related to what you have heard and you will have to choose the correct option from 4 possible answers. 

  Part 4: talk

  
  In this case it is no longer a conversation but a monologue, where you must answer three questions by audio.
  There are a total of 10 audios where the speaker's monologue is not written, but the questions are. 

  
  

  TOEIC Speaking and Writing

  • Questions 1 and 2: read a text out loud. 
  • Question 3: describe an image. 
  • Questions 4, 5 and 6: answer a questionnaire.
  • Questions 7, 8 and 9: answer specific questions using the information provided. 
  • Question 10: propose a solution to a problem that exposes you as if you were really the person receiving the message. 
  • Question 11: express an opinion on a specific topic. 
• Dare to take that great leap you need to boost your career, thousands of doors await you. Be that professional you have always wanted to be, preparing yourself now and taking the risk of going further, leaving fears aside. 
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