What is TOEIC?

TOEIC, or the 'Test of English for International Communication, is a standardized English proficiency test that helps measure the fluency level of candidates, particularly in a professional setting. The test was created in 1979 by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). This test is beneficial for non-native speakers as it is designed to test everyday communication skills required by people in the workspace.

TOEIC is conducted in over 160 countries and is accepted by more than 14,000 organizations worldwide. The test focuses on four aspects of language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Unlike TOEFL and IELTS, which are one exam with four sections, ETS has provided different TOEIC tests that candidates can attempt according to the skills required in their career field.

Types of TOEIC Tests

Some candidates are required to assess their listening skills alone, while others may need to attempt a test that can prove their proficiency in all four language skills. Because of this, TOEIC offers different kinds of tests depending on the language skills candidates need in their field of profession. These tests are:

Speaking and Writing Test

This test assesses a candidate's oral and written language skills and demonstrates their ability to communicate fluently in a professional environment. Candidates can attempt these tests separately and receive scores for each skill on separate reports, or they can do both sections together and receive one report. The duration of this test is one hour and twenty minutes.

Speaking Section Format: The questions are based on real-life scenarios. Candidates have 20 minutes to complete the 11 questions in this section. Candidates must carefully follow all instructions for each question. It is recommended that the candidate keep track of the time, speak clearly, and focus on giving descriptive yet direct answers. Saying more than required is not advisable. The tasks in the section are:

Questions	Task	Time Allotted
1-2	Read a text aloud	45 seconds to prepare 45 seconds to read the text out loud
3-4	Describe a picture	45 seconds to prepare a response 30 seconds to speak about the picture
5-7	Respond to questions	3 seconds per question to prepare a response 15 seconds each to respond to questions 5 and 6 30 seconds to respond to question 7
8-10	Respond to questions using information provided	45 seconds to read the information before the questions begin 3 seconds per question to prepare their response 15 seconds each to respond to questions 8 and 9 30 seconds to respond to question 10
11	Express an opinion	45 seconds to prepare a response 60 seconds to speak

Writing Section Format: The Writing section consists of 8 questions designed to test the different aspects of a candidate's writing skills. Candidates must complete the writing section within 60 minutes. The tasks in the section are:

Questions	Task
1-5	Write a sentence based on a picture
6-7	Respond to a written request
8	Write an opinion essay

Listening and Reading Test

This test assesses the candidates' listening skills required for effective face-to-face communication in meetings, video conferences, teleconferencing, and even telephone conversations. It also focuses on the candidates' reading abilities to comprehend and communicate through emails, written reports, newsletters, and general business correspondence.

The test is about two and a half hours long and includes 30 minutes to answer biographical questions. The listening and reading sections will have 100 questions each, which will be in a multiple-choice format.

Listening Section Format: Candidates will listen to several recorded questions and conversations before answering the 100 questions. This section is 45 minutes long. They are in the following format-

Questions	Task
6 questions	Photographs
25 questions	Question-Response
39 questions	Conversations
30 questions	Talks

Reading Section Format: Candidates will be given several paragraphs from which they will have to find the answers to the questions that follow. This section will also contain 100 questions, all of which must be answered in 75 minutes. They are divided into the following format-

Questions	Task
30 questions	Incomplete Sentences
16 questions	Text Completion
29 questions	Single Passages Reading Comprehension
25 questions	Multiple Passages Reading Comprehension

TOEIC Bridge Test

ETS provides an option to take a TOEIC Bridge test, which gives a meaningful insight into a candidate's beginner to intermediate strengths and weaknesses in the English language. This test does not require special skills or vocabulary beyond everyday social settings. It is designed for intermediate English speakers. The format for this test is as follows:

Section	Format
Listening (25 minutes)	Part I: Four Pictures - Six questions Part II: question-Response - Twenty questions Part III: Conversations - Ten questions Part IV: Talks - Fourteen questions
Reading (35 minutes)	Part I: Sentence Completion - Fifteen questions Part II: Text Completion - Fifteen questions Part III: Reading Comprehension - Twenty questions
Speaking (15 minutes)	Read text aloud - Two questions Describe a Picture - Two questions Listen and Retell - One question Interaction - One question Narrate a Story - One question Support a Recommendation - One question
Writing (37 minutes)	Build a sentence - Three questions Write a Sentence - Three questions Respond to a message - One question Write a Narrative - One question Respond to an extended message - One question

Who can Apply for TOEIC?

While there are no formal prerequisites regarding English language proficiency, candidates should have a basic understanding of English. The TOEIC test is designed for non-native English speakers, and it assesses their ability to use English in a professional context. There is generally no specific age requirement for taking the TOEIC test. However, candidates are often recommended to be at least 15 years old, as this is the minimum age for many educational institutions and organizations that require TOEIC scores.

Cost of taking TOEIC

The primary cost is the registration fee for the TOEIC exam itself. This fee can vary by country and testing center, typically ranging from $85 to $200. It's important to check the official TOEIC website or local testing centers for the most accurate pricing.

How to Register/Apply for TOEIC?

Candidates interested in taking the TOEIC test should contact their local ETS Preferred Network (EPN) office to inquire about test dates and availability in their respective countries. If an EPN office is not available in their country, or if candidates require an alternative testing location, they can use the following contact information:
Email: TOEIC@ets.org
Phone: 1-609-771-7170
Fax: 1-610-628-3722
Mail: TOEIC Program; ETS; Rosedale Road; Princeton, NJ 08541 USA

Test Dates for TOEIC Tests

TOEIC can be taken at a public testing center or at a private testing center. The test dates for TOEIC depend upon the location of the test center.

• Public Testing: Candidates can opt to test in a public testing session, which allows them to register online by creating an account or by contacting ETS directly. Scores obtained from public testing are recognized internationally. Public testing sessions take place at multiple testing sites globally throughout the year. Listening and Reading public testing is conducted 12 times annually in the United States. Registration is available online, and the deadline for registration is always at 5 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time on the Thursday one week before the test date.
• Institutional Testing: This option is offered by private organizations, such as companies that administer the test for their employees. There are no predetermined dates for institutional testing; instead, it is scheduled by the institution in coordination with ETS. Candidates must check with their organization's administration for specific test dates. Scores from institutional testing are not valid for international use.

Calculate TOEIC Score

The TOEIC score reflects a candidate's ability to understand and use English in various professional situations.

TOEIC Speaking & Writing Section

Scoring in the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test differs from that of the Listening and Reading Test because candidates can choose to be scored separately for this test. Candidates will then be able to receive a speaking score, writing score, or a combined score. Both sections are scored from 0 to 200.

Speaking Section
The first ten questions in the speaking section are scored on a scale of 0 to 3. The eleventh question is scored on a scale of 0 to 5. The levels represented by each score band are as follows:

Score Band Level	Proficiency Level
Level 8	Can use basic and complex grammar, use of vocabulary is accurate and precise
Level 7	Can share thoughts or handle complex requests well but may have small issues with grammar, pronunciation, intonation, or pauses when speaking
Level 6	Can provide answers and basic information, but sometimes their replies can be hard to understand or interpret
Level 5	Can answer basic questions but struggle to share their thoughts or handle a complex request effectively
Level 4	fail to clarify a viewpoint or address a complex request
Level 3	Can express their opinions, but they may not be able to back them up due to a lack of vocabulary or grammar skills to make clear descriptions.
Level 2	Cannot state an opinion or support it
Level 1	Might lack the listening or reading skills in English needed to grasp the test instructions or the questions

Writing Section
For the writing section, questions one to five are scored on a scale of 0 to 3. Questions six and seven are scored on a scale of 0 to 4, and the last question, the eighth question, is scored on a scale of 0 to 5.

Score Band Level	Proficiency Level
Level 9	Writing is clear, logical, and effective when providing simple information, asking questions, giving instructions, or making requests.
Level 8	conveys information and supports opinions with reasons and examples, but may have some repetition, unclear connections, and minor grammar and word choice errors
Level 7	Can provide simple information, ask questions, give directions, or make requests, but is somewhat less effective at using reasons or examples to support an opinion
Level 6	Clear communication may omit key details or be unclear when providing information, asking questions, giving directions, or making requests
Level 5	Provide clear information but often lack supporting reasons, examples, or explanations for their opinions
Level 4	Communication is limited, though some opinion sharing and information clarity exist
Level 3	Often struggle to express their opinions clearly, leading to disorganized, shallow responses filled with irrelevant details and grammatical errors
Level 2	Lacks clarity; Issues include missing details, unclear connections, grammar errors, poor word choices, and sentence formation difficulties
Level 1	Unanswered parts, test directions, and questions might not have been clear to them

TOEIC Listening & Reading Section

Scoring in TOEIC does not imply receiving a pass or fail grade due to the nature of the test. Candidates will receive a score band, and each score band depicts a particular proficiency level the candidate has in English. The Listening and Reading components of the examination have different score scales that state different proficiency levels.

Listening section
The Listening section is scored from 200 to 400. The levels that each score band indicates are as follows:-

Score Band	Proficiency Level
400	Can understand the central idea but might have difficulty in some uncommon grammar usage
300	Can understand and infer the main idea when explained using easy vocabulary
200	Have difficulty understanding the central idea but can understand short sentences and small phrases

Reading Section
The score bands of the Reading Section start with 450 and have the lowest score of 150. The proficiency levels these bands indicate are

Score Band	Proficiency Level
450	Can understand the central idea and only have difficulty understanding uncommon vocabulary and grammar
350	Can understand the central idea but cannot connect the information
250	Makes simple inferences and connect a few sentences together
150	Can only understand factual information and cannot make inferences

Scoring in TOEIC Bridge Test

The TOEIC Bridge Test score is calculated on a score band of 15 to 50 per section. The proficiency levels for TOEIC Bridge differ from TOEIC tests.

Getting TOEIC Score Reports

Candidates who take the test at a public test center will receive their scores directly from the local ETS Preferred Network (EPN) office. The scores are confidential and are shared solely with the candidate and ETS. Additionally, candidates can submit a written request to their EPN office, authorizing the release of their scores to a designated organization. To obtain extra score reports, they should contact the nearest EPN office.

When candidates take the test through their school, employer, or another organization, ETS sends the scores directly to that particular institution or organization. These scores remain confidential and are only accessible to ETS and the sponsoring entity. They cannot be used globally for any other organization.

Validity of TOEIC Scores

Similar to IELTS and other standardized English tests, ETS believes that language proficiency changes after a certain period. That is why TOEIC test scores are officially valid for two years. Candidates can apply and pay the fees to retake tests to confirm their scores if required.

TOEIC Frequently Asked Questions