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TOEIC Cheat Sheet

Practice this exam

Listening Section

  • 50% of exam
  • Photographs Question-Response Conversations Talks

Reading Section

  • 50% of exam
  • Incomplete Sentences Text Completion Single Passages Multiple Passages

Grammar & Vocabulary

  • Not published of exam
  • Verb Tense Word Forms Prepositions Subject-Verb Agreement

Scoring & Levels

  • Not published of exam
  • Score Scale CEFR Levels Pacing Proficiency Bands

Quick Facts

  • Exam TOEIC L&R
  • Owner ETS
  • Questions 200 (100+100)
  • Time 45 + 75 min
  • Score range 10-990
  • Pass/fail None, proficiency scale
  • Format Multiple-choice
  • Levels CEFR A1-C1

Wh- Question Words LI

  • Who What When Where Why How
  • Who: person What: thing/action When: time Where: place Why: reason How: method

Part 1 vs Part 2 LI

Part 1 Photographs

  • Photo shown
  • 4 statements given

Part 2 Question-Response

  • No photo shown
  • 3 responses given
  • Picture vs spoken question

Listening Strategy Picker LI

  • Photo shows action → Name verb and object first
  • Question starts Who or What → Listen for person or thing
  • Question starts When or Where → Listen for time or place
  • Speaker offers or suggests → Listen for accept or decline
  • Graphic or chart shown → Match audio detail to graphic
  • Answer missed on audio → Eliminate, guess, move on

Part 1 Photographs LI

  • Questions 6 items, 4 statements each
  • Task Choose best photo match
  • Scan order People, action, objects, setting
  • Sound-alike trap Similar word, wrong meaning
  • Right object trap Wrong action stated
  • Tense trap Wrong verb tense used

Part 2 Question-Response LI

  • Questions 25 items, no visual
  • Format One question, three responses
  • Key skill Identify question word type
  • Wh- questions Who what when where why how
  • Yes/No traps Unexpected but valid answer
  • Common trap Sound-alike word response

Part 3 Conversations LI

  • Format 13 conversations, 3 Qs each
  • Questions 39 items total
  • Preview Read questions before audio
  • Listen for Problem, reason, next action
  • Graphic items Match audio to chart/schedule
  • Implied meaning Infer speaker intent

Part 4 Talks LI

  • Format 10 talks, 3 Qs each
  • Questions 30 items total
  • Talk types Announcements, ads, voicemail, tours
  • Listen for Purpose, audience, next step
  • Preview Read all 3 questions first

Part 7 Passage Sets RE

  • 10 single, 2 double, 3 triple
  • Single: 29 Qs Double: 2 sets Triple: 3 sets Multiple: 25 Qs total

Part 7 Single vs Multiple RE

Single passages

  • 10 texts
  • 2-4 Qs each
  • 29 questions total

Multiple passages

  • 5 sets
  • 5 Qs each
  • 25 questions total
  • One text vs linked texts

Reading Time Budget RE

  • 75 minutes total available → Spend about 20s per Part 5
  • Text completion blank → Spend about 1 min each
  • Single passage question → Spend about 1 min each
  • Double or triple set → Spend about 4 min per set
  • Running short on time → Finish Part 5 first
  • Unsure of the answer → Guess and move on

Part 5 Incomplete Sentences RE

  • Questions 30 items, one blank
  • Time limit About 20 seconds each
  • Tested areas Grammar, vocabulary, word form
  • Strategy Check blank's grammatical role first
  • Common trap Same root, wrong part
  • Common trap Correct meaning, wrong tense

Part 6 Text Completion RE

  • Questions 16 items, 4 passages
  • Blanks 4 blanks per passage
  • Extra type Insert a missing sentence
  • Strategy Read before and after blank
  • Cohesion clue Transition words signal logic

Part 7 Single Passages RE

  • Passages 10 texts, 2-4 Qs each
  • Questions 29 items total
  • Text types Emails, ads, notices, articles
  • Question types Main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary
  • Strategy Skim purpose before questions
  • Trap Watch negative-worded NOT questions

Part 7 Multiple Passages RE

  • Sets 5 sets, double or triple
  • Questions 25 items, 5 per set
  • Cross-reference At least one linking question
  • Strategy Note each detail's source document
  • Time budget About 4 minutes per set

Word Form Suffix Cues GR

  • tion/-ment noun, -ive/-al adjective, -ly adverb
  • Noun: -tion -ment Adjective: -ive -al Adverb: -ly

Word Form vs Word Choice GR

Word form

  • Same root word
  • Changes part of speech

Word choice

  • Different words offered
  • Same part of speech
  • Suffix change vs synonym pick

Grammar Blank Picker GR

  • Blank follows an article → Choose the noun form
  • Blank sits before a noun → Choose the adjective form
  • Blank modifies a verb → Choose the adverb form
  • Blank needs subject agreement → Match singular or plural verb
  • Blank shows a time relation → Choose the matching preposition
  • Blank joins two clauses → Choose the matching conjunction

Verb Tense & Agreement GR

  • Subject-verb Singular subject, singular verb
  • Present perfect Since or for time clues
  • Passive voice Object becomes grammatical subject
  • Time clause Present tense after when/before
  • Modal verb Base form follows modal
  • Gerund vs infinitive Verb choice determines required form

Preposition vs Conjunction GR

Preposition

  • Precedes noun or pronoun
  • No verb follows directly

Conjunction

  • Joins two clauses
  • Verb follows each clause
  • Object link vs clause link

Word Forms GR

  • Noun slot After article or preposition
  • Adjective slot Before noun, after linking verb
  • Adverb slot Modifies verb or adjective
  • Suffix -tion/-ment Signals noun form
  • Suffix -ive/-al Signals adjective form
  • Suffix -ly Signals adverb form

Prepositions & Conjunctions GR

  • Time prepositions In, on, at, by
  • Duration prepositions During, for, within
  • Coordinating conjunctions And, but, or, so
  • Subordinating conjunctions Although, because, if, unless
  • Correlative pairs Either/or, neither/nor, both/and
  • Transition words However, therefore, in addition

Score Scale Steps SC

  • 5 to 495 per section, 10 to 990 total
  • Listening: 5-495 Reading: 5-495 Total: 10-990 Steps: multiples of 5

Listening vs Reading Score SC

Listening

  • Spoken input
  • 45 minutes
  • 5-495 scale

Reading

  • Written input
  • 75 minutes
  • 5-495 scale
  • Modality, not difficulty

Score Scale SC

  • Listening scale 5 to 495
  • Reading scale 5 to 495
  • Total scale 10 to 990
  • Increment 5-point steps
  • Pass/fail None, proficiency score only
  • Wrong-answer penalty None, guess freely

TOEIC vs TOEFL SC

TOEIC

  • Workplace English focus
  • No pass or fail

TOEFL iBT

  • Academic English focus
  • Used for admissions
  • Business skills vs academic skills

CEFR Minimum Scores SC

  • A1 minimum 60 Listening, 60 Reading
  • A2 minimum 110 Listening, 115 Reading
  • B1 minimum 275 both sections
  • B2 minimum 400 Listening, 385 Reading
  • C1 minimum 490 Listening, 455 Reading
  • SEM About 25 points per section

Common Traps

Grammar correct ≠ contextually correct

  • Fits sentence structure ≠ Doesn't fit paragraph meaning

High score ≠ pass required

  • TOEIC is proficiency scale ≠ No universal passing score

Sound-alike ≠ correct meaning

  • Audio distractor trap ≠ Similar pronunciation, wrong word

Detail present ≠ answer correct

  • May be from wrong document ≠ Multiple-passage cross-reference trap

Fast reading ≠ skipped reading

  • Skim for structure first ≠ Read every answer choice

Guessing ≠ point loss

  • No penalty for wrong answers ≠ Never leave answer blank

Last Minute

  • 1. 200 questions, 100 each section
  • 2. Listening 45 min, Reading 75 min
  • 3. No pass or fail score
  • 4. Score range 10 to 990
  • 5. Guess always, no penalty
  • 6. Preview Part 3/4 questions first
  • 7. Check blank's part of speech
  • 8. Read before and after blanks
  • 9. Note source in linked passages
  • 10. Answer Part 5 first if rushed

TOEIC Listening and Reading

  • Practice Questions 140 questions Study Guide 21 topics Cheat Sheet 75 facts Flashcards 50 cards