In today's global economy, along with professional skills, English proficiency is essential for increased work success and career advancement. You can demonstrate or set specific goals to improve your English proficiency in a variety of ways. An effective strategy for achieving this is to take the TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) exam. I recently took the TOEIC test and got a higher score than I expected. Everyone has their own preferred and effective learning methods; however, I hope to share some tips and strategies that can help you prepare for the TOEIC test.

 

1. Building a Strong Vocabulary Foundation

 

In my experience, the more vocabulary you know and understand how to apply it, the better your chances of receiving a high grade or passing your English exams. Here are some strategies that I used to extend my English vocabulary:

  • Start with common words:

    Beginning a vocabulary journey with a list of 1,000 common English words is both easy and comfortable. Many of these words are ones you’ve likely studied from primary school or high school. You can find this list at https://www.1000mostcommonenglishwords.com/.

  • Expand your words:

    After you feel comfortable with the basics, you can expand your vocabulary to 3,000 words or more. I recommend learning by the 3,000 or 5,000 Common English Oxford Words, which you can find at https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/wordlists/oxford3000-5000. If these lists don’t fit with you, feel free to explore any vocabulary lists or textbooks that make sense for your learning style. Building this vocabulary will significantly enhance your comprehension and communication skills.

  • Utilize flashcards:

    Remembering a large vocabulary is nearly impossible without repetition. So, I started using flashcards, which display a word on one side and its meaning along with an example on the other. However, I often felt overwhelmed by the amount of vocabulary I needed to review.

    Fortunately, I discovered a web app called Memrise, which helps optimize the review process. You can access it at https://community-courses.memrise.com/community/courses/english/. This platform allows you to learn words from your own list or from lists created by others. It helps you learn through answering multiple-choice questions. Memrise remembers your results and calculates the suitable review times. If you’re looking for alternatives to Memrise, consider Anki or Quicklet.

    Note: When importing your vocabulary to Memrise, I recommend compiling it into a CSV file for easier import. This format can also be used with other tools if Memrise isn’t the right fit for you.

  • Focus on understanding, not memorization:

    Imagine reading a paragraph and knowing less than 50% the meaning of each word. You may feel confused even when you are good at grammar. However, there is no problem if you do not remember all 3,000 or 5,000 terms of the word list. Because I think the main purpose of building vocabulary is to improve your confidence with English and make you familiar with the content you are reading or listening to.

 

2. Familiarize yourself with English content

Reading

In my experience, there are some reasons that might make people struggle when reading during the TOEIC test:

  • Lacking of vocabulary
  • Complex sentence structures
  • The limited time of the test
  • Lack of the background knowledge of the topics presented in the reading passages
  • Unfamiliarity with scanning techniques
  • Misunderstanding the question
  • Text anxiety

I think the above limitations all stem from the fact that we have not become familiar enough with reading English. If we read a lot and practice reading long passages on a certain topic, then understanding the reading passages in the TOEIC exam is no longer a difficult problem. Here are some of my recommendation on reading

  • Choose the books / articles / news / blogs / topics that relate to your hobbies or work: This will make the reading experience enjoyable and encourage you to read more.
  • Start with easier books: Begin with easy books. Read from easy to difficult and you can move on the more complex books as your confidence grows.
  • Use a dictionary: Willing to look up unfamiliar words, but feel free to skip to guess its meaning before looking up.
  • Discuss about a topic: discussions about a topic with online communities

My recommendation materials:

Listening

  • To practice listening in English effectively, here are some tips and resources:
    • Listening to Podcasts: Listening to podcasts is a great way to improve your English because it lets you hear natural speech, pick up useful vocabulary, and understand everyday phrases in context. It trains your ear to catch words faster, which improves your listening comprehension. Plus, you can listen while doing other things, making it an easy way to keep building your language skills. I recommend the podcast Listening Time: English Practice on Spotify. This podcast has been incredibly helpful for my English listening practice. The teacher speaks slowly and clearly, making it easy to follow, and the topics he covers are always interesting.
    • Watching movies, TV shows, and YouTube videos is a great way to hear real conversations, accents, and slang, which helps you understand natural English better. You also see facial expressions and gestures that make it easier to understand meaning—perfect practice for the TOEIC test. And if you’re not fully confident yet, subtitles can be a helpful backup to help you catch everything.

 

3. Selecting Appropriate Study Materials

From my experience, a good TOEIC textbook should include these essential elements:

  • Comprehensive vocabulary, phrases, and grammar: Focus on vocabulary, phrases, and grammar structures commonly found in the TOEIC test.
  • Practice tests with tips and strategies: Offer practice tests along with tips on time management and strategies for handling questions effectively.
  • Practice questions for all exam sections: Provide questions for each section of the exam to help you get familiar with the test format.
  • Audio and transcripts for listening practice.
  • Covering different types of reading materials like emails, reports, announcements, and flyers, similar to what’s on the test.
  • Providing detailed explanations for each answer.
  • Having a mini test at the beginning to assess your current level and estimate how much time you’ll need to reach your target score.
  • Including several full-length practice tests.

I used the Hackers TOEIC book series as my main resource for exam preparation. This series covers all the essential elements mentioned above, with clear, well-organized content and funny illustrations that make studying more enjoyable. The series includes three books:

  • Hackers TOEIC Start Listening
  • Hackers TOEIC Start Reading
  • Hackers TOEIC Vocabulary

It took around 2 to 4 months to complete all three books, providing a comprehensive foundation for the TOEIC exam.

 

4. Continuous Improvement

This step requires a lot of effort and perseverance, but it’s quite straightforward. The key is to follow exercises in the textbook systematically, regularly assess your progress, and adjust your study strategies as needed. While practicing, pay attention to any weak areas so you can improve them. If possible, try doing practice exercises under conditions similar to the actual test. I also set a few personal rules for practice:

  • Listening Practice: Answer questions after listening just once. If unsure, you can replay the section and change your answer only after completing that section. Repeat the listening exercises until you understand about 70% of the content.
  • Reading Practice: Avoid using a dictionary on your first attempt. Try to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words based on context.

 

5. Mock Tests and Self-Assessment

It's time to challenge yourself with full-length practice tests that match the length and duration of the real exam. Use online mock tests if you're preparing for the online exam or paper-based tests if that's your exam type. This practice helps you know whether your study approach is working and highlights areas for improvement. Aim to complete at least 3 practice tests to make sure you're not confused when you take the real test.

 

6. On Exam Day

  • Research the exam location and arrive early.
  • Make sure you drink enough water before the exam but avoid drinking too much, as you won’t be able to leave during the exam.
  • Wear comfortable clothing to stay focused.
  • Learn the rules about what is allowed and prohibited in the exam room.
  • Take care to avoid catching a cold before the exam, as sneezing and coughing in the exam room are banned

By following this structured approach and maintaining consistent effort, I was able to achieve a high score on the TOEIC test. Remember, success comes from dedication, smart study strategies, and continuous practice.

 

References

https://www.1000mostcommonenglishwords.com/

https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/wordlists/oxford3000-5000

https://community-courses.memrise.com/community/courses/english/

Images source: https://www.pexels.com/