General Tips for TOEIC
Preparing for the Test
Tip 1
The TOEIC test focuses on English communication, so the best way to prepare for it is to listen to and read as much real English as possible. Listen to radio and books on CD or cassette, watch TV and videos, talk to native English speakers — and listen to their conversations with each other! Read books, magazines, newspapers, websites, and any other examples of real English you can find.
Tip 2
The topics covered in the TOEIC test are connected with the working world. For example, general business, manufacturing, finance, personnel, purchasing, technology, property, offices, travel, dining out, entertainment, and health. You do not need to have specialist knowledge of any of these areas, but it will help you prepare for the test if you get used to this type of material. Read a wide variety of business texts like catalogs, training manuals, application forms, train schedules, and menus.
Tip 3
Improving your vocabulary will help you to achieve the scores that you need for the TOEIC test. Every time you read something in English, pick three words or expressions that you do not know. Write them down and then look them up in a dictionary and/or thesaurus. Keep a vocabulary notebook of new words, with their meaning, their pronunciation, the sentence you found them in, and any other useful information such as similar words and opposites. It is also a good idea to create a sentence of your own with these words too. This will help you to remember them.
Tip 4
The English you will hear in the Listening Comprehension section of the test will be U.S. English, spoken at the normal speed of native speakers. Some of it will be informal and include idiomatic language. You will also hear contractions like I'll (I will), she's (she is), gonna (going to), and yea (yes). Get as much practice as you can of listening to this type of English from radio, TV, and native speakers.