Structure of the TOEIC® Test

Part 1: Pictures (20 items)

Part 2: Question – Response (30 items)

Part 3: Short Conversations (30 items)

Part 4: Short Talks (20 items)

Part 5: Incomplete Sentences (40 items)

Part 6: Error Recognition.(20 items)

Part 7: Reading Comprehension (40 items)

 Timing

 Listening: 45mins
 Reading: 75 mins
+ Parts 5 & 6: 35 mins
+ Part 7: 40mins
GRAMMAR
FOR THE TOEIC TEST
 Verb Tenses

• Look for time expressions.

• Compare with the tense in the other
clause if there is any.
• Identify the context in which the
action/event happened.
• See if there are enough component for
the tense.
 Subject – Verb Agreement

The + noun A + of + noun B + verb

The leader of the rebels has been arrested.

Either A or B
+ verb
Neither A nor B

Either you or she has to report to the manager.

 Subject – Verb Agreement (cont.)

Nouns indicating quantities => singular.

• Ten weeks is a long time to wait for a reply.
• Three pounds of potatoes is far too much for
one person.
Collective nouns: audience, team, committee,
family, government, group, public, staff, …
• The government has no right to act
without consulting parliament.

Note: The police are searching for the wanted criminal.

 Subject – Verb Agreement (cont.)

A number of + plural noun + plural verb

The number of + plural noun + singular verb
• A number of employees have submitted
their resignation.
• The number of employees has
increased over the past five years.
Notes:
• One of the robbers was arrested.
• One of the team members who are working on
the project got sick.
 Verb Patterns

• Verbs followed by gerunds or infinitives.

• Structure with make/let/verbs of
perceptions (see, hear, watch …).
=> I saw her disposing of the file.
=> Don’t let her fool you.
• Special cases (One verbs may be followed
by gerunds/infi with different meanings.)
 Verb Pattern with SUGGEST
suggest + V.ing
+ (that) + S + bare infi
She suggested modifying the original
plans.
She suggested (that) the original plans
be modified.
Other verbs: recommend, advise,
propose, insist, ask (that), request
(that), demand(that)
Notes:
It is important/vital/necessary/urgent
that ….
 Count v.s. Non-count Nouns

Confusing noncount nouns:

information, advice, furniture, mail, lamb &
chicken (kinds of meat), advertising,
business (trading activities), equipment.

• Fried chicken is one of the specialty of the restaurant.

• He owns a small business. (business = company)
• Business is going on quite well.
• She has an extensive knowledge in the field.
• An understanding of how the system works may help.
 Quantifiers

Some v.s. any

Few/a few v.s Little/ a little
Most v.s. Almost
 Some v.s. Any

ANY
• Could you give me any definite time?
• He hasn’t come up with any ideas for the project yet.
• She has never participated in any social activities.
• If you have any troubles, feel free to get in touch with me.

SOME
Would you like something to drink?
I have some questions to ask you.
Few/A few v.s Little/ A little
Sing. ALMOST
Pl. count. SOME
noncount NONE

FEW + - - +
A FEW + - + -
LITTLE - + - +
A LITTLE - + + -
Notes: only/just + a few/ a little
 Most & Almost
Most + noun = nearly all (quantifier)
•Most employees were satisfied with the raise.

The most => superlatives

• She is the most experienced employee.

Almost + adj/adv: nearly (adverb)

• The project is almost finished.
• Almost all employees were satisfied with
the raise.
• She is almost never at home.
 Prepositions

Common prepositions:

• at • between … and …
• in • between/among
• on • until
• from … to … • by
 Conjunctions & Transitions
• Conjunctions: combine 2 clauses,
phrases and words
while, when, before, after, since, although,
because, and, but, or …..

• Transitions: combine 2 sentences

or paragraphs
however, therefore, in addition, moreover,
on the contrary, …
 Word Forms
• Identify the word class needed.
• Look at the suffixes for certain word classes.

Be careful:

 It’s a nice small house.

 She gave me a completely new design.

 Positions of Adverbs

Initital positions
• Sometimes I wonder why things have changed so quickly.
• Fortunately, no one was hurt in the accident.
Mid-positions: after be & aux, before main verbs
• She is always late for work.
• You can never take back what you’ve said.
• She always does things according to the book.
End positions
• We have a staff meeting every month.
Adjectives
_ing v.s. _ed

_ing adjectives: expressing personal

comments/ characteristics /use of sth.
 An exciting trip => personal comment
 A confusing problem.
 A reading lamp

_ed adjectives: passive meaning.

 She was so shocked by the bad news.
 The frightened girl was at a loss for words.
 Modals

should have + p.p. => criticism

• You should have finished the project by now. (you were
well behind the schedule).

modal + adverb + have + p.p.

• You should never have said so to her.
• By this time next week, I might well have left for NY.
 As v.s. Like
as + noun: jobs, functions
• She has been working as a receptionist for 3 years.
• As a manager, she is busy all week.
• We use this room as a storeroom.
as + clause = when
• As he arrived home, he realized that he had left some
important documents on the bus.
regard/call sb as, be known as
• He was regarded as the father of modern computers.
• She was known as the pioneer in modern art.
 As v.s. Like (cont.)

(un)like + noun = (dis)similar to

• Like many office workers, she work on a nine-to-five basis.
• He is like a father to me. He treats me so well.
look like
• She looks like my sister.

Notes:
the same as: Your new car is the same as mine.
alike after BE/linking verbs: The twins look alike.
 Enough

enough + noun

• There aren’t enough seats for everyone.

adj/adv + enough

• She isn’t qualified enough for the position.

 So … that & such … that

so + adj/adv that
so much/many + noun
• The pay is so low that he has devided to quit the job.
• She got hersefl into so much trouble that she didn’t
know what to do.

such + (a/an) + (adj) + noun that

• It was such a big problem that the company called

for a whole staff meeting.
 Paralellism
Both A and B
Not only A but also B
A as well as B
Neither A nor B
Either A or B
=> A and B belong to the same word class

• She is both intelligent and hard-working. (adjectives)

• You can choose either today or tommorrow. (nouns)
Relative Clauses
Reduced Relative Clauses

 The man who gave me a lift yesterday

lives next door.

=> The man giving me a lift yesterday lives

next door.

 The man who was given the award works

for my brother.

=> The man given the award works for my

brother.
Comparatives & Superlatives

See whether there are enough structural

components.
• She is more experienced than other
staff in the office.
• She is the most experienced workers
among the staff.
• No one is as experienced as her.
Of = among
• Of the three candidates, she is the most
potential.
 Conditional Sentences

If you had gone to the party last

night, you’d have met that singer.
Had you gone to the party last night,
you’d have met that singer.
If Susan comes to work late again,
the boss will sack her.
Should Susan come to work late
again, the boss will sack her.
 Active & Passive Voice

Simple forms: BE + P.P

He has bought a new car.
=> A new car has been bought.
 Progressive forms: BE + BEING+ P.P
They are working on a new project.
=> A new project is being worked on.
Passive with MAKE
Her boss made her work overtime.
=>She was made to work overtime.
 Causative Forms
Active forms:
have + noun (person) + bare infi
get + noun (person) + to infi
 She had me send the mail.
 She got me to send the mail.
Passive forms:
have/get + noun (thing) + p.p.
 She had/got the mail sent
 Causative Forms (cont.)

Notes:
want + noun (thing) + p.p.
= want + noun + to be + p.p.
 She wanted the room (to be)
cleaned.
need + V.ing = need + to be + p.p.
 The car needs servicing/ to be
serviced.
 Another v.s. Other
another + sing. count. noun
= additional/extra
• Could I have another glass of beer?
another + few/number + plural noun
• I am staying for another few weeks.
• We need another three chairs.
other = sth different from what has been
mentioned
• You don’t seem to like this shirt. How
about the other (shirt)?
• Some people are optimistic about the
future of the company. Others are
completely pessimistic.