The Test of English for International Communication

The Test of English for International Communication

            The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) is "an English language test designed specifically to measure the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment."

            TOEIC is a standardized test that measures your listening and reading skills, and or your speaking and writing skills. This exam evaluates your ability to function in international business and real-world settings rather than in an academic setting. Some students take the TOEIC because they want to improve their English. Other students take the TOEIC because they need it for an intensive English course or they want to apply for a job that requires a TOEIC score. Every institution expects a different standard of proficiency from its employees or students.

·       TOEIC Listening and Reading Test

          The TOEIC Listening & Reading Test is a two-hour multiple-choice test consisting of 200 questions evenly divided into listening comprehension and reading comprehension. Each candidate receives independent scores for listening and reading comprehension on a scale from 5 to 495 points. The total score add up to a scale from 10 to 990 points. The TOEIC certificate exists in five colors, corresponding to achieve results:

·         orange (10–219)

·         brown (220–469)

·         green (470–729)

·         blue (730–859)

·         gold (860–990)

·       TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test

            The TOEIC Speaking & Writing Test was introduced in 2006. Test takers receive separate scores for each of the two tests, or can take the Speaking test without taking the Writing test. The Speaking test assesses pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and fluency, while the Writing test examines vocabulary, grammar, and overall coherence and organization. The tests are designed to reflect actual English usage in the workplace, though they do not require any knowledge of specialized business terms. The TOEIC Speaking Test takes approximately 20 minutes to complete; the TOEIC writing test lasts approximately 60 minutes. Each test has a score range between 0-200, with test takers grouped into eight proficiency levels.

·       The Scores of TOEIC Test
The TOEIC Reading and Listening gives a score between 10 and 990:

·   905 - 990 International Proficiency

·   785 – 900 Working Proficiency Plus

·   605 – 780 Limited Working Proficiency

·   405 – 600 Elementary Proficiency Plus

·   255 – 400 Elementary Proficiency

·   185 – 250 Memorised Proficiency

·   10 – 180 No Useful Proficiency

TOEIC Speaking and Writing tests are scored out of 200.

Here is the format of the TOEIC:

TOEIC Format

Listening and Reading Test       Listening        100 questions, 45 minutes       Part I: Photographs (10 questions)       Part II: Question-Response (30 questions)       Part III: Short Conversations (30 questions)       Part IV: Short Talks (30 questions)       Reading       100 questions, 75 minutes       Part V: Incomplete Sentences (40 questions)       Part VI: Text completion (12 questions)       Part VII: Reading Comprehension-Single Passages (28 questions) Double   Passages (20 questions)

Speaking and Writing Test       Speaking:       About 20 Minutes, 11 Questions       Various tasks including describing a photo, expressing an opinion, and providing a response or solution       Writing:       About one hour, 8 questions       7 written responses and 1 opinion essay

·       Institutional TOEIC Test

            In addition to the official TOEIC tests, there are also versions that individual businesses and educational institutions can purchase for internal use. These "Institutional" TOEIC tests can be administered at the organization's own choice of location and time to their employees or students.

·       History

            The US-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) developed the TOEIC test to measure achievement in using English in a business setting. Yasuo Kitaoka was the central figure of the Japanese team that conceived the basic idea of the TOEIC test.

            According to an Aug. 11, 2009 Japan Times article, "In the 1970s, Kitaoka began negotiating with ETS to create a new test of English communication for use in Japan. ETS responded that it required a nonprofit organization to work with as their partner. Kitaoka tried to enlist the help of the Ministry of Education, but their bureaucrats did not see the need for a new test to compete with the STEP Eiken, an English test already backed by the ministry. To overcome this opposition, Kitaoka received help from his friend, Yaeji Watanabe. Watanabe's influence as a retired high-ranking bureaucrat from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (renamed the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, or METI) proved crucial to TOEIC's establishment.

            Watanabe had remained in contact with his old ministry while working on the board of directors for the World Economic Information Services (WEIS) and as chairman of the Japan-China Economic Association, both public-interest corporations operating under MITI. Watanabe declined an interview request, but his memoirs describe how he overcame Ministry of Education opposition to the TOEIC by taking cover "behind the ministry of trade shield." Watanabe convinced his old ministry it should play the lead role in establishing a new English test, and formed a TOEIC Steering Committee under the WEIS umbrella. Members of the committee included other retired MITI bureaucrats and influential business leaders.

            Government support secured, ETS began developing the test in 1977. In 1979, English learners in Japan filled in the first of many TOEIC multiple-choice answer forms."

            ETS's major competitors are Cambridge University, which administers the IELTS, FCE, CAE, and CPE and Trinity College London, which administers GESE and ISE exams.

·       New TOEIC Test

            A new version of the TOEIC Listening & Reading test was released in 2006. The changes can be summarized as follows:

·         Overall, passages are longer.

·         Part 1 has fewer questions involving photograph descriptions.

·         The Listening Section hires speakers of English from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and North America, and uses an equal distribution of the dialects. However, all the voice actors for the speaking test have lived in the United States for an extended period.

·         Part 6 no longer contains an error-spotting task, criticized as unrealistic in a corporate environment, instead adopting the use of a task wherein the test taker fills in blanks in incomplete sentences.

·         Part 7 contains not only single-passage questions but also double-passage questions wherein the test taker reads and compares the two related passages, such as an e-mail correspondence.

            According to a survey conducted in 2006 by the Institute for International Business, 56.8% of the respondents who took both the older and the revised versions of the TOEIC test in Japan find the latter version more difficult. The lower the score the test taker achieves, the more marked this tendency becomes. As many as 85.6% of those who earned scores ranging from 10 to 395 points find the revised TOEIC test more difficult, while 69.9% of those who earned 400 to 495 points think this way, as do 59.3% of those who earned 500 to 595 points. Among those who achieved 600 to 695 points 58.9% agree with these findings, 700 to 795 points 48.6%, 800 to 895 points 47.9%, and 900 to 990 points 39.8%.

            2006 also saw the addition of TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests. In 2007 there were additional changes to the TOEIC Reading & Listening test that decreased emphasis on knowledge of grammatical rules.

·       TOEIC in Jepan

            The Institute for International Business Communication (Kokusai Bijinesu Komyunikēshon Kyōkai) operates the TOEIC test in Japan, where a total of nearly 1.5 million people take the test per year. There are two ways to take the TOEIC test properly. One is called the TOEIC SP Test (Secure Program Test; Kōkai Tesuto), in which one can take the test either individually or in a group on specified dates at a test centre specified by the TOEIC Steering Committee. The other is the TOEIC Institutional Program (IP) Test ( Dantai Tokubetsu Juken Seido), in which an organization can choose the date and administer the test at its convenience in accordance with the TOEIC Steering Committee. The TOEIC SP Test was renewed on May 2006, followed by the TOEIC IP Test in April 2007 in line so that it would be with the SP Test. More and more companies use TOEIC scores for personnel assessment instead of the homegrown STEP Eiken test organized by the Society for Testing English Proficiency (STEP) (Nihon Eigo Kentei Kyōkai Shusai Jitsuyō Eigo Ginō Kentei Shiken "Eiken"). The TOEIC Speaking Test/Writing Test started on January 21, 2007 in addition to the TOEIC SP Test and the TOEIC IP Test.

Scandal

            The Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC), the non-profit organization that administers the TOEIC in Japan, was the subject of a scandal in 2009.

            In May and June 2009, articles in the Japanese weekly magazine FRIDAY accused the IIBC’s 92 year-old Chairman Yaeji Watanabe of nepotism when he appointed the son of his girlfriend to the position of Chairman of the IIBC Board of Directors. To force the appointment, half of the volunteers serving on the Board were forced out by Watanabe. The magazine article also questioned why Watanabe only showed up for work about one day a week.

            In his defense, Watanabe claimed that he held a ceremonial title and was Chairman in name only. As a result Watanabe claimed that he had little to do with the decision to appoint the son of his girlfriend to the position. The magazine article concluded by asking why someone who is Chairman only in name and only working one day a week should receive an annual salary in excess of 25 million yen.

            In August 2009, the online version of the English-language newspaper The Japan Times published a two-part series examining the TOEIC’s origins and early history as well as the use of test-taker fees by the IIBC on the internet. The August 18th article examined the questionable uses of test-fees, including, a fivefold increase in utility expenses in one year, 13 million spent annually on research about adapting to Chinese culture, sponsorship of poetry readings by the Chinese Poetry Recitation Association, and membership fees to join the Beautiful Aging Association, for which Watanabe also happened to be Chairman.

            The article also questioned the relationship between the IIBC and its for-profit partner International Communications School with which it shared office space. International Communications School is responsible for selling the TOEIC Institutional Program Test given by companies and schools, and also publishes IIBC approved TOEIC preparation textbooks and administers the TOEIC Japanese language Web site. Also, one of International Communications School's subsidiaries is E-Communications, which administers the TOEIC’s online application system and provides online TOEIC study materials.

            In 2009, Watanabe suddenly resigned from the IIBC, leaving the son of his girlfriend in charge of the non-profit. Watanabe received a 25 million yen retirement payment.

            The IIBC lowered the price of the TOEIC Secure Program Test from 6,615 yen to 5,985 yen starting with the September 13, 2009 test. The price had to be lowered due to pressure from the Ministry of Trade, which instructed the IIBC to reduce the profits being generated by the test.

            In July 2010, the Tokyo Tax Bureau announced that International Communications School, IIBC's for-profit partner, hid 100 million yen in income and had to pay 30 million yen in back taxes and fines.

            Concurrent to the ongoing scandal in Japan, the parent-company of TOEIC, ELTS was subject to a parliamentary inquest in London, England, after it was revealed that ELTS had experienced several serious breaches of sensitive children’s data, in the USA.

·       TOEIC in South Korea

            Toward the end of 2005, there was a shift in South Korea, regarded as the second biggest consumer of TOEIC per capita. As noted in The Chosun Ilbo (Korea Daily Reports) national daily, a number of major corporations have either removed or reduced the required TOEIC score for employment. An official from the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK; Kiup Bank) says, "TOEIC isn't an appropriate indicator of actual English skills." However, a person's TOEIC score is still a major factor in hiring persons for most professional jobs in South Korea. Starting in 2011, Korean universities will no longer be allowed to use TOEIC and TOEFL scores as part of the admission process. However, many Universities in Korea still requiring a minimum score of 900. This is apparently to discourage private English education (there are many private institutions that teach TOEIC-based classes). Another English proficiency test, TEPS (developed by Seoul National University, Chosun Ilbo), has been developed and may replace the status of TOEIC.

·       TOEIC in Europe

            In France, some Grandes écoles require a TOEIC score of at least 785 to award the diploma. This policy has been criticized, as it makes state-awarded diplomas dependent on a private institution—despite the fact that it was not the private institution that set the 785 mark but a recommendation from the Commission des titres d'ingénieur indicating a B2+ level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. If the student cannot achieve a 785 mark, he/she is offered to validate his/her diploma by other means in most of the schools. Some institutions delay the diploma for 1 year after the end of the studies in that case.

            In Greece, TOEIC is accepted by ASEP, the organisation responsible for hiring new employees to work for the government. It is administrated by the Hellenic American Union and it is offered weekly in most major cities in Greece.

            In Italy, TOEIC is often used by universities as an exam to pass degree level qualifications. All universities require that students pass an English examination to be allowed to partake in degree courses and to receive diplomas. A TOEIC score of 450 is usually required to complete 3 years of study and a score of 600 is usually required to obtain the diploma. Many universities allow alternative qualifications to the TOEIC, such as the Cambridge certificate and TOEFL tests. Most universities do not offer either language preparation or language tests, requiring students to seek external preparation and examination for a requirement enforced by the department of education for all degrees.

·       TOEIC in the United Kingdom

            The TOEIC was one test used to apply for a visa to study in the UK. However a 2014 undercover investigation by the BBC program Panorama appeared to expose systematic cheating & fraud by an independent organization administering the TOEIC, which led to the Home Office suspending acceptance of all ETS English exams.Eventually, on 17 April 2014, ETS decided not to renew its license as a provider of a Secure English Language Test (SELT), which means that its English language tests are no longer honored for the purpose of being issued a UK visa. More than 40,000 students are affected by this. The students' visas were cancelled and they were sent back to their countries having been banned from re-applying for 1 to 10 years.

·       TOEIC in the United States

          Both the TOEIC Listening & Reading and the TOEIC Speaking & Writing tests are now available in the United States. While the TOEIC Listening & Reading test has been available for decades, the TOEIC Speaking & Writing test was introduced in the United States only in 2009. Registration for the TOEIC Speaking & Writing test is handled by the English4Success division of the nonprofit organization Amideast.

·       TOEIC in Thailand

            There are a few types with TOEIC Exam such as TOEIC Classic, TOEIC Redesign, TOEIC Speaking and Writing as depend of examinee objectives. Mostly in Thailand apply for TOEIC Redesign.

            The Center for Professional Assessment offers regular institutional testing every Monday through Saturday at 9:00AM and 1:00PM (local time). The TOEIC test is a two-hour multiple-choice test that consists of 200 questions divided into 100 questions each in listening comprehension and reading comprehension. Each candidate receives independent marks for written and oral comprehension on a scale from 5 to 495 points. The total score adds up to a scale from 10 to 990 points.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Question 1

You will see:

1.

You will hear:   1. Look at the picture marked number 1 in your test book.

   (A) He’s checking his watch.

   (B) He’s wearing a jacket.

   (C) He’s adjusting his tie.

   (D) He’s folding his clothes.

Question 2

You will see:

2.

You will hear:   2. Look at the picture marked number 2 in your test book.

   (A) She’s speaking into a microphone.

   (B) She’s putting on her glasses.

   (C) She’s studying from a book.

   (D) She’s using a microscope.

Part 2: Question-Response

Directions: You will hear a question or statement and three responses spoken in English. They will not be printed in your test book and will be spoken only one time. Select the best response to the question or statement and mark the letter (A), (B), or (C) on your answer sheet.

Example

You will hear: Where is the meeting room?

You will also hear:  

   (A) To meet the new director.

   (B) It’s the first room on the right.

   (C) Yes, at two o’clock.

The best response to the question “Where is the meeting room?” is choice (B), “It’s the first room on the right,” so (B) is the correct answer. You should mark answer (B) on your answer sheet.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Question 1

You will hear: 11. Did you make a dinner reservation?

   (A) I prefer fish.

   (B) Flight 261 to Osaka.

   (C) Yes, it’s at 7 o’clock.

Question 2

You will hear: 12. Who takes the packages to the post office?

   (A) Turn left at the corner.

   (B) Martin usually does it.

   (C) No, I didn’t.

Question 3

You will hear: 13. This software is difficult to use, isn’t it?

   (A) Yes, it’s very complicated.

   (B) Yes, I often wear it.

   (C) No, but she used to.

Question 4

You will hear: 14. Why don’t you have a seat while you wait?

   (A) Two in the same row, please.

   (B) It didn’t weigh very much.

   (C) Thanks, I think I will.

Question 5

You will hear: 15. They’ve reduced the price of these cameras.

   (A) Then let’s go ahead and buy one.

   (B) I don’t think we’ve been introduced.

   (C) I never win anything.

Part 3: Conversations

Directions: You will hear some conversations between two people. You will be asked to answer three questions about what the speakers say in each conversation. Select the best response to each question and mark the letter (A), (B), (C), or (D) on your answer sheet. The conversations will not be printed in your test book and will be spoken only one time.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

You will hear: Questions 41 through 43 refer to the following conversation:

(Woman)          I think I’ll have to take the train to the regional sales meeting up in the city next                         week.

(Man)               Don’t you usually drive  when you go to those meetings? I thought you didn’t like to take the train.

(Woman)          I don’t, but the highway’s being repaired, and -I’m afraid I might be late if I have to make a detour through an area I don’t know very well.

(Man)               You’re right. And it’ll be expensive to park up there, too.

You will then hear: 41. Why is the woman going to the city?

You will read: 41. Why is the woman going to the city?

   (A) To attend a sale

   (B) To go to a meeting

   (C) To get her car repaired

   (D) To go on a tour

You will hear: 42. How will she get there?

You will read: 42. How will she get there?

   (A) By car

   (B) By bus

   (C) By train

   (D) By airplane

You will hear: 43. What is the problem?

You will read: 43. What is the problem?

   (A) The trains are often late.

   (B) The meeting may be canceled.

   (C) The tour is expensive.

   (D) The roads are being fixed.

Part 4: Talks

Directions: You will hear some talks given by a single speaker. You will be asked to answer three questions about what the speaker says in each talk. Select the best response to each question and mark the letter (A), (B), (C), or (D) on your answer sheet. The talks will not be printed in your test book and will be spoken only one time.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

You will hear: Questions 71 through 73 refer to the following announcement.

(Woman)          Thank you for calling Central Electric Services,  your local power company.                        We are still experiencing problems with power  failures caused by the recent storm. We expect service to be back up in most areas early this evening, although some homes in the northwest will be without       electricity until tomorrow morning, and it may be tomorrow evening before service is fully restored in       all areas. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our customers, and we thank you for          your continued patience as we work to resolve these problems. This service announcement will be updated throughout the day. It was last updated at 6:00 A.M. on Sunday, April third.

You will then hear: 71. Where would this announcement be heard?

You will read: 71. Where would this announcement be heard?

   (A) On the television

   (B) On the radio

   (C) Over the telephone

   (D) In a company meeting

You will hear: 72. What is the purpose of the announcement?

You will read: 72. What is the purpose of the announcement?

   (A) To tell people about an approaching storm

   (B) To provide information about electric services

   (C) To apologize for staffing shortages

   (D) To describe the reorganization of a company

You will hear: 73. When is the problem expected to be completely resolved?

You will read: 73. When is the problem expected to be completely resolved?

   (A) This morning

   (B) This evening

   (C) Tomorrow morning

   (D) Tomorrow evening

Section II: Reading

In the Reading test, you will read a variety of texts and answer several different types of reading comprehension questions. The entire Reading test will last 75 minutes. There are three parts, and directions are given for each part. You are encouraged to answer as many questions as possible within the time allowed.

            You must mark your answers on the separate answer sheet. Do not write your answers in your test book.

Part 5: Incomplete Sentences

Directions: A word or phrase is missing in each of the following sentences. Four answer choices are given below each sentence. Select the best answer to complete the sentence. Then mark the letter (A), (B), (C), or (D) on your answer sheet.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

101. A late fee will be applied to your account _______ payment is not received by March 31.

   (A) and

   (B) whether

   (C) but

   (D) if

102. The award is given to an individual who has made _______ contributions to the community through volunteer work.

   (A) detailed

   (B) significant

   (C) secure

   (D) updated

103. Last year, Andrea Choi _______ the Choi Economic Research Center at Upton University.

   (A) to establish

   (B) established

   (C) was established

   (D) establishing

104. Ms. Ikeda and Mr. Arroyo are the final candidates under _______ for the position of director of development.

   (A) consideration

   (B) elimination

   (C) recognition

   (D) confirmation

105. Of the two animated films released today, _______ is certain to be popular with children, while the other will appeal more to adults.

   (A) neither

   (B) it

   (C) one

   (D) another

Part 6: Text Completion

Directions: Read the texts that follow. A word or phrase is missing in some of the sentences. Four answer choices are given below each of the sentences. Select the best answer to complete the text. Then mark the letter (A), (B), (C), or (D) on your answer sheet.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Questions 141–143 refer to the following e-mail:

Part 7: Reading Comprehension

Directions: In this part you will read a selection of texts, such as magazine and newspaper articles, letters, and advertisements. Each text is followed by several questions. Select the best answer for each question and mark the letter (A), (B), (C), or (D) on your answer sheet.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Questions 153–154 refer to the following notice:

153. What is the purpose of the notice?

   (A) To announce a sale of artwork

   (B) To advertise the opening of a hotel

   (C) To offer a discount on painting lessons

   (D) To publicize a photography exhibition

154. According to the notice, what can people do online?

   (A) Purchase selected items

   (B) Order tickets to an event

   (C) Register for art classes

   (D) View some pieces of art

Questions 181–185 refer to the following letter and document.

181. Why did Simon Jenkins write to Jeanne Sokol?

   (A) To thank her for visiting a restaurant

   (B) To apologize for poor service

   (C) To inquire about her dining experience

   (D) To invite her to an awards dinner

182. In the letter, the word “reservation” in paragraph 1, line 5, is closest in meaning to

   (A) hesitation

   (B) supply

   (C) doubt

   (D) appointment

183. What is suggested about Jeanne Sokol?

   (A) She has recently traveled to Manchester.

   (B) She spoke to Simon Jenkins on the telephone.

   (C) She wrote a letter of complaint.

   (D) She frequently dines in London.

184. What is Simon Jenkins offering?

   (A) A refund on a previous purchase

   (B) A discount on a future purchase

   (C) Replacement of a damaged product

   (D) Special assistance in ordering a product

185. Where does Simon Jenkins most likely work?

   (A) In Manchester

   (B) In Brighton

   (C) In Birmingham

   (D) In London