People that succeed with TOEIC do two things very well: First, they identify what they need to improve before taking the test. Second, they put their focus on studying with a clear objective in mind.
For a full time working professional or people with kids, preparing for the TOEIC can be an inconvenience. Everybody has different schedules and time constraints however it’s imperative that when preparing for the TOEIC that you get some practice in everyday. Twenty minutes a day can be enough if you are organized and study with a purpose in mind. You ready? Let’s do this.
Before you start preparing for the TOEIC test you need to figure out what you should focus on. Do you need to focus on your general English comprehension or TOEIC test taking skills? If you already have decent English knowledge your focus should be on the test. If you are struggling with understanding and communicating in English maybe your focus should be on improving your basic knowledge of English.
Consider the time frame and the amount of time you can dedicate to studying for the test. To really improve your test taking skills you will need at least one month of preparation before taking the test. If you would like to improve your overall English language comprehension you will have to plan to study at least a few months before taking the test.
Take practice tests so you know what section you should concentrate your time on. Maybe you’re good at reading comprehension but not as well at listening comprehension. By improving your weaknesses you will utilize your study time as well see an improvement in your TOEIC score.
Students often read a TOEIC preparation book and expect to be ready for the test however it’s useless if you don’t actually practice what the book is teaching. You learn by applying what you have read with practice tests and exercises. Review your mistakes and analyze why you missed the question. By practicing and correcting your mistakes you will improve at a rapid pace.
Have a clear schedule and structure in place. Keep yourself on track and apply different small goals to reach when studying. Keep your eyes on the prize, which is a great TOEIC score!
Reading Comprehension
Read passages and write down unfamiliar words.
Take practice tests for the TOEIC reading section
Review your practice test and analyze the questions you answered incorrectly
Speaking
Answer a few TOEIC speaking questions on your phone
Listen to your speaking answers and take notes on your strengths and weaknesses
Listen to a short speech by a native speaker, try to mirror his speech and compare your speech with the original
Writing
Write a short essay on a topic you are interested in or join a forum that discusses something you are interested in
Write an essay based on TOEIC question
Write a short essay based on a speech from YouTube
Listening Comprehension
Watch a movies/ TV shows in English and review it
Do practice tests for the TOEIC listening section
Listen to songs while reading the lyrics
Listen to a speech on YouTube and take notes of the speech, write down unfamiliar words.
These are a few easy way’s you can study for the TOEIC test.
However keep in mind that the best way to practice for the TOEIC is to actually take practice tests and exercises that are based on the TOEIC test.