TOEIC Overview

The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is the leading English test used in the world today. Intended for intermediate to advanced level English students, it measures the ability to speak, read, and understand Business English or English used in the workplace. According to ETS, the creators of the TOEIC test, over 4.5 million people a year take this exam, to get a job or advance their careers in corporations, educational institutions, or government agencies.

The TOEIC test has been changing to reflect newer testing approaches. These changes are not the same in every country, so it is important to check the current situation in your own country.

There are currently two different types of TOEIC tests:

• The TOEIC Listening and Reading Test
• The TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test

Each test is administered separately. In other words, there may be a couple of weeks gap between your scheduled dates for each of the above exams.

Originally, the TOEIC test only consisted of a Listening and Reading test. Then, from around May 2006, changes were made in the test as offered in Japan and Korea, where the test is extremely popular.

Today, in Canada and the USA, the classic (or older) TOEIC Listening & Speaking Test is still offered when the test is offered in-house by language schools for their own students. However, in Official or Open Public Test Sites, the New TOEIC Listening and Reading Test is offered, which is slightly different from the classic version. In addition, in these countries, it is now possible to appear for the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test, which is a relatively new addition.

So, if a student has appeared for both the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test and the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test, he or she will have been assessed in all four language skills.

Both versions of the TOEIC Listening and Writing Tests are of the same length – two hours long, while the TOEIC Speaking and Writing test is about 80 minutes long.