In Korea, getting high scores in the TOEIC test matters a great deal if you are a university student who soon graduates and thus has to look for a job. If you are an employee who wants to be promoted, your TOEIC score still matters: it will determine whether you can be promoted or not.
TOEIC, Test of English for International Communication, is literally the test of English proficiency for communication. Today there are many other kinds of English Proficiency tests, such as TEPS and IELTS, but most Korean companies still require that applicants submit TOEIC scores.
The TOEIC has been the most influential English test that you must face when finding a job in Korea. This article is for people who are preparing for the TOEIC test. If you have no idea what to do and how to study, take time to learn how others get a high score on it. The following is the interview with Seungkyung Lee, the vice president of the Wikimass Academy in Seoul.
She will help you plan the strategy which can get you a high TOEIC score:
-You got over 900 points on the TOEIC when you were in university. How did you study that time?
Well, let me talk about my very first TOEIC. I studied English in Canada for about a year, as many other college students do. I took TOEIC right after I returned to Korea, and that time I got about 650 points. I was a little embarrassed though I knew I didn't study for it at all. After that, I studied TOEIC seriously, following after a plan.
As you know, TOEIC has two different parts: LC and RC. Each one is out of 495, and together they make 990 points, the full marks. In case of LC, I listened to the TOEIC text book's CD repeatedly. Where there were vocabulary and expressions that I didn't know, I wrote them down in a notebook and made a list for memorization. For some pronunciations that are confused, I took a note with Korean characters. While doing so, I learned there were patterns that are often asked in the TOEIC questions. I tried to master them all.
I studied about 2~3 hours a day during the semester, and more than 4 hours during the vacation. I first got over 900 points when I was in my fourth year. Even after that I have regularly taken TOEIC. Most times I get a perfect score in LC part, and total over 900.
-Can you give more advice on how to prepare the LC part?
Simply speaking, LC is a listening comprehension test. To be able to hear, you must know its vocabulary and structures. If you don't know what kind of grammar is applied in that sentence, you won't be able to hear and understand when it is spoken. Some people think listening is completely different from grammar, but they are very closely connected in fact.
And here is advice in detail. In case of Part II, carefully listen to the first part of the question. For example, you should 'catch' what WH-question each question starts with. It will help you pick the correct answer. However, here's another thing you should care about. When the question starts with 'who,' you will think the answer will always be a sentence that contains a person. However, there is also an 'I don't know' type of answer. If you take TOEIC for the first time, be careful about that.
I also enjoyed watching American dramas. They also helped me improve my listening skill. While listening to it, I could picture what situations the characters are in.
-How did you prepare for the RC part?
I recommend you study grammar from the beginning to the end. I mean, your study should cover all the parts of English grammar. Don't just study your weak point and think everything is done. Study them all - verb tense, modals, gerunds, to-infinitives, conditionals, subject-verb agreements, and so on. Before you start studying for RC, finish the grammar first.
When I first took TOEIC, I felt the seventh part was especially difficult. Now I think it was because I hadn't studied grammar enough to understand a complicated sentence. If you want to be strong at Reading, your grammar skill must be good.
-Do you think whether one has studied in an English-speaking country matter about TOEIC score?
Well, I think it depends. In my case, no. I had fun while studying in Canada, but I don't think that remarkably influenced on my English. However, ironically, the fact that I studied in Canada motivated me to study hard after I returned to Korea. That time I thought, 'I studied in Canada about a year. Don't I deserve to receive a high score on the TOEIC?'
-Not all people's goal is 900s on the TOEIC. Some people wish to get over just 500, and there are others who hope to get over just 700. Can you give tangible advice for them?
In Korea, most TOEIC applicants are adults, not teenagers. It means they are well aware of their own English skill. If you think you need help with English, don't hesitate to register for a language institute or join in an English study group.
You don't have time? Then don't complain that your TOEIC score is low. Those who get higher than 800s and 900s are people who spare time for it. You can study LC part even while walking on the street. As a matter of fact, you can easily achieve to get 500 to 700 scores just by studying pretest questions. Also, both in LC and RC parts, there are specific patterns of questions that are repeatedly asked. Just by getting used to them, you can get about 700s, I believe.
-Please send a message of support and encouragement to those who are preparing for the TOEIC.
Whether your goal is 500 or 900, the best thing is to make steady efforts. Once you started, you will be compensated for your effort soon enough. Some people say they couldn't do very well on the test because they were very nervous. Well, not getting nervous is also a part of your ability. Don't worry. You will overcome it easily too if you are ready.
I still take TOEIC regularly to keep the hang of my English skill. Now getting over 900 points on the test is not difficult at all, but it was before. Those days, I wrote down what I wanted to achieve on a small piece of paper and put it on the wall of my room.
One of my goals written there was '900 scores on TOEIC.' I loudly told myself "I can do it" everyday, looking at myself in the mirror. Later, I did get a higher score than 900 and also could achieve all other goals, such as scholarship and certificate. I did it. Why not you? Now it's time for you to do it.
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