Everything You Need to Know About the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test

The TOEIC 2-skills test is the most popular TOEIC exam and is commonly referred to as the general TOEIC test. This test consists of two parts: listening and reading. The score range for these two skills is approximately 10-990 points. If you're preparing for the TOEIC 2-skills test, don't miss the detailed article that Prep will share below.

I. Introduction to the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test

This is arguably the most widely recognized TOEIC examination. Most people simply refer to it as the TOEIC test, or more specifically, the TOEIC Listening and Reading test. This examination consists of two sections: listening and reading. The scoring range for this test is from 10 to 990 points. The examination fee is $35.

II. Structure of the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test 

The traditional TOEIC 2-skills test includes two main sections:

Part 1 - Listening: This section evaluates the candidate's English listening skills and contains 100 questions. These questions are presented only through audio recordings (not printed on the test paper). Candidates have a total of 45 minutes to listen and complete their answers.

Part 2 - Reading: This section assesses vocabulary, grammar knowledge, and the ability to comprehend short passages. It consists of 100 questions printed directly on the test paper, and candidates have 75 minutes to complete this section.

Overall, a complete TOEIC test includes 200 questions, and candidates must finish within 120 minutes or 2 hours.

You might initially assume that if each question is worth 1 point, the maximum score would be 200 points, or if each question is worth 5 points, the maximum would be 1000 points. However, this isn't the case! According to official regulations, the maximum TOEIC score is 990 points, and scores are calculated using a specific conversion method to accurately assess each candidate's proficiency level.

III. Scoring Scale for the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test

As mentioned earlier, the TOEIC Listening and Reading test structure includes two sections: Listening and Reading.

The total test score is the sum of the listening and reading scores. The maximum score for the listening section is 495, and the maximum score for the reading section is also 495, making the maximum total TOEIC score 495 + 495 = 990 points!

TOEIC scores are calculated based on the number of correct answers, and there is NO penalty for incorrect answers (which is why you should never leave any questions blank). Generally, the more correct answers you provide, the higher your score will be.

However, each question is not worth the same number of points. You cannot simply divide 990 by 200 (total score divided by total questions) to determine the point value of each question. According to ETS, the organization that administers the TOEIC test, each exam contains both easy and difficult questions, so naturally, the score value of each question varies: correctly answering an easy question will earn fewer points than correctly answering a difficult question.

Furthermore, even though the TOEIC scoring scale is 990 points across different test versions, the point values of corresponding questions aren't necessarily equal. For example, question #50 might be very easy in one test version but difficult in another.

Therefore, not only does the scoring method vary for each question within a single test, but the scoring methods between different test versions aren't necessarily identical.

IV.  Score Conversion Table for the TOEIC Listening and Reading Test

Currently, although each test has a maximum score of 990 points, there is no universal scoring method for all TOEIC tests, as explained above. Each TOEIC Listening and Reading test has its own scoring table. You may find many TOEIC score conversion tables online, but these are only for reference.

Below is a TOEIC score conversion chart from the book "Tactics for TOEIC" published by Oxford, with all content certified by ETS, the organization that administers the TOEIC test.

From this conversion table, we can see that the TOEIC scoring system works as follows: The number of correct answers and the corresponding scores are only approximate. For example, if you answer 46 to 50 listening questions correctly, your score might range from 150 to 220 points.

For instance, to achieve a 500-point score on the TOEIC test, you could set your TOEIC preparation goals as follows:

If your reading skills are typically stronger than your listening: You should aim for approximately 300 points in the reading section (corresponding to 66-70 correct answers) and approximately 200 points in the listening section (corresponding to 41-45 correct answers). Your total score would range from 500 to 550 points.

If your listening skills are typically stronger than your reading: You should aim for approximately 300 points in the listening section (corresponding to 61-65 correct answers) and approximately 200 points in the reading section (corresponding to 46-50 correct answers).