Understanding the Latest TOEIC Test Format

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With two main versions—the 2-skill TOEIC and 4-skill TOEIC—this test comprehensively evaluates your English language proficiency in real workplace environments. So what exactly is the TOEIC test format? Join PREP as we explore the detailed structure of both the 4-skill and 2-skill TOEIC tests in this article!

I. Overview of the TOEIC Test Format
II. The Latest 2025 TOEIC 2-Skill Test Format
1. 1. The New TOEIC Test Structure
2. 2. Comparing Old vs. New TOEIC Test Formats
III. The Latest TOEIC 4-Skill Test Format You Need to Know
1. 1. TOEIC Speaking Test Structure
2. 2. TOEIC Writing Test Structure
IV. Frequently Asked Questions about TOEIC Test Format

I. Overview of the TOEIC Test Format

The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is an English proficiency assessment designed to evaluate your ability to use English in international work environments.

Currently, TOEIC offers two popular test versions:

TOEIC 2-skill test (Listening & Reading): This is the most common test format, widely used by companies to assess employees' English communication abilities. This test consists of 7 parts.
TOEIC 4-skill test (Listening, Reading, Speaking & Writing): This comprehensive test is designed to evaluate all four language skills, making it suitable for professions requiring fluent English communication. Many universities now require students to take the 4-skill TOEIC test to meet graduation standards, such as the National Economics University.

So what is the structure of these tests? Let's find out with PREP!

II. The Latest 2025 TOEIC 2-Skill Test Format

The 2-skill TOEIC test format covers the Listening and Reading sections. Let's explore the IIG TOEIC test structure!

1. The New TOEIC Test Structure

The TOEIC Listening & Reading test structure includes 200 questions divided into 7 parts with a total time of 120 minutes (45 minutes for Listening and 75 minutes for Reading), detailed as follows:

1.1. TOEIC Listening Test Structure

The TOEIC Listening section includes 100 questions divided into 4 parts with a 45-minute time limit:

Section	Description	Number of Questions
Part 1 (Picture Description)	View a picture and listen to four answer choices (not displayed on the screen). - 5-second pause between questions. - 87% of images feature people, while 13% depict objects.	6 questions
Part 2 (Question-Response)	Listen to a question or statement and choose the correct response from three answer choices (not displayed on the screen). - WH-questions are the most common. - Choice questions are the least common. - Statement and Yes/No questions make up 14% - 36% of this section.	25 questions
Part 3 (Conversations)	Listen to 13 conversations and answer three questions per conversation. - Choose one answer from four options. - Some conversations include three speakers (e.g., two males, one female or two females, one male). - Charts and diagrams often appear in later questions. - Detail-based questions make up more than half of this section. - Other question types include: • General information: 18% • Do-Next questions: 13% • Chart/Table-based questions: 7% • Implied meaning questions: 6%	39 questions (13 conversations, 3 questions per conversation)
Part 4 (Talks)	Listen to 10 short talks and answer three questions per talk. - Some questions may include charts and diagrams.	30 questions (10 talks, 3 questions per talk)

1.2. TOEIC Reading Test Structure

The TOEIC Reading section includes 100 questions divided into 3 parts with a 75-minute time limit:

Section	Description	Number of Questions
Part 5 (Sentence Completion)	Fill in the blanks with the correct word or phrase. - Choose one answer from four options. - This section focuses on vocabulary and grammar: • Vocabulary: Pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, word forms, and meaning-based choices. • Grammar: Tenses, conditionals, subject-verb agreement, passive voice, etc.	30 questions
Part 6 (Text Completion)	Fill in the blanks within short passages. - Part 6 includes four short texts. - Choose one answer from four options. - Text types often include announcements, notices, emails, advertisements, and letters.	16 questions
Part 7 (Reading Comprehension)	Read passages and answer comprehension questions. - Passages can be single, double, or triple texts: • Single passages (1 text): Usually from questions 147 to 174. • Double passages (2 texts): Appear in questions 176 to 185. • Triple passages (3 texts): Cover the remaining questions. - Choose one answer from four options.	29 questions (10 passages, 2-4 questions each) + 25 questions (5 sets of multi-passage texts, 5 questions per set)

2. Comparing Old vs. New TOEIC Test Formats

The TOEIC test format has changed from its previous version. For those who took the TOEIC long ago or haven't updated with the latest information, it can be difficult to understand the differences between the new and old TOEIC test formats. PREP shares the changes between the two TOEIC test structures in the following table:

Section	Old TOEIC Format	New TOEIC Format (Since June 1, 2019)	Key Changes
Part 1 (Picture Description)	10 questions	6 questions	Reduced by 4 questions
Part 2 (Question-Response)	30 questions	25 questions	Reduced by 5 questions; includes incomplete sentences (e.g., Yes, in a minute; Down the hall; Could you?)
Part 3 (Conversations)	10 dialogues, 3 questions each Total: 30 questions	13 dialogues, 3 questions each Total: 39 questions	Increased by 9 questions; includes conversations with 3 speakers; new question types with charts, tables, and implied meaning
Part 4 (Short Talks)	10 talks, 3 questions each Total: 30 questions	Same	No changes; added charts, tables, and implied meaning questions
Part 5 (Sentence Completion)	40 questions	30 questions	Reduced by 10 questions
Part 6 (Text Completion)	12 questions	16 questions	Increased by 4 questions
Part 7 (Reading Comprehension)	Single & double passages: 9 single passages (2-5 questions each) → 28 questions 4 double passages (5 questions each) → 20 questions	Single, double, and triple passages: 10 single passages (2-4 questions each) → 29 questions 2 double passages (5 questions each) 3 triple passages (5 questions each) → Total 25 questions	Added triple passages; introduced new text formats like chat messages and phone texts; added implied meaning questions; introduced a new sentence insertion question type

III. The Latest TOEIC 4-Skill Test Format You Need to Know

The TOEIC test format includes 4 skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. The Listening & Reading sections were detailed in part II. Now, let's explore the TOEIC Speaking and Writing test structures with PREP!

1. TOEIC Speaking Test Structure

The current TOEIC Speaking test structure includes 11 questions divided into 5 parts. The total time for the Speaking section is 20 minutes, with a maximum score of 200 points. The detailed TOEIC Speaking test structure is as follows:

Section	Questions	Task	Preparation & Response Time	Max Score
Part 1	1 – 2	Read aloud two short passages	45 seconds preparation & 45 seconds response per passage	3 points
Part 2	3 – 4	Describe two pictures	45 seconds preparation per picture 30 seconds response per picture	3 points
Part 3	5 – 6 – 7	Answer three questions	3 seconds preparation per question 15 seconds response for Q5 & Q6 30 seconds response for Q7	3 points
Part 4	8 – 9 – 10	Respond to three questions based on a provided chart	5 seconds to read the chart 3 seconds preparation per question 15 seconds response for Q8 & Q9 30 seconds response for Q10	3 points
Part 5	11	Express an opinion on a given topic	30 seconds preparation 1 minute response	5 points

Note: According to the old test format, the TOEIC Speaking section also had a "Propose a Solution" part, but IIG has removed this since August 7, 2021.

2. TOEIC Writing Test Structure

The TOEIC Writing test structure includes 8 questions divided into 3 parts. The total time is 60 minutes, with a maximum score of 200 points. The detailed structure is as follows:

Section	Questions	Task	Time Limit	Max Score
Part 1	1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5	Write a sentence describing a picture using two given words	8 minutes for 5 pictures	3 points per picture
Part 2	6 – 7	Respond to two emails	10 minutes per email	4 points per email
Part 3	8	Write an essay on a given topic	30 minutes	5 points

IV. Frequently Asked Questions about TOEIC Test Format

1. Is the new TOEIC test format more difficult than the old format?

Many test-takers are concerned about the difficulty of the new TOEIC test format. However, the new TOEIC format doesn't increase the difficulty compared to the previous version. The main difference lies in the addition of some new question types, which require candidates to familiarize themselves and practice.

To achieve good results in the new TOEIC format test, the most important key is to focus on mastering and regularly practicing the newly added question types. Once you become familiar with the structure and approach to these question types, you'll easily complete the test within the allotted time with your desired results.

2. Has the TOEIC exam fee changed with the new TOEIC test format?

The TOEIC exam fee for the old format was 900,000 VND. Compared to the old test format, current TOEIC fees range from 1,330,000 - 1,500,000 VND for the 2-skill Listening & Reading test and 3,505,000 - 3,675,000 VND for the 4-skill test.

Above, PREP has shared everything about the latest TOEIC test format. We hope this useful information will help you prepare best for your upcoming TOEIC exam!

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Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.