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TPS - TOEIC Tips and Free Practice
TOEIC is a well established test so there are a number of options to do your self study. As always the following means are all free and chosen for high quality. It includes textbooks, websites and YouTube videos.
Textbooks
Textbooks are not free but if you can track them down at public libraries or college/university libraries, They are still among the best resources, despite the influx of resources from the internet. I would advise staying away from the long drawn out textbooks and sticking to those that provide high quality practice tests. I say this because you will often come to your best strategies as you do practice tests and make discoveries about what works best for you.
Among the best for practice test quality are: (links are to library search results not Amazon)
1. Barrons TOEIC Practice Test Textbook (any book from 2006 - 2018 )
Get the Superpack or just the Practice test book. I actually prefer just the practice test book because the thickness of the textbooks can be a bot overwhelming. The tests are the most realistic of them all according to students and teachers alike
2. TOEIC ETS Official Guide (any book from 2006-2018)
I guess it goes without saying that you should look at the official guide. It is not as good as the Barrons book but a good source once your finished the Barrons one. I can't seem to locate this in any of the public libraries so this is one you may have to pay for but I suspect an older version can be purchsed for under $20
3. Barrons TOEIC 600 Vocabulary Prep by Lougheed Lin (2006-2018)
Actually Kaplan puts out a better vocabulary book but I could not locate it in the public library or university libraries.
4. Longman Preparation Series for the New TOEIC Test , by Lougheed, Lin
Longman often makes the most practical books with the best advice. The problem is the practice tests are a bit too simple and this is the case here as well.
5. Buiding Skills for the New TOEIC Test (Pearson) by Lougheed Lin
Same author but different publisher
Just Google these titles into your local library into the search columns. If near the largest Ottawa public library
Among the best for practice test quality are: (links are to library search results not Amazon)
1. Barrons TOEIC Practice Test Textbook (any book from 2006 - 2018 )
Get the Superpack or just the Practice test book. I actually prefer just the practice test book because the thickness of the textbooks can be a bot overwhelming. The tests are the most realistic of them all according to students and teachers alike
2. TOEIC ETS Official Guide (any book from 2006-2018)
I guess it goes without saying that you should look at the official guide. It is not as good as the Barrons book but a good source once your finished the Barrons one. I can't seem to locate this in any of the public libraries so this is one you may have to pay for but I suspect an older version can be purchsed for under $20
3. Barrons TOEIC 600 Vocabulary Prep by Lougheed Lin (2006-2018)
Actually Kaplan puts out a better vocabulary book but I could not locate it in the public library or university libraries.
4. Longman Preparation Series for the New TOEIC Test , by Lougheed, Lin
Longman often makes the most practical books with the best advice. The problem is the practice tests are a bit too simple and this is the case here as well.
5. Buiding Skills for the New TOEIC Test (Pearson) by Lougheed Lin
Same author but different publisher
Just Google these titles into your local library into the search columns. If near the largest Ottawa public library
Websites
The best site for practice test to start with is the ETS Global site , where you'll find a free Listening and Writing Test and a free Speaking and Writing test. After that, check out the practice tests at EFSET Test. Once your register at ETS you can access a site that is linked to the ETS site in an odd way that's called YourEnglishTest.com and then take free practice tests. ExamEnglish.com has a very realistic test and when finished that try the one at Sprott Shaw Language College and then Can Pacific College. Once these are all done you can finish off with tests produced by slightly less professional but still worth it for the free practice site called 4tests.com
YouTube Videos
..The two kings of the TOEIC test prep practice tests on YouTube are Thanh Nguyen who for some strange reason has been able to post a number of TOEIC practice tests that seem lifted from a textbook and Dan Nguyen, who I think may be related. Another set of TOEIC tests are from 990TOEIC. Another decent set of videos that are well done are Goodwin TOEIC. It gives practice tests and some guidance as well.
Tip #1 Listening Photo Section
In this section you will see a photograph and hear 4 statements. You are essentially choosing the one that is correct
Think in terms of 3 criteria to avoid being tricked. In this section typically the false statement will contain truth in 2 parts and a falsehood in one part. The falsehood could be related to the:
Eg The long log is located above the waterfall
Think in terms of 3 criteria to avoid being tricked. In this section typically the false statement will contain truth in 2 parts and a falsehood in one part. The falsehood could be related to the:
- Action
- Object
- Setting
- Person
- Characteristic of object or person
- Emotion
- Material
- Prominence of a detail
Eg The long log is located above the waterfall
Continue reading the rest of this tip and others at our TOEIC Blog