Last Updated: November 03, 2024
TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test
Taking the Speaking and Writing Section of the test allows the candidate to advance their careers, whichever stage they are in, by entering the global market of employment and showcasing their skills in the language. The Score Report of TOEIC lets the candidate stand apart from the general competition by demonstrating their ability to communicate in a global language, which is often required for international organizations in fields like hotel management, hospitals, restaurants, and the like.
The Speaking part of the test focuses mainly on effective presentation skills, face-to-face communications, meetings, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing. The Writing part of the test focuses on written business communications, unlike tests like
TOEFL and
IELTS which focus on communication skills required in academic spaces. They will be required to understand the art of writing persuasive emails and other business correspondence in the written format. Proving the existence of these skills in the candidate will also help the candidate train themselves in these aspects, making them well-trained for the positions and promotions they apply for.
The Speaking and Writing section of the test can be taken together or separately as per the candidate's interests. It is a method to show potential or current employers the range of their English communication skills. There is also an option of taking a
Bridge Test, which is for candidates who are in the lower or intermediate levels of language learning to understand where they stand and improve themselves before, they attempt the other tests.
How to Register/Apply for TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test?
TOEIC Speaking and Writing test is administered online at test centers. Individuals interested in taking the TOEIC Speaking and Writing test are advised to contact their closest ETS Preferred Network (EPN) office for information on test dates and availability in their region. If there is no EPN office nearby, or if candidates require an alternative testing location, they can consult the contact information provided below:
Email: TOEIC@ets.org
Phone: 1-609-771-7170
Fax: 1-610-628-3722
Mail: TOEIC Program; ETS; Rosedale Road; Princeton, NJ 08541 USA
Cost of Taking TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test
The cost of taking this examination can vary based on several factors, including the testing location, the organization administering the test, and any additional services offered. The primary charge for the TOEIC Speaking and Writing Examination typically includes the cost of the test itself. Depending on the region and testing center, this fee can range from approximately $85 to $200.
Test Format for TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test
The Speaking section assesses a test taker's ability to communicate effectively in spoken English in a workplace environment. The Writing section evaluates a test taker's ability to write effectively in English in a business context. The sections are as follows:
TOEIC Speaking Section
Each question in the TOEIC Speaking section will contain specific instructions. Candidates are allowed to speak throughout the time allowed, including as much content as possible, but it is recommended that they try to speak clearly and answer the questions directly to prove their grasp of the language instead of speaking non-stop.
Time allotted: 20 minutes
Number of questions: 11 questions
- Read a text aloud- In this task, the candidate will be required to read aloud the text provided on the screen.
Question #: 1 - 2
Time: 45 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to read aloud
- Describe a picture- In this task, the candidate will have to describe in detail a picture shown on the screen
Question #: 3 - 4
Time: 45 seconds to prepare and 30 seconds to speak
- Respond to Questions- There will be three questions in this task based on a snippet on a certain topic.
Question #: 5 - 7
Time: 3 seconds to prep per question, 15 seconds each to answer questions 5 and 6, 30 seconds to answer question 7
- Respond to Questions using Information Provided- This is a telephonic conversation on a snippet displayed on the screen. The candidate must read the snippet and answer the following 3 questions in a telephone conversation.
Question #: 8 - 10
Time: 45 seconds to read the snippet, 3 seconds to prep per question, 15 seconds each to answer questions 8 and 9, 30 seconds to answer question 10
- Express an Opinion- The candidate will have to express an opinion on a given topic.
Question #: 11
Time: 30 seconds for the directions, 15 seconds to prep, and 60 seconds to respond
TOEIC Writing Section
The TOEIC Writing section requires the candidate to write a response following the given directions and in the allotted time. The first 5 questions share the allotted time, allowing the candidate to toggle back and forth between them, but for all other questions, the candidate cannot go back to the previous response to make a change. Once an answer is submitted, it cannot be edited.
Time allotted: 60 minutes
Number of questions: 8 questions
- Write a sentence based on a picture- Each question will contain a picture and two phrases or words that the candidate will have to use in a sentence. The total time is shared between all 5 questions.
Question #: 1 - 5
Time: 8 minutes total for all 5 questions
- Respond to a written request- This task will require the candidate to write a response to an email.
Question #: 6 - 7
Time: 10 minutes for each question to read and write
- Write an opinion essay- Candidate will be required to write a minimum 300-word essay to explain their opinion on an issue.
Question #: 8
Time: 30 minutes to finish the essay
Scoring for TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test
The TOEIC Speaking and Writing section does not have a pass or fail grade and is provided with score bands that indicate where the candidate stands. The number of score bands varies according to the different sections of the test. Candidates can either attempt both the Speaking and Writing sections together or separately, and accordingly, they will receive a combined score, a speaking score, or a writing score.
TOEIC Speaking Score
The total score of this section is calculated on a score scale of 0-200. Out of the total of 11 questions, the first 10 questions are scored on a scale of 0-3, and the last 1 question is scored on a scale of 0-5. There are 8 proficiency levels or score bands for this section. The levels represented by each score band are as follows:
| Score Band Level | Scale Score | Proficiency Level |
| Level 8 | 190-200 | Can effectively use both basic and advanced grammar with accurate vocabulary |
| Level 7 | 160-180 | Can express ideas and manage complex requests effectively but may have minor issues with grammar, pronunciation, intonation, or pauses |
| Level 6 | 130-150 | Can give answers and basic information, but their responses can be difficult to understand or interpret at times |
| Level 5 | 110-120 | Can respond to simple questions but find it hard to express their ideas or manage complicated requests well |
| Level 4 | 80-100 | Cannot explain a perspective or handle a complicated request |
| Level 3 | 60-70 | Can share their thoughts, but they might struggle to support them because they don't have enough vocabulary or grammar skills to explain clearly |
| Level 2 | 40-50 | Cannot express an opinion or back it up |
| Level 1 | 0-30 | May not have the listening or reading skills in English required to understand the test instructions or questions |
TOEIC Writing Score
This section is also scored on a scale of 0-200. There are 8 questions in the section where the first 5 questions are scored on a scale of 0-3, the next 2 on a scale of 0-4, and the last question is scored on a scale of 0-5. The section contains 9 proficiency levels or score bands.
| Score Band Level | Scale Score | Proficiency Level |
| Level 9 | 200 | Writing is clear, logical, and effective for sharing information, asking questions, giving directions, or making requests |
| Level 8 | 170-190 | Can share information and support their opinions with reasons and examples, but may include some repetition, unclear connections, and minor grammar or word choice errors |
| Level 7 | 140-160 | Can offer basic information, ask questions, give directions, or make requests, but is not as good at using reasons or examples to back up an opinion |
| Level 6 | 110-130 | Can communicate clearly but may omit important details or be vague in sharing information, asking questions, giving instructions, or making requests |
| Level 5 | 90-100 | Give clear information but do not include reasons, examples, or explanations to back up their views |
| Level 4 | 70-80 | Communication is restricted, but there is some sharing of opinions and clarity of information |
| Level 3 | 50-60 | Struggle to express thoughts clearly, leading to messy, superficial answers with unnecessary details and grammatical errors |
| Level 2 | 40 | Some parts, test instructions, and questions may not have been clear to them |
| Level 1 | 0-30 | Unclear due to missing information, ambiguous connections, grammatical errors, poor word choices, and sentence structure issues |
Validity of TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test Scores
TOEIC scores are valid for two years from the date of the test. This two-year validity period is established because language proficiency can change over time; individuals may improve their skills or, conversely, experience a decline in their language abilities. As a result, organizations often require recent scores to ensure that the test results accurately reflect a candidate's current level of proficiency.
Getting TOEIC Speaking and Writing Test Scores
Candidates will receive their score in their online ETS account within 7 calendar days of taking the test. Additional paper copies ordered will take additional time.
Things to Bring on Test Day
The only thing candidates are allowed to bring on the test day is two of their ID cards. The ID card should contain the candidate’s signature and recent photograph along with their full name as provided during the registration. The ID card should not have expired on or before the test date. The recommended IDs by the ETS are-
- Passport
- Driver’s License
- State ID
- National ID
- Military ID
Things NOT to Bring on Test Day
Candidates are not allowed to bring any personal belongings to the test center. If they do, they must leave them in the allocated space before entering the examination hall. The list of prohibited items includes-
- purses/wallets
- backpacks
- cell phones
- electronic devices, including calculators and watch alarms
- listening devices
- books
The Speaking part of the test focuses mainly on effective presentation skills, face-to-face communications, meetings, videoconferencing, and teleconferencing. The Writing part of the test focuses on written business communications, unlike tests like TOEFL and IELTS which focus on communication skills required in academic spaces. They will be required to understand the art of writing persuasive emails and other business correspondence in the written format. Proving the existence of these skills in the candidate will also help the candidate train themselves in these aspects, making them well-trained for the positions and promotions they apply for.