By Lee Kyung-min
The Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC), a certified test to measure workplace English, will be revised for the first time in 10 years to reflect practical language frequently used in cyberspace, test administrator ETS (Educational Testing Service) said Friday.
The difficulty level, number of questions and scoring method will remain the same. The revised template will be implemented for tests from May 29, next year. Tests will be first conducted in Korea and Japan.
The revision will include questions involving expressions frequently used in text messages through online messenger services.
As for listening section, test takers will have to answer 100 questions within 45 minutes ― with the maximum score being 495, the same as the current one.
However, the number of questions for selecting a description that matches a photograph will be reduced from 10 to 6. Questions for part two will be reduced from 30 to 25, as well.
Instead, nine questions will be added to part three, the most difficult part, increasing them to 39.
Speakers in questions will converse using shorter sentences taking more turns talking. For some questions, up to three speakers will have a conversation.
More colloquial phases such as “gonna,” instead of “going to” will be used in the new template. Questions will also require assessment based on understanding correlation among visual aids including graphs and tables.
Various accents from American, English, Australian and Canadian one will be included in listening tests.
For the reading section, test takers must answer 100 questions in 75 minutes, with the maximum score being 495.
Questions filling in incomplete sentences will decrease by ten. Instead, four questions will be added for long text completion.
Currently, five questions are asked on each of four passages.
In general, comprehensive understanding of the language is required to get a correct answer. Visual aid analysis will be required as well.
The new reading questions will include choosing a phrase that best fits the context of a sentence; and choosing a sentence that best fits the narrative of a whole passage.
“Although the test might seem more difficult because it’s different, the level is equal to the current ones in use,” an ETS official said.
Further information regarding the change is posted at www.toeic.co.kr.
An estimated more than 2 million Korean job-seekers and students take TOEIC a year, because submitting the test score is requirement for university entrance and graduation as well as landing a job at large corporations here.