Toeic (the Test of English for International Communication) is one of the most popular English language proficiency tests. The test measures English-language communication skills of non-native English speakers in the workplace. Most of the test takers are working for international companies, are seeking to attain a better position or desire to receive international training. The Toeic test is accepted by almost 14,000 businesses, organizations and government agencies in 160 countries around the world. 

 

1. Not determining the current level 

 

Many people don’t know their current level, but they quickly find and download all the online materials to study. After a period of time, they may be discouraged and soon give up. You may not achieve your goals if you do not determine your current level. 

 

It’s necessary for Toeic learners to be informed of their current levels, thereby, they can draw up an appropriate learning plan as well as find suitable materials. 

 

There are many ways for you to evaluate your current level. However, the two most popular and easiest ways are taking mock tests online on websites such as Toeic Test Pro, Exam English, Toeic Online Test, English Test Store or taking mock tests at the Toeic centers. 

 

Identifying your current level partly helps you obtain your target score. 

 

2. Setting unrealistic goals and devising unclear roadmap 

 

Don’t mistake goals for reasons why you want to learn English. To determine your goals, the first thing you need to do is determine reasons why you prefer to study Toeic by answering the following questions: Why do you want to attain the Toeic certificate or What will you do if you achieve 800 Toeic scores? Once answering these questions, you will know your big goals as well as reasons why you need to spend time, effort and money on learning Toeic. 

common mistakes of self-study toeic learners

The next step is that you need to break the big goal into small and achievable ones, thereby you can easily draw up an appropriate self-study route for yourself. 

 

To boost the Toeic scores, firstly, candidates must prepare a solid English foundation and then practice according to the test format. In addition, you also need to immerse yourself in the English environment.

 

3. Choosing unappropriate materials 

 

Many people think that downloading or buying as many books as possible. Self-studying Toeic has a lot of benefits such as a rich source of materials, practical experience and learning methods shared by people who have taken the Toeic exam. However, studying many materials at the same time without selection will be counterproductive. Therefore, instead of buying too many books, downloading too many materials or studying according to various methods, it’s advisable for you to choose materials and methods that are appropriate to yourself. Let’s look at what you gain from the materials instead of the number of materials you learn. 

 

4. Not having effective learning method 

 

Many people have a good English grammar foundation, but their listening skills are limited. Thus, they often only focus on improving their listening skills and neglect other skills. Meanwhile, many people only concentrate on studying grammar instead of listening. It’s noted that to gain a maximum score in the Toeic exam, you need to cultivate all essential skills including listening, reading, grammatical and lexical levels. 

 

5. Not preparing notebook for jotting down vocabulary

 

For any English tests in general and the Toeic test in particular, boosting vocabulary is of great importance. There are a variety of ways to enhance the lexical level such as studying on websites or apps, however, the most effective way is preparing a notebook to write down vocabulary. By doing so, you can memorize new words for a longer time. 

 

In addition, you can refer to the book “600 Essential Words for Toeic” which is very popular among the Toeic test takers. 

 

6. Taking tests without systematizing knowledge

 

Several people only take as many tests as possible without systematizing knowledge. This strategy is only suitable for those who have a good general English foundation. They only take tests to get familiar with the test format as well as the types of questions. Each part of the Toeic test contains a certain amount of knowledge and skills that you need to master and develop. You not only need to do the tests but also enhance your skills. 

 

You should know what skills you need to develop through doing the Toeic mock tests. After each test, it’s recommended to systematize knowledge such as grammar topics, vocabulary and common types of questions in the test. 

 

Above are six common mistakes that many Toeic learners may make while self-studying for the test. Hopefully, this article will be of some help to you in the journey of conquering the Toeic certificate.