TOEIC® Sydney Australia - Public Testing Centre at the University of New South Wales Institute of Languages

The TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) is taken by more than 1.4 million examinees a year and is recognised by thousands of companies.

The UNSW Institute of Languages has been offering the Redesigned TOEIC since September 19 2007.

For more information about the redesigned TOEIC format please visit www.pro-match.com/toeic.


What’s new about the redesigned TOEIC® test?

One of ETS’s most important missions is to continuously validate its tests by ensuring that content is aligned with purpose, and that fairness is maintained. The redesigned TOEIC® test reflects our continuous pursuit of excellence in test development.

The improved TOEIC test assesses proficiency by aligning questions with everyday language scenarios that happen in today’s workplace. Tasks are more authentic. Not all tasks have been changed — but some tasks give test-takers the opportunity to respond with language that is appropriate to the situation; in other words, how would someone at work respond in this particular situation?

At the same time, ETS has maintained the integrity and quality of the original TOEIC test. The scale and score range—5 to 495 for each section of the test (listening and reading)—remains unchanged. The difficulty range is the same. Many of the question types are the same also.

How is the new test different?

Listening section enhancements include four major changes:

• a decrease in the number of photograph questions in Part 1
• the use of both recorded and written questions in Part 3 (conversations) and Part 4 (short talks)
• a shift from individual questions to sets of questions in Part 3 (conversations)
• the use of different English accents, as spoken in the U.S., Great Britain, Canada and Australia

Reading section enhancements include three major changes:

• the elimination of Part 6 (error recognition questions)
• the addition of text completion questions (Part 6)
• the inclusion of reading sets of questions based on two inter-related passages (Part 7)

One other change is the range of accents in the listening section of the test. There are examples of a U.S. (North American) accent, a Canadian accent, a British accent, and an Australian accent. The accents are slight but they reflect types of English that are taught and spoken in the international workplace. Hence, the TOEIC test is more valid as a test of international communication.



Comparison between TOEIC and the Redesigned TOEIC:

An authentic measure of real business English
The redesigned TOEIC test reflects global business communication styles and emphasizes authentic language contexts. Learners are required to use multiple strategies and abilities to comprehend and connect information.

What stays the same?

The core quality of the test has been maintained.

• Same test time: 2 hours
  • Listening: 45 minutes
  • Reading: 75 minutes
• Same number of questions: 200
  • Listening: 100
  • Reading: 100
• Same paper-and-pencil administration
• Same range of difficulty
• Same score range and score scale

Who takes the Test?
People who use English in work situations, such as businesses, hotels, hospitals, restaurants, conventions, international meetings, and sports events managerial, sales, and technical employees in international business, commerce and industry who require English for their work candidates for training to be conducted in English.

The TOEIC test is not the kind of test that candidates "pass" or "fail".

The continuous scale enables learners to set achievable goals and to measure their progress as their English improves.

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About the Test
The TOEIC test is based on your overall ability to use English. Improvement in proficiency may take some time and is generally achieved through a combination of practice and study. The TOEIC test does not test "Business English". You are not required to know specialised business and technical vocabulary beyond that used in everyday work activities. TOEIC scores indicate how well people can communicate in English with others in business, commerce and industry.

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For information, please contact: modern.languages@unsw.edu.au or Telephone (02) 9385 0374

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