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In this post, I'll share the 10 grammar structures I kept running into while doing TOEIC practice tests for Parts 5 and 6. Mastering them saved me a huge amount of time in the exam room.
Toey
Examiner-informed11 min read · 17/04/2026
Photo by Clarissa Watson on Unsplash
Hey everyone, I'm Duc. When I first started preparing for the TOEIC, I felt completely overwhelmed by Parts 5 and 6 — just like a lot of you probably do. There were plenty of moments when I'd stare at answer choices A, B, C, and D and think every single option looked... familiar. After working through many practice tests and carefully analyzing my mistakes, I realized there are about 10 grammar structures that just keep showing up.
In this post, I'll share those 10 "old friends." These aren't shortcuts or lucky guesses — they're the core grammar foundations that the TOEIC loves to test. Getting comfortable with them won't just help you answer faster; it'll also make you far more confident in your answers. Let's dive in!
This is the most fundamental structure — and also the easiest one to get wrong, especially when the subject and verb are separated by a long phrase.
Example:
The list of successful candidates ___ posted on the bulletin board.
A. have been B. has been C. are D. were
(Answer: B. has been)
Why does it keep appearing? The TOEIC is testing whether you can correctly identify the true subject of the sentence. Many test-takers see "candidates" (plural) and go for A, C, or D. But the real subject is "The list" (singular).
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
When the answer choices are different verb forms (is/are, has/have, V-s/V), find the main subject. Cross out any prepositional phrases (like of..., with..., in addition to...) that sit between the first noun and the verb. The main subject is usually the noun that comes before that prepositional phrase. In the example above, drop "of successful candidates" and you're left with "The list" — singular.
Basic tenses — Simple Present, Simple Past, Simple Future, and Present Perfect — appear at an extremely high frequency.
Example:
Mr. Tanaka ___ the sales report yesterday before he left the office.
A. completes B. will complete C. completed D. is completing
(Answer: C. completed)
Why does it keep appearing? The office and business settings of the TOEIC require narrating past events, describing habits, and making plans. Using the correct tense is therefore a non-negotiable skill.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds): Look for time markers in the sentence:
yesterday, last week, ago → Simple Pastevery day, usually → Simple Presentnext month, soon → Simple Futuresince, for, already → Present PerfectThese questions ask you to choose the correct form of a word — noun, verb, adjective, or adverb — to fill in the blank.
Example:
The manager was impressed with the ___ of the new marketing campaign.
A. effective B. effectively C. effectiveness D. effect
(Answer: C. effectiveness)
Why does it keep appearing? It's a straightforward way to test both your vocabulary and your foundational grammar knowledge. Do you know that after the article "the" and before the preposition "of," you need a noun?
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds): Look at the word immediately before and after the blank:
This covers prepositions of time (at, on, in), place, and fixed collocations.
Example:
All employees must submit their expense reports ___ Friday afternoon at the latest.
A. in B. at C. for D. by
(Answer: D. by)
Why does it keep appearing? Prepositions are everywhere in everyday communication and written English. The TOEIC uses them to test how accurately and naturally you use the language.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
Many prepositions must be learned as part of fixed phrases — for example: depend on, responsible for, interested in. For time, remember the general rule: at + time of day, on + day, in + month/year. by typically means "no later than a certain point in time."
Using who, whom, which, that, or whose to add information about the noun that precedes them.
Example:
The consultant ___ we hired last month has significantly improved our workflow.
A. who B. which C. whose D. what
(Answer: A. who)
Why does it keep appearing? In a professional environment, describing people, objects, or situations with precision is essential. Relative clauses make sentences clearer and more polished.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds): Look at the noun immediately before the blank:
who (subject) or whom (object)whichthatwhoseType 1 and Type 2 conditionals are the ones I encountered most often; they're used to express hypothetical situations.
Example:
If the weather is good tomorrow, the company picnic ___ place at Central Park.
A. will take B. would take C. took D. takes
(Answer: A. will take)
Why does it keep appearing? Discussing possibilities, contingency plans, and company policies is an everyday part of business. Conditionals are the perfect tool for this.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
Look at the verb in the If clause:
If clause in Simple Present → main clause uses will + V (Type 1)If clause in Simple Past → main clause uses would + V (Type 2)Choosing between a gerund (V-ing) and an infinitive (to-V) after another verb.
Example:
The company decided ___ its headquarters to a larger building downtown.
A. moving B. to move C. move D. moved
(Answer: B. to move)
Why does it keep appearing? This structure tests your knowledge of verb patterns — an important part of English grammar.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
The answer depends entirely on the verb that comes before the blank. You need to memorize which verbs take a gerund (e.g., enjoy, avoid, suggest, finish) and which take an infinitive (e.g., decide, want, plan, agree).
The structure be + past participle is used when the focus is on the receiver of an action rather than the doer.
Example:
The new safety regulations ___ to all staff members last week.
A. were explained B. explained C. was explaining D. explains
(Answer: A. were explained)
Why does it keep appearing? In announcements, reports, and work emails, the emphasis is typically on the information or event rather than on who performed the action. The passive voice is ideal for these contexts.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
Ask yourself: can the subject logically perform the action? "Regulations" can't "explain" anything — they are explained. When the subject can't perform the action on its own, look for an answer in the form be + past participle.
Comparing two or more things.
Example:
Of the three proposals, Ms. Chen's was the ___ detailed and well-researched.
A. more B. most C. much D. as
(Answer: B. most)
Why does it keep appearing? Evaluating performance, comparing products, and choosing between options are all routine business activities. Comparative and superlative structures are indispensable for this.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
than in the sentence → comparative (use -er or more)the ... with a group reference (e.g., of the three..., in the company...) → superlative (use -est or most)All items in a list or series must share the same grammatical form.
Example:
His responsibilities include managing the team, preparing reports, and ___ with clients.
A. to communicate B. communication C. communicating D. communicates
(Answer: C. communicating)
Why does it keep appearing? Parallel structure makes sentences clear, coherent, and professional. The TOEIC uses it to test your ability to construct well-formed sentences.
Quick recognition tip (5–10 seconds):
Whenever you see coordinating conjunctions like and, or, but, or as well as, check the elements being connected. They must all be in the same form: V-ing, V-ing, and V-ing; to-V, to-V, or to-V; Noun, Noun, and Noun.
And there you have it — the 10 grammar structures I consider the backbone of TOEIC Parts 5 and 6. Of course, TOEIC grammar is broader than this list, but I genuinely believe that mastering these 10 points will make a significant difference. They saved me a lot of precious exam time that I could then spend on the notoriously tricky Part 7.
The best way to lock these in is through practice. Try hunting down questions from each of these 10 categories in your practice sets and apply the quick recognition tips I've shared. Good luck with your studies, and I hope you walk into your next exam feeling confident! If there's another structure you keep running into, drop it in the comments — I'd love to hear from you!
Vì dựa trên kinh nghiệm làm đề của mình, 10 cấu trúc này chiếm tỉ lệ rất cao trong các câu hỏi ngữ pháp của Part 5 và Part 6. Nắm vững chúng sẽ giúp bạn giải quyết phần lớn câu hỏi một cách nhanh chóng và hiệu quả, tạo ra lợi thế lớn về thời gian.
Không. Thành thạo 10 cấu trúc này là nền tảng rất vững chắc, nhưng để đạt điểm tối đa, bạn còn cần một vốn từ vựng phong phú vì Part 5 và 6 cũng có nhiều câu hỏi về từ vựng. Tuy nhiên, việc nắm chắc ngữ pháp giúp bạn không bị mất điểm ở những câu "dễ ăn".
Rất hiệu quả! Các mẹo này giúp bạn nhanh chóng xác định loại câu hỏi và hướng giải quyết, tiết kiệm từ 10-20 giây cho mỗi câu. Thời gian tiết kiệm được ở Part 5, 6 là vàng để bạn có thể tập trung cho Part 7 dài và khó hơn.
Ngoài ngữ pháp chiếm khoảng 40-50%, Part 5 và 6 còn kiểm tra rất nhiều về từ vựng (vocabulary). Các câu hỏi từ vựng thường yêu cầu bạn chọn từ có nghĩa phù hợp nhất với ngữ cảnh của câu hoặc của cả đoạn văn (trong Part 6).
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