Introduction
Hi, I'm Duc! Today, I want to share some of the most common mistakes people make when preparing for the TOEIC — and how to fix them. I've faced plenty of struggles and setbacks in my own study journey, but the lessons I learned along the way helped me significantly improve my score. I hope this post helps you in your own preparation!
Table of Contents
- Mistake 1: Not familiarizing yourself with the test format
- Mistake 2: Neglecting the Listening section
- Mistake 3: Ignoring vocabulary building
- Mistake 4: Not exposing yourself to enough English accents
- Mistake 5: Inconsistent practice
- Conclusion
Mistake 1: Not Familiarizing Yourself with the Test Format
I used to think that studying vocabulary and grammar alone was enough to score well. But when I sat the actual exam, I realized I wasn't familiar with the format or the types of questions being asked. That cost me time and points.
How to fix it: I strongly recommend getting comfortable with the different question types in the TOEIC. Look for sample tests online and practice them regularly. Once I started doing mock tests, I felt far more confident when it came to the real thing.
Mistake 2: Neglecting the Listening Section
At first, I seriously underestimated the Listening section. I thought focusing on Reading was enough. But after sitting the exam, I realized that Listening makes up a significant portion of the total score.
How to fix it: I started dedicating time every day to listening to English — news broadcasts, podcasts, videos, you name it. I even combined listening with note-taking to capture what I heard. This made a huge difference to my listening skills.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Vocabulary Building
Another thing I overlooked was expanding my vocabulary. I only studied words related to topics I thought would appear on the test, without paying attention to learning vocabulary in context.
How to fix it: I started writing down new words whenever I came across them while reading or listening, and I learned them in context. This helped me retain words for longer and use them more flexibly in the exam.
