TOEIC Day (TOEIC no Hi)

What Is TOEIC Day?

October 19 is TOEIC Day in Japan. It was established by the Institute for International Business Communication (IIBC), which administers the TOEIC Program in Japan, and is registered with the Japan Anniversary Association. The date is a play on words: 10, 1, and 9 can be read as "to-i-kku," or TOEIC. IIBC treats the day as an opportunity for people to restart their English studies and holds events and releases official practice books around this date.

How TOEIC Was Born

TOEIC was created in response to a request from Japan.

• Born from Japanese demand: In the 1970s, there was a need in Japan for an objective way to measure the English communication skills of businesspeople. In response, ETS (Educational Testing Service), a U.S. nonprofit testing organization, developed the test, and the first TOEIC test was held in Japan in 1979.
• Spreading worldwide: The test later spread to South Korea and many other countries, and it is now used for hiring and promotion decisions and for university credit.
• Several tests: Besides the well-known Listening & Reading Test, there are the Speaking & Writing Tests and TOEIC Bridge for beginner to intermediate learners.

The Basics of the TOEIC L&R Test

Knowing how the most common test, the Listening & Reading Test, works makes scores easier to understand.

• 200 questions in about two hours: About 45 minutes and 100 questions for listening, and 75 minutes and 100 questions for reading, all answered on a mark sheet.
• Scores from 10 to 990: There is no pass or fail. Results are given as a score in 5-point steps.
• Adjusting for difficulty: Even if one test is a little harder than another, a statistical adjustment called equating keeps scores fair, so results from different test dates can be compared.

TOEIC Trivia

• What the name means: TOEIC stands for Test of English for International Communication.
• How it's pronounced: In Japan, it is usually pronounced "toh-ick."
• Public and IP tests: In addition to public tests that individuals sign up for, there are IP (Institutional Program) tests that companies and schools hold for groups.
• Business and daily life: Questions are based on situations such as meetings, business trips, shopping, and restaurants. No specialized knowledge is required.
• Start with common words: Learning the most frequently tested words first is considered efficient, and many vocabulary books focus on them.

Ideas for TOEIC Day

• Write down your current score and target score, and decide when you will take the test next.
• Restart your studies with five minutes of listening a day. Using your commute makes it easier to keep going.
• Read English news sites or official overseas announcements, even just the headlines.
• Study just one page of your vocabulary book. Starting small and making it a habit is the key to sticking with it.

A Chance to Restart Your English Studies

TOEIC Day on October 19 is a chance to restart English studies that tend to get pushed aside by busy schedules. TOEIC was created for Japanese businesspeople and is still used in many workplaces as a measure of English ability. Start with just one word or one phrase. Why not make a little time for English starting today?