The TOEIC Listening & Reading test is the most widely used English proficiency exam for workplace communication. It measures how well you understand spoken and written English in a global business environment. This page breaks down the exact structure, timing, number of questions, marking scheme, and what it takes to score well.
Test Structure Overview
The TOEIC Listening & Reading is a paper-and-pencil test (though some centres offer computer-based delivery). It consists of two sections — Listening and Reading — and is scored separately for each. Total test time is approximately 2.5 hours.
- Total questions: 200 (100 per section)
- Total duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (excluding administrative time)
- Scoring range per section: 5–495 points (total 10–990)
- Question types: Multiple-choice (all questions have four answer choices)
Listening Section (Approx. 45 minutes)
The Listening section has 4 parts, with 100 questions in total. Each part is played once — you cannot replay audio.
Part 1: Photographs (6 questions)
You see a photograph and hear four statements. Choose the statement that best describes the photo.
Part 2: Question-Response (25 questions)
You hear a question or statement followed by three responses. Select the most appropriate response.
Part 3: Conversations (39 questions)
You hear 13 short conversations between two or more people. Each conversation is followed by three questions. The conversations are not printed — you must listen and read the questions simultaneously.
Part 4: Talks (30 questions)
You hear 10 short talks (announcements, messages, speeches). Each talk is followed by three questions.
Listening tip: You have a short pause between items to read the next question. Use that time to preview answer choices.
Reading Section (75 minutes)
The Reading section has 3 parts, 100 questions. All reading material is in the test booklet.
Part 5: Incomplete Sentences (30 questions)
A sentence with a blank. Choose the correct word or phrase to complete it. Tests grammar and vocabulary.
Part 6: Text Completion (16 questions)
Four short passages, each with four blanks. You choose the best word or phrase for each blank. Some blanks test grammar, others vocabulary, and occasionally context.
Part 7: Reading Comprehension (54 questions)
- Single passages: 7–10 passages, each with 2–5 questions (29 questions total)
- Double passages: 4 sets of two related passages, each set with 5 questions (25 questions total)
Passages include emails, articles, advertisements, and notices. Double passages require you to integrate information from both texts.
Take a free TOEIC Listening & Reading demo mock to find out where you stand: Try the demo →
Marking Scheme
There is no negative marking. Every correct answer earns one raw point. Your raw score (0–100 per section) is converted to a scaled score from 5 to 495 using a statistical process that accounts for slight differences in difficulty across test forms.
- Listening scaled score: 5–495
- Reading scaled score: 5–495
- Total scaled score: 10–990
ETS does not publish the exact conversion table, but generally:
- Raw score of 75–100 → scaled 400–495 (high proficiency)
- Raw score of 50–74 → scaled 250–395 (intermediate)
- Raw score below 50 → scaled below 250 (beginner)
Pass Criteria: There Is No "Pass"
The TOEIC is not a pass/fail test. You receive a score report that indicates your ability level. Different organisations set their own minimum scores. For example:
- Many companies require a total of 650–750 for hiring
- Some universities ask for 800+ for admission
- The Common European Framework (CEFR) maps scores: A2 (120–220), B1 (225–545), B2 (550–780), C1 (785–945), C2 (945–990)
Check with the institution or employer that requires your score to know their threshold.
How the Test Is Scored
Your answer sheet is scanned by ETS. Results are typically available online within 2–5 business days. Official score reports are mailed within 10 days. You can also purchase additional reports.
Test Day Tips
- Bring a valid, non-expired government-issued ID (passport, driver’s licence, or Aadhaar for Indian candidates).
- No calculators, phones, or smartwatches allowed.
- You can write in the test booklet, but only answers on the answer sheet count.
- Pacing is critical: in Reading, you have about 45 seconds per question. In Listening, you cannot pause or rewind.
See TOEIC Listening & Reading mock-test packs and pricing: View plans →
Why Practice with LanguageTest.in?
Our mock tests simulate the exact timing, section order, and difficulty of the real TOEIC. You get:
- Full-length tests with 200 questions
- Instant scoring with scaled score estimates
- Performance breakdown by part (Photographs, Conversations, etc.)
- Unlimited re-attempts with different question sets