TOEIC Grammar Practice: Top Question Types, Tips & Free Exercises

Introduction

The TOEIC exam is not a general grammar test — it tests a very specific set of patterns that appear in workplace communication. Understanding which grammar points appear most often in the TOEIC Reading section, and practising those specifically, is far more efficient than revising all of English grammar.

This guide covers the top grammar question types in TOEIC Part 5 and Part 6, explains the patterns that repeat most often, and gives you a targeted practice plan.

Quick answer: TOEIC grammar questions (Parts 5 and 6) most commonly test: verb form and tense, vocabulary in context, prepositions, pronoun reference, subject-verb agreement, and word form (noun/adjective/adverb). Master these six areas to maximise your score.

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How Grammar Appears on the TOEIC

The TOEIC Reading section has three parts:

Part	Format	Questions	Grammar relevance
Part 5	Incomplete sentences	30 questions	Very high — pure grammar/vocabulary
Part 6	Incomplete texts	16 questions	High — grammar in context
Part 7	Reading comprehension	54 questions	Lower — comprehension, not grammar

Most test-takers lose the most points in Parts 5 and 6. Part 7 rewards reading stamina and vocabulary; Parts 5 and 6 reward grammar pattern recognition.

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The Top 6 TOEIC Grammar Patterns

1. Verb Form and Tense

TOEIC questions frequently ask you to choose between different verb forms. Time expressions are often your strongest clue.

Common patterns:

Time expression	Tense to use
currently, now, at the moment	Present continuous
always, every day, usually	Present simple
last year, in 2023, ago	Past simple
since, for (ongoing)	Present perfect
by the time, by next month	Future perfect
while, when (past narrative)	Past continuous

Example TOEIC question: The board ___ the merger proposal when the announcement was made. (A) discuss (B) is discussing (C) was discussing (D) has discussed

Answer: (C) — when + past event → the longer past action in progress = past continuous

2. Word Form (Parts of Speech)

TOEIC questions often test whether you can recognise which part of speech fits the sentence: noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.

Strategy: Look at the word's position in the sentence.

• After the/a/an → noun
• Before a noun → adjective
• After be (linking verb) → adjective or noun
• Modifies a verb or adjective → adverb

Example: The ___ of the new policy will take effect next Monday. (A) implement (B) implemented (C) implementation (D) implementing

Answer: (C) — position after the → noun; implementation (noun form)

Common word family patterns:

Base	Noun	Verb	Adjective	Adverb
explain	explanation	explain	explanatory	—
manage	management	manage	managerial	managerially
efficient	efficiency	—	efficient	efficiently
approve	approval	approve	approved	—

3. Prepositions

Preposition errors are extremely common in the TOEIC because many prepositions are fixed collocations — there is no logic to memorise, only patterns.

High-frequency TOEIC prepositions:

Collocation	Example
responsible for	She is responsible for the project.
apply for	Please apply for the position online.
interested in	We are interested in your proposal.
result in	The merger resulted in significant savings.
comply with	All staff must comply with the new regulations.
refrain from	Please refrain from using mobile phones.
succeed in	The team succeeded in meeting the deadline.
consist of	The report consists of three sections.
due to	The delay was due to technical issues.
in charge of	Who is in charge of procurement?

Time prepositions (also frequently tested):

• on Monday, on 15 May, on time
• at 9 a.m., at noon, at the end of
• by Friday (deadline), by the time
• until Thursday (up to that point)
• within two weeks (inside a time frame)

4. Subject-Verb Agreement

TOEIC Part 5 regularly places a long prepositional phrase between the subject and verb to confuse test-takers.

Strategy: Find the head noun (subject), ignore the of phrase, then choose the verb.

Example: The quality of all submitted reports ___ reviewed by the director every Friday. (A) are (B) is (C) were (D) have been

Answer: (B) — subject = quality (singular) → is reviewed

Key agreement rules for TOEIC:

Subject	Verb agreement	Example
The number of	Singular	The number of applications is growing.
A number of	Plural	A number of applicants have withdrawn.
Either / neither (alone)	Singular	Either option is acceptable.
Either A or B	Agrees with B	Either the manager or the staff are invited.
Everyone / anyone / no one	Singular	Everyone has submitted the form.

5. Pronoun Reference

TOEIC Part 6 (incomplete texts) often requires you to choose a pronoun that refers correctly to a noun mentioned earlier.

Key pronoun types:

Pronoun	Use
it / its / itself	singular thing or company
they / their / them / themselves	plural, or gender-neutral singular (informal)
he / she / his / her	when gender is stated
those / these	refers to previously mentioned plural noun

Example: The HR team has updated its recruitment policy. (not their — the team is treated as singular in formal style; its refers to the team)

6. Connectors and Discourse Markers

TOEIC Part 6 tests whether you can choose the correct connector (also called a transition word or discourse marker) in context.

Contrast:

• however, although, despite, in spite of, even though, while, whereas, nevertheless

Addition:

• furthermore, moreover, in addition, also, as well as

Result:

• therefore, as a result, consequently, thus, hence

Condition:

• provided that, as long as, unless, on condition that

Concession:

• even though, despite the fact that, while

Example: The project was completed on time. ___, the client requested several additional changes. (A) Therefore (B) However (C) Moreover (D) Otherwise

Answer: (B) — the second sentence contrasts with the first (on time → but changes requested)

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TOEIC Grammar Practice Tips

1. Time yourself strictly

Part 5 should take no more than 12–15 minutes (about 25–30 seconds per question). If you stop and think for more than 30 seconds, guess and move on.

2. Eliminate first

TOEIC Part 5 options are often designed with two obvious distractors and two plausible answers. Eliminate the clearly wrong options first, then decide between the remaining two.

3. Watch for Part 6 traps

Part 6 questions test grammar in context — the answer in one blank may depend on a verb form or pronoun introduced in an earlier sentence. Always read the full paragraph before answering.

4. Learn word families for word form questions

Word form questions (noun/verb/adjective/adverb) make up roughly 20–25% of Part 5. Learning the four forms of 100 high-frequency business words is one of the most efficient score improvements available.

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TOEIC Score and CEFR Level

TOEIC Score	CEFR	What this means for practice
550–780	B1	Focus on tense accuracy, word form, and basic agreement
785–900	B2	Focus on preposition collocations, connector logic, pronoun reference
905–990	C1	Fine-tune vocabulary precision and reading speed

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Practise TOEIC Grammar Now

EngQuiz Pro has free grammar exercises at B1 and B2 level targeting the exact structures that appear in TOEIC Parts 5 and 6 — verb forms, agreement, and more. No sign-up required.

→ Start a free TOEIC-level grammar exercise →

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many grammar questions are on the TOEIC? Parts 5 and 6 together have 46 questions (30 + 16). Of these, roughly half are pure grammar; the other half test vocabulary in context. Grammar accuracy in these sections directly determines a large portion of your Reading score.

Is the TOEIC grammar section difficult? At B1 level (TOEIC ~600), most questions are about recognising the correct verb tense and basic word form. At B2 level (TOEIC ~800), the questions become more about preposition collocations, pronoun reference, and choosing the right connector — which requires broader reading experience.

Can I improve my TOEIC score quickly? Word form questions (Part 5) respond quickly to targeted study — learning the four forms of 100–200 business words can raise your score by 30–50 points in 2–4 weeks. Tense and agreement questions require more systematic grammar practice.

What score do I need for most jobs in Vietnam? Many Vietnamese government agencies and corporations require a TOEIC score of 450 (B1 threshold) for entry-level positions and 700–750 for senior roles. International companies typically require 700–800. Check your specific employer's stated requirement.