TOEIC idioms and phrasal verbs
Idioms (fixed expressions like "run out of time") and phrasal verbs (verb + preposition combinations like "follow up" or "look into") appear throughout TOEIC Listening and Reading, especially in Part 3/4 conversations and Part 7 emails. They're hard because you can't guess their meaning from the individual words. Learn the most frequent workplace ones in short lists, then practise spotting them in real TOEIC-style sentences rather than memorizing definitions alone.
Why idioms and phrasal verbs are tricky
A phrasal verb's meaning often has little to do with its individual words - "look into" means to investigate, not to look at something physically. If you translate word by word, you'll either misunderstand the sentence or waste time trying to work out a meaning that isn't literal.
They're common in TOEIC because the test is built around everyday workplace English, and native speakers use phrasal verbs and idioms constantly in meetings, calls and emails - the exact situations TOEIC Listening and Part 7 reading passages simulate.
Phrasal verbs that show up often
| Phrasal verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| follow up (on) | do something further about a matter |
| look into | investigate or research |
| put off | postpone |
| fill out | complete a form |
| run out of | have no more of something left |
| come up with | think of or produce an idea |
| hand in | submit |
| get back to | reply to someone later |
Idioms that appear in workplace contexts
"Touch base" (make brief contact to update each other), "on the same page" (in agreement), "back to square one" (starting over), and "keep someone in the loop" (keep someone informed) all show up in TOEIC conversations and emails about projects and scheduling.
Most TOEIC idioms are about communication, deadlines or problems at work, since those are the situations the test recreates. You rarely need idioms about unrelated topics like sports or weather.
How to practise recognizing them
Instead of memorizing long idiom lists in isolation, collect phrasal verbs and idioms from practice questions you've already seen, since those are the ones most likely to repeat in similar forms.
Read the whole sentence around an unfamiliar expression rather than stopping on it - TOEIC sentences usually give enough context to guess a phrasal verb's meaning even if you've never seen it before.
When you hear or read one you don't know, write down the full phrase with its sentence, not just a translation, so you remember how it's actually used.
Where they cost you points
In Part 3 and 4, missing a phrasal verb in a key sentence can make you misunderstand what someone is asking for or planning to do, even if you understood every other word.
In Part 7, idioms in emails ("get back to you by Friday", "touch base next week") often carry the actual action or deadline the question is asking about, so missing one means missing the answer, not just a vocabulary point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to study idioms separately from vocabulary?
Not entirely separately, but treat them as their own small list, since guessing from individual words usually doesn't work for idioms and phrasal verbs.
Are TOEIC idioms the same as everyday conversational idioms?
Mostly no - TOEIC favors workplace idioms about meetings, deadlines and communication rather than casual or slang expressions.
How many phrasal verbs should I know before the test?
There's no official number, but recognizing the 30-50 most common workplace phrasal verbs covers most of what appears in TOEIC Listening and Reading.
