TOEIC time management
The Reading section gives you 75 minutes for 100 questions. A proven split is about 10 minutes for Part 5 (20 seconds per question), 8 minutes for Part 6 and 55 minutes for Part 7, leaving 2 minutes to fill in any blanks. Listening is paced by the audio, so your job there is to never fall behind.
Reading time targets
| Part | Questions | Target time |
|---|---|---|
| Part 5 | 30 | ≈10 minutes |
| Part 6 | 16 | ≈8 minutes |
| Part 7 | 54 | ≈55 minutes |
| Check / guess | – | ≈2 minutes |
Rules that save points
- There is no penalty for wrong answers, so answer every question.
- If you cannot answer in 20 seconds in Part 5, guess and move on.
- In Part 7, do single passages first if you are slow; they are faster per question.
Listening pace
Use the Part 1 and Part 2 directions time to preview later questions. In Part 3 and 4, answer immediately after the audio and move straight to the next set of questions.
Train with a timer
Always practice Reading with a timer. A full timed mock test every week makes the pace automatic on test day.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the TOEIC test?
About 2 hours: 45 minutes of Listening and 75 minutes of Reading, plus time for identification and forms.
Is there a penalty for guessing on TOEIC?
No. Only correct answers count, so you should answer every question.
How many seconds per question in TOEIC Part 5?
Around 20 seconds, so that Part 5 takes about 10 minutes.
