How many vocabulary words do I need for the TOEIC®?

To aim for an 800+ score, you should master around 1,000 to 1,500 business vocabulary words . The 600 most frequent words already cover about 80% of the situations you will encounter on the TOEIC®.

What is the best way to learn TOEIC® vocabulary?

The most effective method combines spaced répétition (flashcards) with learning in context. Read business emails, listen to workplace dialogues, and use each word in a complète sentence rather than memorizing isolated lists.

Which vocabulary catégories are most common on the TOEIC®?

The most frequent catégories are human resources (hiring, reviews), finance (budgets, invoices), and office/workplace (meetings, supplies). These three areas account for roughly 50% of the tested vocabulary.

Are phrasal verbs important on the TOEIC®?

Yes, phrasal verbs are very common in Parts 5, 6, and 7. Expressions like carry out , look into , and follow up appear regularly in the business emails and dialogues on the test.

What are collocations and why do they matter on the TOEIC®?

A collocation is a natural word combination that frequently appears together, such as make a décision or meet a deadline . The TOEIC® often tests these pairings in Part 5, where you must choose the correct verb or adjective that goes with a noun.

TOEIC® 비즈니스 어휘: 7개 카테고리, 구동사 및 연어

Vocabulary: The Key to All 7 Parts of the TOEIC®

Business vocabulary is the foundation of every section of the TOEIC®. Whether in listening compréhension (Parts 1 through 4) or reading compréhension (Parts 5 through 7), each question relies on your ability to recognize and understand terms from the business world. A strong vocabulary allows you to grasp the meaning of dialogues, complète fill-in-the-blank sentences, and understand professional documents such as emails, reports, and announcements.

This guide organizes the most frequently tested TOEIC® words into 7 thematic catégories, followed by essential phrasal verbs and high-frequency collocations.

Illustration of business vocabulary for the TOEIC

Finance & Accounting

Term	Definition	Example
revenue	income generated from business operations	The company's revenue increased by 15% this quarter.
expenditure	money spent on goods or services	We need to reduce our annual expenditure.
invoice	a bill sent for goods or services	Please send the invoice by the end of the month.
budget	a financial plan for a set period	The marketing budget has been approved.
audit	an official examination of accounts	The annual audit will begin next Monday.
profit margin	percentage of revenue remaining after costs	Our profit margin improved thanks to cost reductions.

Human Resources

Term	Definition	Example
recruit	to find and hire new employees	We plan to recruit five new engineers this year.
resign	to voluntarily leave a position	She decided to resign after ten years with the company.
promotion	advancement to a higher rôle	He received a promotion to senior manager.
benefits	non-salary compensation (insurance, leave)	The benefits package includes health insurance and paid leave.
performance review	formal évaluation of an employee's work	Performance reviews are conducted every six months.
applicant	a person who applies for a job	All applicants must submit a resume and cover letter.

Marketing & Sales

Term	Definition	Example
campaign	a coordinated marketing effort	The advertising campaign will launch in September.
survey	a questionnaire to gather opinions	We conducted a customer satisfaction survey.
launch	the introduction of a new product	The product launch exceeded all expectations.
target audience	the intended group of consumers	Our target audience is young professionals aged 25-35.
brand awareness	how well consumers recognize a brand	Social media has greatly increased our brand awareness.
market share	a company's portion of total sales	The company gained market share in the Asian region.

Travel & Logistics

Term	Definition	Example
itinerary	a planned route or schedule	Please review the travel itinerary before departure.
réservation	a booking for accommodation or travel	I made a réservation at the hotel near the conference center.
departure	the act of leaving or setting off	The departure time has been changed to 3 p.m.
customs	the authority controlling imported goods	All goods must be declared at customs.
freight	goods transported in bulk by ship or truck	Freight costs have risen due to higher fuel prices.
shipment	a batch of goods sent together	The shipment is expected to arrive by Friday.

Manufacturing & Quality

Term	Definition	Example
assembly line	a production system of sequential stations	The new assembly line can produce 200 units per hour.
defect	a flaw or imperfection in a product	A defect was found during the final inspection.
inspection	a careful examination for quality	All products undergo a thorough inspection before shipping.
warehouse	a large building for storing goods	The warehouse is located near the main distribution center.
inventory	the total stock of goods available	We need to update the inventory before the end of the quarter.
quality control	procedures to ensure product standards	The quality control team rejected the entire batch.

Technology & IT

Term	Definition	Example
software update	a newer version of a program	A software update will be installed overnight.
database	an organized collection of data	The customer database contains over 50,000 records.
network	a system of connected computers	The network will be down for maintenance this weekend.
backup	a copy of data for safekeeping	Please create a backup before making any changes.
troubleshoot	to identify and fix problems	The IT team was called to troubleshoot the printer issue.
cybersecurity	protection of digital systems from threats	All employees must complète the cybersecurity training.

Office & Workplace

Term	Definition	Example
supplies	materials needed for daily work	We need to order more office supplies.
memo	a short internal written message	A memo was sent to all staff regarding the new policy.
conference room	a room designated for meetings	The conference room is booked until 3 p.m.
deadline	the latest time something must be done	The deadline for submissions is next Friday.
workload	the amount of work assigned	The team's workload has increased significantly this month.
colleague	a person you work with	Please consult your colleague before finalizing the report.

Essential Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verb + particle combinations whose meaning often differs from the verb alone. They are ubiquitous in the emails and dialogues on the TOEIC®:

Phrasal Verb	Definition	Example
look into	to investigate	We will look into the matter immediately.
carry out	to execute or perform	The team carried out the plan without any issues.
put off	to postpone	The meeting was put off until next week.
turn down	to reject or refuse	The board turned down the merger proposal.
set up	to establish or arrange	They set up a new branch office in Tokyo.
take over	to assume control of	Ms. Park will take over as department head in April.
follow up	to check on progress	I will follow up with the client after the présentation.
figure out	to solve or understand	We need to figure out why sales dropped last quarter.

High-Frequency Collocations

Collocations are natural word pairings that English speakers use instinctively. The TOEIC® frequently tests these in Part 5, where you must select the correct verb:

Collocation	Definition	Example
make a décision	to decide on a course of action	The committee will make a décision by Friday.
reach an agreement	to come to a mutual understanding	Both parties reached an agreement after lengthy negotiations.
meet a deadline	to finish by the required date	The team worked overtime to meet the deadline.
submit a report	to formally deliver a written document	All managers must submit a report by the end of the month.
attend a meeting	to be présent at a meeting	She was unable to attend the meeting due to a conflict.
place an order	to request goods or services	We placed an order for 500 units last week.
conduct a survey	to carry out a systematic investigation	The marketing department conducted a survey of 1,000 customers.
raise concerns	to express worries or objections	Several employees raised concerns about the new schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

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