Recommended reference books to reach TOEIC 860 score

The results of the TOEIC L & R test are often used as criteria for judging English level in business situations such as salary increases, promotions, and overseas assignments. If you write on your resume, it is said that 800 points or more is advantageous, but some companies that place more importance on English ability require a higher score of 860 points due to conditions such as overseas assignment. So what is the level of 860 points and what kind of study is required?

This time, we will tell you the points of learning and recommended reference books for working people who want to get 860 points or more in TOEIC. If you are aiming for a high score in TOEIC, please refer to it.

What is the level of TOEIC 860 points?

If you are aiming for a TOEIC score of 860, it is important to know how difficult it is and to close the gap with your goal while comparing it with your current English level. From here, I will introduce the level feeling of TOEIC 860 points.

Difficulty of TOEIC 860 points as seen from the average score and score distribution of TOEIC

To know the difficulty level of TOEIC 860 points, let's take a look at the average score and score distribution (*) of TOEIC performed in the past. The average score in 2020 was 620 points overall, 637 points for working adults, and 607 points for students. In addition, according to the score distribution, the number of examinees for working adults is 212,445, but the highest number is between 645 and 694, and only 12.2% of the total is 845 or higher. Only the top 10% of all test takers can reach 860 points, so you can see how difficult it is.

(*) Reference: TOEIC Program DAA2021 ｜ The Institute for International Business Communication

TOEIC 860 points English ability is the highest rank

ETS, a non-profit test development organization that develops the TOEIC L & R test (* 1), indicates that the English proficiency of TOEIC 860 points is "sufficient communication as a non-native" at the highest rank.

By the way, ETS shows that the TOEIC L & R score that companies expect from employees in overseas divisions is 570 to 810 points (* 2). If you want to work in English, such as when you are assigned overseas, you should at least get this score.

(* 1) Reference: PROFICIENCY SCALE ｜ The Institute for International Business Communication
(* 2) Reference: Criteria for overseas business trips and assignments ｜ The Institute for International Business Communication

TOEIC 860 points of English proficiency is Eiken Level 1 to Level 1

The English proficiency of TOEIC 860 points is equivalent to Eiken Level 1 to Level 1 as a guide. However, the difference between TOEIC and Eiken is the presence or absence of a speaking test, and since Eiken has an interview in the secondary test, it has more abilities to be asked than TOEIC, and it takes time to take measures.

Benefits of getting TOEIC 860 points

It turned out that getting 860 points in TOEIC is equivalent to Eiken Level 1 to Level 1 and it is quite difficult. However, many benefits can be expected by scoring 860 points. It will also motivate you to learn, so be sure to check the benefits in advance.

Evaluated for employment and change of job

It is said that people with a TOEIC score of 860 or higher often have an advantage in hiring both new graduates and mid-career employees. Some foreign-affiliated companies may require a higher score than 860, but as mentioned above, the average score for Japanese is 620, so if you have 860, which is much higher than that, you will be hired. It can make an impact and will give you some high marks for your English proficiency.

Wider range of English-related work

Generally, a person who has a TOEIC score of 860 is considered to be a global human resource who can handle English fluently as a communication tool. One of the merits is that if you get 860 points, you will have the opportunity to work overseas or be entrusted with work using English, which may expand your range of work.

In addition, you can say that you can study hard enough to get a high score. The effort will be appreciated and may lead to trust. For those who want to change the environment without changing jobs, it is a good idea to start by increasing the TOEIC score.

Easy to lead to salary increase

Depending on the company, the TOEIC score may be a condition for salary increase or promotion, or it may be used as a reference. In addition, according to a survey by the dispatching company Enworld Japan Co., Ltd., there is data (*) that shows a correlation between English proficiency and annual income, and about 60% of annual income of 10 million yen or more can use English fluently. It turned out to be an advanced person.

I'm glad that getting a TOEIC score of 860 not only helps you acquire English proficiency, but also makes it easier for you to raise your salary. Globalization is accelerating in Japan as well, and it is expected that the demand for human resources who can speak English will increase in the future. Let's acquire English ability and increase your market value.

How long does it take to take TOEIC 860?

According to the table created by OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS (*) based on the dissertation data of Mr. Yukio Saegusa, it takes about 725 hours for people with 550 points and about 500 hours for people with 650 points to reach TOEIC 850 points. Currently, 750 people are shown to need about 275 hours of study time. The study time is just a guide, so depending on how you study, some people may be able to reach their goals sooner, while others may not. Please refer to it when making a study plan up to the test.

(*) Reference: A Teacher's Guide to TOEIC Listening and Reading Test Preparing your Students for Success ｜ OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS

What are the points of learning to get TOEIC 860 points?

It turned out that it took a considerable amount of study time to get a TOEIC score of 860. However, it is true that working full-time limits the amount of time you spend studying. Here are some points to help you learn as efficiently as possible.

Solve a collection of questions specializing in grammar questions

The TOEIC 860 score is at the advanced level of English, so the basic English grammar needs to be perfected. If you are still not good at grammar, let's first solidify the basics. Please read the high school level grammar book and review it briefly. What I remembered at that time will be forgotten over time. Read carefully the parts that you do not understand.

Also, if you understand most of the questions but sometimes make mistakes when solving the questions, practice a collection of questions that are specific to the grammar questions given in the TOEIC. Especially in Part 5 and Part 6, grammar questions are always asked, so it is recommended to grasp trends and take countermeasures through exercises.

Improve your vocabulary with a TOEIC-only vocabulary

There is a tendency for English words that are often asked in TOEIC. Business English is the main focus, so you will see many English words that you did not learn at school. It is essential to master the basic English words that you learned by the time you graduate from high school, but if you are aiming for a high score, it is a shortcut to improve your score by being aware of the words that frequently appear in the TOEIC.

The recommended method is to select one TOEIC-specific English word book and study it thoroughly. If possible, if you memorize one word, you can associate it and memorize synonyms and idioms together, so that you can gradually increase your vocabulary, so you can expect to acquire considerable vocabulary with just one book. I will.

Increase the speed and accuracy of long reading comprehension

The leading part of TOEIC has many problems with respect to the time limit. For long reading comprehension problems, some people may have had the experience of not being able to solve it to the end and marking it appropriately. If you are aiming for 860 points, let's be able to solve it properly until the end. To that end, it is important to increase the speed and accuracy of long reading comprehension.

The only way to acquire speed and accuracy is to solve problems and manage numbers while being conscious of time. It is not something that you can master suddenly in a short period of time, but you can only learn it through daily accumulation. It will take some time, but as you get used to it, your score will gradually increase, so let's work hard.

Improve your listening skills with shadowing

TOEIC listening is said to be easier to score than reading. So if you're aiming for a high score, you want to avoid missing out on listening as much as possible. Therefore, we recommend shadowing as an effective learning method for strengthening your listening skills.

Shadowing is a learning method that imitates the English you hear and pronounces it. If you don't listen to it correctly, you can't imitate it exactly, so you can naturally learn the pronunciation and rhythm unique to native speakers. Many English learners practice this because they can expect to improve not only their listening skills but also their speaking skills by practicing repeatedly.

If you aim for 860 points, try to utter while thinking about the meaning of the sentence. Your listening skills will be strengthened because you will be able to listen to English and instantly understand it in your head.

Recommended reference books and problem collections for those who aim for TOEIC 860 points

There are many reference books and problem collections that specialize in the TOEIC L & R test, and you may find it difficult to choose. Which one should be selected by advanced players aiming for 860 points? From here, we will introduce recommended reference books and problem collections for those who aim for TOEIC 860 points.

TOEIC L & R Test 1000 Questions for Grammar Questions

This is a collection of grammar questions by the author who is a TOEIC instructor and has taken the test many times and got a perfect score. It is supported by many learners as the definitive version of grammar measures, and the cumulative number of copies has exceeded 300,000.

The number of recorded questions is 1049, which is a perfect score. It covers the grammar items that will be asked in Part 5, and if you complete this, you will acquire considerable grammar skills. The explanations are also carefully organized, so even those who have somehow solved the problem can logically learn why it is the answer. The spread composition with problems on the left page and explanations on the right page makes it easy to use, and it is also attractive to be able to study quickly.

TOEIC L & R TEST Phrase of single express money

This is an English word book that summarizes frequently used English words for the TOEIC L & R test. It supports a wide range of levels from beginners to advanced players, and has been loved as a bible for examinees for many years. Free voice is attached to each word phrase, so it is recommended to fix it while shadowing, which is perfect for listening measures. It also supports free apps on smartphones, so it's a nice point that it's easy to learn in the gap time. If you are starting to study TOEIC now, it is a good idea to start now.

TOEIC (R) L & R test 600 supreme mock exams

This is a collection of questions that contains 3 mock exams. Recommended for those who have already solved the official workbook and want to practice more. The difficulty level is a little higher than the actual test, but the explanation is very polite, so you can improve your score by reviewing it after solving it. In addition, the audio of the reading part is also recorded, so you can use it for listening practice as a shadowing teaching material after completing the mock exam.

TOEIC® L & R Test Selected Mock Test Listening 3

This is a collection of questions recommended for those who want to enhance their listening. Five mock exams are included, so you can learn any pattern. As a bonus, it comes with a frequently-used vocabulary list that can be downloaded for free and MP3 audio in question, so it is recommended that you listen to it repeatedly and fix it while pronouncing it. The level of the problem is a little higher than the actual one, so it's a good idea to start after you can get a certain score.

In addition, there is also a collection of problems for reading measures in the same series. Once you get used to TOEIC to some extent, try to improve your score by taking measures for each part.