Grammar TOEIC plays a decisive role in determining your final score. Parts 5, 6, and 7 test not only your understanding of meaning but also your precision in grammar under time pressure. Many candidates stumble on basic rules, even when the vocabulary seems easy. This article outlines the exact grammar points that appear most often in the TOEIC exam, and how to tackle them with confidence.

Why Is Grammar Important in TOEIC?

Grammar TOEIC skills are directly tested in multiple sections of the exam, especially in Parts 5, 6, and 7—where accuracy, context, and speed determine your score.

Part 5: Incomplete Sentences directly tests your knowledge of grammar structures (tenses, subject-verb agreement, conditionals, modifiers, etc.) and vocabulary. You must choose the correct word or phrase to complete a sentence accurately.

Part 6: Text Completion checks your ability to apply grammar in context. You must understand how grammar (conjunctions, transitions, pronouns, verb consistency, etc.) supports coherence between sentences and paragraphs.

Part 7: Reading Comprehension may not test grammar directly, but understanding sentence structure and grammar helps you interpret long passages more quickly and accurately.

In short, you need grammar to:

  • Subject–verb agreement recognition in sentence completion
  • Tense consistency across clauses and within a passage
  • Word form identification in choosing between nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
  • Distractor elimination based on incorrect grammar usage
  • Sentence structure interpretation to understand meaning and logic in long texts

Key Grammar Topics for the TOEIC Exam

1. Verb Tenses (Present, Past, Future)

First of all, tenses are the backbone of English grammar and appear frequently in grammar TOEIC questions, especially in Part 5 and Part 6. The TOEIC exam doesn’t test all 12 tenses equally, but you should still be familiar with how each one functions in context.

The three main tense groups include:

  • Present Tenses:
    • Present Simple (e.g., She works every day.)
    • Present Continuous (e.g., She is working now.)
    • Present Perfect (e.g., She has worked here for years.)
    • Present Perfect Continuous (e.g., She has been working since morning.)
  • Past Tenses:
    • Past Simple (e.g., She worked yesterday.)
    • Past Continuous (e.g., She was working at 9 a.m.)
    • Past Perfect (e.g., She had worked before lunch.)
    • Past Perfect Continuous (e.g., She had been working for two hours.)
  • Future Tenses:
    • Future Simple (e.g., She will work tomorrow.)
    • Future Continuous (e.g., She will be working at 10 a.m.)
    • Future Perfect (e.g., She will have worked by noon.)
    • Future Perfect Continuous (e.g., She will have been working for 5 hours.)
Example from Part 5:

She ______  for the company since 2015.

  1. works
  2. worked
  3. has worked 
  4. is working
→ Answer: C

Explanation: "since 2015" suggests an action starting in the past and continuing to the present → use Present Perfect.

2. Subject–Verb Agreement

Subject–verb agreement is among the most tested grammar points in TOEIC Part 5. You’ll often be asked to identify whether the verb correctly matches the subject in number (singular or plural).

Below is a table of subject types and how they affect verb agreement:

Singular Verb Plural Verb Depends on Context
Singular nouns, uncountable nouns: water, money, information Countable plural nouns: books, people, tables Either...or / Neither...nor → verb agrees with N2
Indefinite pronouns: Everyone, someone, nobody Plural pronouns: many, both, several, few N1 + along with/as well as + N2 → verb agrees with N1
Gerunds or infinitives: Reading, To study “The + adjective” group: the rich, the poor A number of + plural noun → plural verb; The number of + plural noun → singular verb
Time/Distance/Money as subject: Ten dollars, five miles Nouns always in plural: pants, scissors, glasses Collective nouns (family, team, staff): singular if acting as a unit; plural if acting individually
Names of diseases, subjects: Measles, Physics Joined by "and": Tom and Jerry Most of / All of / Some of / Half of + N → verb agrees with the noun after "of"
Titles of books, films, articles Fractions with plural nouns: Two-thirds of students There/Here + N → verb agrees with N
Each/Every/Neither/Either + singular noun “The + plural noun” groups: The workers Languages vs. nationalities → English is vs. The English are
A pair of + plural nouns: A pair of shoes Flocks/herds of animals: Flocks of birds
Practice question:

Neither the manager nor the employees ___ aware of the issue.

  1. is
  2. are 
  3. was
  4. has been
→ Answer: B

Explanation: Use the verb according to the second subject “employees” → plural → “are”.

3. Gerunds and Infinitives

In grammar TOEIC, gerunds (V-ing) and infinitives (to + V) appear often in Part 5 and Part 6. Many verbs require a specific structure after them, and confusing the two forms can lead to simple mistakes.

Common usage patterns:

Verb + Gerund (V-ing) Verb + Infinitive (to + V)
enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest, mind, keep, etc.

Example: She avoided answering the email.

 decide, hope, plan, want, offer, agree, etc.

Example: He decided to leave early.
Some verbs can be followed by either, but the meaning changes:

  • Remember:
    • Remember doing: recall a past action → I remember locking the door.
    • Remember to do: don’t forget to do something → Remember to lock the door.
  • Forget:
    • Forget doing: forget a past experience → I forgot meeting her before.
    • Forget to do: fail to do something → He forgot to send the email.
  • Stop:
    • Stop doing: quit or end an action → She stopped working there.
    • Stop to do: pause to do something else → She stopped to answer the phone.
  • Try:
    • Try doing: do something as an experiment or solution → Try restarting your laptop.
    • Try to do: make an effort → Try to arrive early.
  • Regret:
    • Regret doing: feel sorry about something in the past → I regret saying that.
    • Regret to do: feel sorry to say (formal) → We regret to inform you...
For example, TOEIC-style question:

The manager encouraged the team ___ new ideas during meetings.

  1. sharing
  2. shared
  3. to share
  4. share
→ Answer: C

Explanation: “encourage” is followed by an object + to V → encouraged the team to share

4. Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are used to express ability, advice, necessity, possibility, or permission. In grammar TOEIC, modal verbs appear regularly in Part 5 and Part 6, often to test subtle differences in tone or level of obligation.

Common modals and usage:

Modal Verb Function Example
can / could ability or possibility She can solve the problem easily.
may / might possibility or permission You may leave early.
must / have to obligation You must submit the report by 5 p.m.
should / ought to advice or recommendation You should check your email.
will / would future intention / polite request I will join the call. / Would you help me?
Structure: Modal verb + base verb (bare infinitive)

Example: She should apply

Sample TOEIC item:

You ___ submit the form before the deadline, or it will not be accepted.

  1. can
  2. must 
  3. might
  4. would
→ Answer: B

Explanation: Strong obligation → correct modal is “must”.

5. Conditional Sentences

Conditional sentences describe a possible situation and its result. In grammar TOEIC, they frequently appear in Part 5 and Part 6 to test your understanding of verb tenses, logic, and hypothetical thinking.

Structure overview:

Type Form Usage Example
Zero If + present simple, present simple General truths or facts If water reaches 100°C, it boils.
Type 1 If + present simple, will + base verb Real future possibility If it rains, we will cancel the trip.
Type 2 If + past simple, would + base verb Unreal/imaginary present If I were you, I would apply today.
Type 3 If + past perfect, would have + Vpp Unreal past situation If he had studied, he would have passed.
Mixed If + past perfect, would + base verb Unreal past condition → present result If she had left earlier, she would be here.
In TOEIC, you may see:

If the report ___ finished earlier, we could review it today.

  1. is
  2. had been 
  3. was
  4. would be
→ Answer: B

Explanation: Unreal past → use Type 3 → had been finished

These structures often appear in both writing tasks as well. To apply these structures in writing tasks, check the full guide on:

TOEIC Writing 2025

6. Passive Voice

The passive voice is used to focus on the receiver of the action, rather than who performs it. In grammar TOEIC, passive structures are common in formal writing.

Structure: be + past participle (Vpp)

(The form of “be” changes according to the tense)

Tense Passive Form Example
Present Simple am/is/are + Vpp Emails are sent daily.
Past Simple was/were + Vpp The document was updated yesterday.
Present Perfect have/has been + Vpp The files have been uploaded.
Future Simple will be + Vpp The package will be delivered tomorrow.
Modal + Passive modal + be + Vpp Tickets must be purchased in advance.
For example, TOEIC-style question:

The final schedule ___ to all participants next Monday.

  1. will send
  2. is sending
  3. will be sent 
  4. has sent
→ Answer: C

Explanation: Future passive → will be sent

7. Parts of Speech (Word Forms)

Word form questions appear frequently in grammar TOEIC. These questions check whether you can identify the correct part of speech based on the structure of the sentence.

The four most common word forms:

  • Nouns are used as the subject or object of a sentence. → The announcement was well received.
  • Verbs express an action or state. → They announced the changes yesterday.
  • Adjectives describe or modify nouns. → The announced policy surprised everyone.
  • Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or whole clauses. → She clearly explained the instructions.
How to choose the right form:
  • After an article (a, an, the), use a noun. → The decision was unanimous.
  • Before a noun, use an adjective. → An effective strategy is needed.
  • After linking verbs (be, become, seem), use an adjective. → The process is complicated.
  • After action verbs, use an adverb. → He responded quickly.
Common suffix clues:
  • Nouns: -tion, -ment, -ness, -ity
  • Adjectives: -ive, -ous, -al, -able, -ful
  • Verbs: -ize, -ate, -en
  • Adverbs: -ly
For example, TOEIC-style question:

The manager praised the team for their ___ in completing the project ahead of schedule.

  1. decided
  2. deciding
  3. decision 
  4. decisive
→ Answer: C

Explanation: The blank needs a noun to complete the phrase → decision

Conclusion

A strong grammar foundation leads to faster decisions, fewer mistakes, and higher scores in the TOEIC exam. Clear understanding of verb forms, structures, and usage helps you tackle even the trickiest questions with confidence. For guided practice and full access to TOEIC resources, sharpen your grammar TOEIC skills now at TOEIC® Test Pro.