Part 5 - Vocabulary & Word Collocations

Part 5 - Vocabulary & Word Collocations

While grammar questions can be solved by analyzing sentence structure, vocabulary questions in Part 5 require you to understand the meanings of words and how they fit into a professional context. Vocabulary questions make up 50% to 60% of Part 5, presenting four options of the same part of speech (e.g., four nouns, four verbs, or four adjectives). To excel in this section, you must build a strong vocabulary tailored to the corporate environment and master word collocations — combinations of words that naturally go together. Memorizing words in isolation is insufficient; you must learn how they behave in sentences and what words commonly surround them.

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Prepositions vs. Conjunctions

One of the most frequently tested distinctions on the TOEIC is the choice between prepositions and conjunctions. While they may convey identical meanings, they have entirely different grammatical rules and cannot be used interchangeably.

• Prepositions must be followed by a noun, noun phrase, pronoun, or gerund. They cannot introduce a full clause containing a finite verb.
• Conjunctions (specifically subordinating conjunctions) must connect clauses, meaning they must be followed by both a subject and a verb.

Analyzing the words immediately following the blank will tell you whether you need a preposition or a conjunction. The table below highlights the most common contrast pairs tested on the exam:

Example Comparison:

• The flight was delayed due to the heavy snow. (Noun phrase: the heavy snow)
• The flight was delayed because it was snowing heavily. (Clause: it was snowing heavily)

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Professional Collocations

Collocations are pairings of words that are established by usage and sound natural to native speakers. On the TOEIC, collocations are tested in four primary patterns:

1. Verb + Preposition Collocations

Many verbs must be paired with a specific preposition to function correctly. Common business-related pairings include:

• comply with: Firms must comply with local environmental standards.
• consist of: The new committee consists of representatives from all departments.
• subscribe to: Our office subscribes to several industry journals.
• participate in: All managers are expected to participate in the seminar.
• rely/depend on: We rely on external contractors for IT support.
• respond to: Please respond to the client's inquiry by the end of the day.

2. Noun + Preposition Collocations

• access to: Employees have access to the secure database.
• demand for: There is a growing demand for electric vehicles.
• increase/decrease in: We experienced a sharp increase in quarterly revenue.
• responsibility for: She assumed responsibility for the marketing campaign.

3. Adjective + Preposition Collocations

• eligible for: Staff members are eligible for annual bonuses.
• compatible with: The new software is not compatible with our current operating system.
• subject to: The flight schedule is subject to change without notice.
• responsible for: The sales team is responsible for meeting monthly quotas.

4. Verb + Noun Collocations

Certain verbs are routinely paired with specific nouns in professional settings. You should recognize these pairs instantly:

• meet a deadline (not catch or reach a deadline)
• conduct research or conduct an audit (not make research)
• implement a policy or implement a system (not do a policy)
• draw up a contract (meaning to write or prepare a contract)
• address an issue or address a concern (meaning to deal with a problem)
• fill a vacancy (meaning to hire someone for an open job position)

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Commonly Confused Words

The TOEIC exam deliberately includes pairs of words that look or sound similar but have different meanings or grammatical functions.

Affect vs. Effect

• Affect is a verb meaning to influence or produce a change in something.
  • The new tax regulations will affect our production costs.
• Effect is a noun meaning the result or outcome of a change.
  • The new tax regulations will have a negative effect on our profits.

Accept vs. Except

• Accept is a verb meaning to receive, agree to, or take something offered.
  • The board decided to accept the terms of the merger.
• Except is a preposition meaning excluding or but for.
  • The office is open every day except Sunday.

Assure vs. Ensure vs. Insure

• Assure means to promise or tell someone confidently to remove doubt. It is always followed by a personal object (a person or pronoun).
  • We assured the client that the project would be completed on time.
• Ensure means to make certain that something will happen. It is followed by a clause or noun, never a person.
  • We must implement these procedures to ensure quality control.
• Insure means to cover with an insurance policy to protect against financial loss.
  • The company decided to insure the warehouse against fire damage.

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Phrasal Verbs in Business

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and a particle (preposition or adverb) that create a new meaning. The following phrasal verbs are highly common in TOEIC Reading passages:

• call off: To cancel. (e.g., The manager had to call off the meeting.)
• put off: To postpone. (e.g., We must put off the product launch until next month.)
• look into: To investigate. (e.g., The human resources department is looking into the employee's complaint.)
• carry out: To perform or execute a task. (e.g., The laboratory will carry out the tests next week.)
• set up: To arrange or establish. (e.g., Please set up a conference call with the vendors.)
• run out of: To deplete the supply of something. (e.g., The printer ran out of paper during the presentation.)
• take over: To assume control of something. (e.g., Mr. Davis will take over the department after Ms. Green retires.)