TOEIC Part 2 Was Not a Test of Finding "Yes" or "No" ― Learning Timeless Answering Techniques from a 20-Year-Old Textbook ― July 19, 2026 (Sunday) R8
Today, I started to feel a little tired, so I opened an old TOEIC textbook for a short time before finishing my study.
The textbook was "Shin TOEIC Test Chokuzen no Gijutsu (New TOEIC Test: Last-Minute Techniques)", which I studied myself about 20 years ago and also used in my English classes.
The authors are Robert Hilke, Paul Warden, and Hiro Maeda.
The format and tendencies of the current TOEIC may have changed compared with that time.
However, many of the basic ideas for listening and understanding English are still useful today.
Today, I worked on only three questions from the "Yes / No Question" section of Part 2.
It was only three questions, but when I looked at the explanations again, I realized there was a lot to learn.
## Do Not Look for "Yes" or "No" — Check Whether the Answer Responds to the Question
In Part 2, there are questions that begin with Yes/No question forms.
For example:
"Do you ~?"
"Did you ~?"
"Have you ~?"
However, the important thing is not simply to look for an answer choice that begins with "Yes" or "No."
The important thing is whether the choice actually answers the question.
Let's look at Question 20.
Bobby, do you have a copy of the use instructions for the new fax machine?
(The question asks whether Bobby has a copy of the instructions for the new fax machine.)
The correct answer was:
Yes, I've got them right here.
(Yes, I have them right here.)
On the other hand,
It's quite a machine, isn't it?
(It is quite an impressive machine, isn't it?)
sounds like something that could happen in a real conversation, but it does not answer the question.
Also,
His instructions are not always clear.
is confusing at first because it contains the keyword "instructions."
However, the question asks whether the person has the manual, not whether the contents of the manual are easy to understand.
TOEIC often includes choices that try to make us think, "This must be correct because it contains the same keyword."
## The Importance of Not Confusing the Subject
Question 21:
Has Miss Thatcher completed the sales report?
(Has Miss Thatcher completed the sales report?)
The correct answer was:
As far as I know.
(As far as I know.)
The interesting point is that there is no "Yes" or "No."
In English, this means:
"As far as I know, yes, she has completed it."
A choice that is easy to mistake as correct is:
Yes, I've almost completed the report.
(Yes, I have almost completed the report.)
It looks correct at first glance, but the subject of the question is Miss Thatcher.
The speaker is talking about themselves, not Miss Thatcher.
In TOEIC, we need to listen not only to words but also to understand who the question is about.
## The Difference Between "Did You?" and "Did She?"
Question 22:
You always sent out the billing invoices, didn't you?
(You always sent out the billing invoices, didn't you?)
The important point here is the tag question:
didn't you?
The main sentence is:
**You sent out ~**
which uses the past tense of a general verb.
Therefore, the tag becomes:
didn't you?
The correct answer was:
I did it at the end of last week.
(I did it at the end of last week.)
This made me think again about how important the first words of a question are in English.
Is it:
Do?
Does?
Did?
Have?
Are?
Listening carefully to the auxiliary verb is extremely important.
When I studied abroad, I also remember listening carefully to whether someone was saying:
"Do you ~?"
"Did you ~?"
"Does she ~?"
A small sound difference can completely change the meaning.
## The Difference Between "Invoice" and "Bill"
There was one word I was unsure about this time:
billing invoice
An invoice means a bill or a document requesting payment.
It is a document used to request payment for goods or services.
On the other hand, bill is often used to mean a charge or an amount of money that must be paid.
The incorrect answer choice in Question 22 was:
I haven't paid the bill yet.
(I have not paid the bill yet.)
This choice is designed to confuse us because it contains a related word.
However, the question asks whether the invoice was sent, not whether the payment was made.
## Change Negative Questions Back Into Positive Questions
Finally, the textbook introduced another important point.
Haven't you made a reservation?
(Didn't you make a reservation?)
Questions beginning with a negative form can make people panic when they first hear them.
However, there is no need to overthink them.
Ignore the negative word "Haven't" for a moment and understand the question as:
"Did you make a reservation?"
If you made the reservation:
"Oh yes."
If you have not:
"No."
In English tests, it is important not to panic when hearing negative questions.
## What I Learned Today
Today, I only studied three questions.
However, these three questions contained many important lessons about English:
- Do not be fooled by keywords.
- Pay attention to the subject of the question.
- Listen carefully to auxiliary verbs.
- Do not be afraid of negative questions.
- Focus on the connection of meaning, not just individual words.
Part 2 is often said to be a good section to start with because it can become a source of points.
However, after reviewing it again, I realized that the questions are not always simple.
Because the conversations are short, quick listening and judgment are required.
Today, I was able to learn again from a 20-year-old textbook that many English learning principles remain valuable even today.
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