TOEIC 424th Test (May 17, 2026, Morning) Review [Near-50-Year-Old's 990 Challenge in X Days]

A near-50-year-old who studied abroad in the 1990s has resumed English studies for the first time in a quarter-century and has taken the TOEIC four times. The dates and results are as follows.

Decision to challenge = 25/07/13
1st attempt... 945 points (Day 43) ← 25/08/24 morning
2nd attempt... 920 points (Day 99) ← 25/10/19 morning
3rd attempt... 915 points (Day 281) ← 26/04/19 morning
4th attempt... ??? points (Day 309) ← 26/05/17 morning

I am waiting for the results of the final May 17 morning (424th) test. As for the title, I will continue to use "990 Challenge" for articles related to the TOEIC exams I have taken.

After finishing the May 17 morning (424th) test

Finally, my TOEIC challenge has come to an end.

Looking back, it feels like it was a long time, but at the same time, it feels like it went by in a flash.

Even so, being able to work this hard after reaching my late 40s has been a very good experience.

This review will follow the same format as the previous one for the April 19 morning (422nd) test.

1. Perfect physical preparation

I was tired from work the night before, so I went to bed early.

I still woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, but last time I looked at my smartphone and ended up sleep-deprived.

To avoid making the same mistake, I didn't look at my phone at all and closed my eyes immediately, which allowed me to sleep well until morning. This difference is quite significant.

Since I ate a bit too much the day before, I changed my plan from a light breakfast at home to getting an energy boost at a cafe's morning set.

I had three cups of coffee at a "divine morning set" that offers free refills up to three times, and the same amount of black coffee from a plastic bottle.

Also, I made sure to use the restroom multiple times right before the test.

Actually, even after the announcements begin, as long as you raise your hand and go before the test truly starts, it has no impact at all.

Physiological needs definitely sap your concentration. If you feel the need to go, don't hesitate to do so.

2. Maintaining motivation

Last time, during the test, "Why am I taking the TOEIC, which is of no use?"—this forbidden question popped into my head, and that was the biggest reason for my failure.

To avoid making the same mistake, I also prepared mentally. I arrived early to boost my concentration on the stylish campus.

Perhaps it's because it's a private university, but I wish I could have had such a glamorous campus life...

I had already studied enough, so just before the test, I only played the official workbook audio at 1.2x speed. Other than that, I just did a light review of the Gold Phrase book.

Other than that, I tried to keep my motivation up by listening to my favorite music and so on.

Come to think of it, even in events like the World Athletics Championships, athletes don't re-check their form. They prioritize concentration instead.

And this time, I was determined to "give it my all without any regrets," so I finished without letting my guard down until the very end.

In this regard, I feel I was able to burn out completely.

3. A 495 in Listening?

Now, I will look back at the Listening and Reading sections individually. I've linked the previous results for reference.

First, Listening. I felt the difficulty level was easier than the 422nd test (April 19, AM), which was said to be quite difficult.

However, in the 5th question of Part 1, a difficult word I had never heard before appeared, and I was taken aback for a moment. The difficulty level of Part 1 is also quietly increasing.

Part 2 was clearly better than last time, but there were some questions toward the end that I struggled with. I should be down by about 3 points up to this point.

Part 3 might have been slightly difficult, but it was much better than last time.

My accuracy rate is probably around 95-96%. I shouldn't have dropped to the 90% level of last time.

In TOEIC, when the test is easy, everyone can solve the questions with the same accuracy rate, so the score actually goes down.

Because of this, it's hard to judge, but I predict 470-495. If things go well, I might get a perfect score. At the very least, I want to exceed my previous score of 470.

4. Reading is around 470?

Last time, I ran out of time in the Reading section and had to "color in" 2 questions, which was a crushing defeat.

However, this time, I finished with 5 minutes to spare, so I was able to review half of Part 5 (30 grammar questions), which I usually miss due to mistakes.

I think this was significant. My pacing was as follows:

Part 5... approx. 8 minutes
Part 6... approx. 10 minutes
Part 7... approx. 52 minutes
Part 5 review... approx. 5 minutes

There was one question in Part 6 that I just couldn't wrap my head around, so I skipped it, finished Part 7, and then went back to it (including the time spent going back, it took 10 minutes).

As for the difficulty level, I think it was easier than last time. In that sense, taking the test twice in a row seems to have paid off.

My accuracy rate was 88% last time, and I'm hoping for around 93-94% this time, which would translate to a score of about 460-470.

I estimate my total score will be between 930 and 965. It's hard to say for sure, but I might have achieved my goal of 950 points.

Conclusion

Score aside, I feel relieved now that I've been able to finish my final challenge without any regrets.

I was really frustrated last time, so I'm very glad I didn't just fade away.

I will announce the results once they are out, and I plan to write an article that packs in all the know-how I've gained from my four attempts.

Since it looks like it will take a considerable amount of effort, I might make it a paid article.

Starting tomorrow, I will resume my series, "TOEIC Preparation with English Newspapers." Thank you for your continued support.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author: Liberal Arts Uncle
A near-50-year-old with a liberal arts degree. In August 2025, I scored 945 on my first TOEIC attempt. Within one year, I also passed the IT Passport, G-Certification, and Data Scientist Certification exams.

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