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TOEIC® Action Verbs: Avoid Confusion That Costs You Points

(Updated: January 22, 2026)

Flow Exam team

TOEIC® Action Verbs: Avoiding Point-Losing Confusions

Action verbs describe concrete, measurable tasks that a person performs in a professional context.

In the TOEIC®, they frequently appear in job listings, job descriptions, and professional emails (Parts 5, 6, and 7). For example: "supervise the team" or "implement new procedures".

The main trap: confusing similar verbs like "oversee" and "overlook", which have completely opposite meanings, or choosing a verb that is too generic for the expected business context.

Why Action Verbs are Everywhere in the TOEIC®

The test evaluates your ability to navigate an English-speaking professional environment. Action verbs are the core vocabulary of this world: they describe responsibilities, achievements, and skills.

In Part 5, you must choose the correct verb to complete a sentence. In Part 7, you must quickly understand what a candidate has accomplished or what a role requires. If you mix up "manage" and "maintain", or if you miss the nuance between "coordinate" and "collaborate", you lose points.

Candidates we coach for the TOEIC® save precious reading time when they master these verbs. They instantly identify key information without rereading.

The 5 Main Categories of Action Verbs in the TOEIC®

In the TOEIC®, action verbs fall into 5 main families. Knowing these categories helps you anticipate vocabulary based on the context.

Management and Leadership

  • supervise: to watch over a team's work
  • oversee: to have overall responsibility for a project
  • coordinate: to organize and synchronize activities
  • delegate: to entrust tasks to others
  • monitor: to track the evolution of a situation

TOEIC® Example:

  • "The project manager will oversee the implementation of the new software across all departments."
    The project manager will oversee the implementation of the new software across all departments.

Analysis and Problem Solving

  • analyze: to examine in detail
  • evaluate: to judge the value or effectiveness
  • assess: to estimate or measure
  • identify: to recognize or determine
  • resolve: to find a solution

TOEIC® Example:

  • "The team needs to identify the main issues before proposing solutions."
    The team needs to identify the main issues before proposing solutions.

Communication and Collaboration

  • communicate: to transmit information
  • present: to formally explain
  • negotiate: to discuss to reach an agreement
  • collaborate: to work together
  • liaise: to act as a link between different groups

TOEIC® Example:

  • “The manager needs to communicate the new policy clearly to all employees.”
    The manager needs to clearly communicate the new policy to all employees.

Creation and Improvement

  • develop: to create or improve
  • implement: to put into place
  • design: to conceive
  • enhance: to improve quality
  • optimize: to make more efficient

TOEIC® Example:

  • “The company plans to develop a new training program for new hires.”
    The company plans to develop a new training program for new hires.

Administrative Management

  • process: to handle (orders, documents)
  • maintain: to keep up, to keep current
  • organize: to arrange, to structure
  • schedule: to plan over time
  • update: to bring up to date

TOEIC® Example:

  • “The assistant will process all purchase orders by the end of the day.”
    The assistant will process all purchase orders by the end of the day.

The Most Frequent Traps with Action Verbs

We see this constantly with candidates: confusion between similar-looking verbs that have different meanings. Here are the mistakes that cost the most points.

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Another classic pitfall: using a verb that is too generic. In the TOEIC®, business vocabulary is precise. Don't say "do" when you can say "implement" or "execute". Don't say "help" when "assist" or "support" are more appropriate.

How to Choose the Right Action Verb in Context

The candidates who progress the fastest share one thing in common: they use contextual clues to eliminate incorrect answers.

Hierarchical Clues

  • If the subject is a manager, a director, or a supervisor, favor management verbs: oversee, supervise, coordinate, delegate.
  • If the subject is an analyst, a specialist, or a consultant, favor analytical verbs: analyze, evaluate, assess, recommend.

Temporal Clues

Action verbs change depending on the timing:

  • Completed Past: implemented, developed, achieved
  • Current Responsibilities: manage, coordinate, maintain
  • Future Projects: will implement, plan to develop

Intensity Clues

Certain verbs indicate a stronger level of involvement:

  • Low: assist, support, help
  • Medium: coordinate, organize, facilitate
  • High: lead, direct, oversee, spearhead

TOEIC® Example:

  • "As team leader, she spearheads all major initiatives."
    As team leader, she spearheads all major initiatives.

Checklist: Which Verb to Choose?

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Register Errors: Too Formal or Too Informal

Be warned: the TOEIC® does not use ultra-formal vocabulary. It uses standard business vocabulary—neither too formal nor too casual.

Too Informal (Avoid):

  • "deal with" → Prefer "handle" or "address"
  • "look into" → Prefer "investigate" or "examine"
  • "get" → Prefer "obtain" or "acquire"

Too Formal (Rare in TOEIC®):

  • "endeavor" → Prefer "try" or "attempt"
  • "facilitate" can sometimes be replaced by "help" depending on the context

The right register: precise, professional, but direct.

Action Verbs in Job Postings (Part 7)

In Part 7, job descriptions are full of action verbs. They indicate the responsibilities of the ideal candidate.

What you often see in a TOEIC® job posting:

  • "The successful candidate will manage a team of..."
  • "Responsibilities include coordinating projects and liaising with..."
  • "You will develop strategies to enhance customer satisfaction."

Practical tip: If the question is about required qualifications, look for the action verbs in the text. They reveal the expected skills.

Example: If the text says "coordinate international projects", the correct answer will mention skills in project management or cross-cultural coordination.

Action Verbs in Professional Emails (Parts 6-7)

TOEIC® emails use action verbs to request tasks, announce decisions, or describe progress.

Common phrases:

  • "Could you please review the attached document?"
    Could you please review the attached document?
  • "I have completed the analysis and will present my findings tomorrow."
    I have completed the analysis and will present my findings tomorrow.
  • "We need to schedule a meeting to discuss the budget."
    We need to schedule a meeting to discuss the budget.

The classic mistake we see candidates make: confusing the required tense/form. If the sentence says "Please ensure that all forms _____ by Friday", the correct answer is "are submitted" (passive), not "submit" (active).

Ready to Practice?

Mastering action verbs means gaining speed and accuracy in the TOEIC®. You will instantly understand job responsibilities, requests in an email, or a candidate's achievements.

On Flow Exam, you can practice directly with TOEIC® vocabulary (airport, real estate, technology, etc.) through thousands of questions in the official format. You immediately identify the words and verbs that cost you points, and then work on them specifically.

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