# TOEIC vocabulary by topic: 8 topics to learn first

- Updated: 2026-11-08
- Level: B1

## Quick answer

TOEIC listening and reading tasks use words from situations such as meetings, hiring, ordering goods and business trips. Here you will learn basic words and phrases in 8 topics, see them in example sentences and check yourself with a short exercise.

## The 8 topics in this post

1. [Office and meetings](#1-office-and-meetings)
2. [Hiring](#2-hiring)
3. [Staff and promotion](#3-staff-and-promotion)
4. [Finance and accounting](#4-finance-and-accounting)
5. [Marketing and sales](#5-marketing-and-sales)
6. [Orders and delivery](#6-orders-and-delivery)
7. [Airports and flights](#7-airports-and-flights)
8. [Hotels and booking](#8-hotels-and-booking)

## 1. Office and meetings

Found in internal emails, meeting invitations and office notices.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **meeting** (n.) | a planned time when people meet to talk about work |
| **schedule** (n., v.) | a plan of times; to plan for a time |
| **attend a meeting** | go to a meeting |
| **deadline** (n.) | the latest time something must be done |
| **document** (n.) | a file or paper with information |

- The meeting is **scheduled** for 10 a.m.
- Please send the **document** before the **deadline**.

[Learn and practise workplace vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/meetings-b1)

## 2. Hiring

Found in job adverts, interview invitations and cover letters.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **vacancy** (n.) | a job that is open |
| **apply for a job** | ask in writing to be given a job |
| **applicant** (n.) | a person who applies |
| **interview** (n., v.) | a meeting to question a candidate; to question one |
| **recruit** (v.) | find and hire new people |

- **Applicants** must send their CVs by Friday.
- The company is **recruiting** two new accountants.

[Learn and practise job-application vocabulary (B2)](/vocabulary/job-applications-b2)

## 3. Staff and promotion

Found in HR notices, contracts and talks about pay.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **employee** (n.) | a person who works for a company |
| **employer** (n.) | a person or company that employs people |
| **hire** (v.) | give someone a job |
| **promotion** (n.) | a move to a higher job |
| **salary** (n.) | the fixed pay for a job |

- She received a **promotion** last month.
- The company **hired** ten new **employees** this year.

[Learn and practise pay and progression vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/career-development-b1)

## 4. Finance and accounting

Found in invoices, expense reports and emails from the accounts team.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **invoice** (n.) | a bill asking for payment |
| **expense** (n.) | money spent on something |
| **revenue** (n.) | money a business earns |
| **budget** (n.) | money planned for spending |
| **payment** (n.) | money paid |

- The **invoice** must be paid within 30 days.
- Our travel **expenses** were higher than the **budget**.

[Learn and practise finance vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/finance-and-accounting-b1)

## 5. Marketing and sales

Found in adverts, special offers and sales reports.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **campaign** (n.) | a planned set of activities to promote something |
| **customer** (n.) | a person who buys |
| **discount** (n.) | an amount taken off the price |
| **launch** (v., n.) | bring out a new product; the event of doing so |
| **sales** (n.) | the number of things sold; the work of selling |

- The company will **launch** a new phone in May.
- **Sales** went up after the advertising **campaign**.

[Learn and practise marketing and sales vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/marketing-and-sales-b1)

## 6. Orders and delivery

Found in order forms, delivery updates and warehouse notices.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **place an order** | ask a seller for goods |
| **shipment** (n.) | goods sent together |
| **delivery** (n.) | bringing goods to a place |
| **warehouse** (n.) | a large building for storing goods |
| **inventory** (n.) | the goods a business has in stock |

- I **placed an order** for 50 chairs yesterday.
- The **shipment** will arrive at the **warehouse** tomorrow.

[Learn and practise supply-chain vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/logistics-and-supply-chain-b1)

## 7. Airports and flights

Found in airport announcements, tickets and travel plans.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **flight** (n.) | a trip by plane |
| **boarding pass** (n.) | the card you show to get on a plane |
| **delayed** (adj.) | later than planned |
| **connecting flight** (n.) | the next flight you change to |
| **departure lounge** (n.) | the area where you wait to board |

- Your **flight** has been **delayed** by one hour.
- Please show your **boarding pass** at the gate.

[Learn and practise air-travel vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/airports-b1)

## 8. Hotels and booking

Found in booking confirmations and at the front desk.

| Word / phrase | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **reservation** (n.) | a room or seat kept for you |
| **receptionist** (n.) | the person at the front desk |
| **check in** (v.) | arrive and register at a hotel |
| **check out** (v.) | pay and leave a hotel |
| **fully booked** (adj.) | with no rooms or seats left |

- I have a **reservation** under the name Nguyen.
- Guests must **check out** before 12 p.m.

[Learn and practise hotel and booking vocabulary (B1)](/vocabulary/booking-accommodation-b1)

## How to make topic vocabulary stick

1. **Learn phrases.** Remember *attend a meeting*, *meet a deadline* and *make a reservation* rather than single words.
2. **Learn the word family.** In hiring: *apply* (the verb), *applicant* (the person), *application* (the form). TOEIC sentence-completion questions often ask you to pick the right form like this.
3. **Test yourself with sentences.** Cover the meaning column, read the examples and guess. Then do the check below and go back over the words you missed.

## Words and phrases that are easy to mix up

**attend a meeting**: *I will attend the meeting.* When *attend* means "go to an event", the event comes straight after it, with no *to*. *Attend to* also exists, with a different meaning: deal with something.

**fully booked**: *All rooms are fully booked.* In this phrase, use *fully* before *booked*.

**applicant and application**: an *applicant* is a person; an *application* is the form or set of documents. *The applicant sent her application yesterday.*

## Practice

- [Practise workplace vocabulary (B1)](https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary/meetings-b1)