Writing is worth 100 points, but Q51 and 52 only ask you to write one sentence each. This is the highest-return section in the entire exam for the study time you put in.
Yes for Level 3. Even scoring just 30 on writing, combined with 100 each from listening and reading, adds up to 130.
But from Level 4 up, you can't skip writing. Level 4 (150 points) needs around 46 points on writing, and the turning point is learning the Q53 template.
The sentences before and after the blank dictate the form of the answer. It's less about creating content and more about picking the right sentence pattern.
Memorizing the patterns below as whole units works. Write both sentences correctly and you get 20 points.
| Situation | Common answer pattern |
|---|---|
| Inquiry or request post | ~(으)ㄹ 수 있습니까? (Can I...?) / ~아·어야 합니까? (Must I...?) / ~(으)면 좋겠습니다 (I hope/wish...) |
| Notice or announcement | ~기 바랍니다 (Please...) / ~(으)니 참고하시기 바랍니다 (Please note that...) |
| Reversing the previous sentence | 그러나 ~는 것은 아니다 (However, it's not that...) / ~만 ~하는 것은 아니다 (It's not only... that...) |
| Result or purpose | ~게 된다 (It ends up...) / ~도록 한다 (So that...) / ~을 수 있게 된다 (Become able to...) |
There are three point-deduction triggers — ① not finishing the sentence by dropping the final ending ② a mismatch in honorific level with the surrounding sentences ③ a form that clashes with the particle or connective right before the blank.
This tests whether you know the fixed template, not creativity. Write the four chunks in order.
Just memorizing the graph-description expression set lets you reliably lock in more than half of the 30 points — 증가하다 (increase) / 감소하다 (decrease) / 급증하다 (surge) / 두 배로 늘다 (double) / ~에서 ~으로 변화하다 (change from... to...) / 가장 높게 나타나다 (appear highest) / 그다음으로 ~가 뒤를 이었다 (followed next by...).
| Order | What to write |
|---|---|
| ① Introduce the survey | (기관)에서 (대상)을 대상으로 '(주제)'에 대해 조사하였다 ((Institution) surveyed (subjects) on '(topic)') |
| ② Describe the change | 그 결과 (연도)년 (수치)에서 (연도)년 (수치)으로 약 (배수)배 증가하였다 (As a result, it rose from (figure) in (year) to (figure) in (year), about (multiplier)x) |
| ③ Compare items | 이용 목적을 살펴보면 (1위)가 가장 높았고 그다음으로 (2위), (3위) 순으로 나타났다 (Looking at the purpose of use, (1st) was highest, followed by (2nd) and (3rd)) |
| ④ Reason or outlook | 이러한 변화의 원인으로는 (이유1)와·과 (이유2)를 들 수 있다 (The reasons for this change can be cited as (reason 1) and (reason 2)) |
If you don't reach 600–700 characters, you lose a lot of points regardless of content. If Level 3 is your goal, it pays to prioritize length and form over polish.
Filling in the skeleton below with the four-part structure gets you the length. Manuscript-paper rules (indenting the first square, handling punctuation) take about 10 minutes to learn and reliably prevent deductions.
Copying the prompt's sentences verbatim costs points, so always rephrase them.
| Paragraph | Length | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| ① Introduction | 100 characters | Raise the issue — 요즘 ~에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다 (Interest in... has been rising lately) |
| ② Advantages | 200 characters | 첫째, ~ . 예를 들어 ~ . (First,.... For example,....) |
| ③ Problems | 200 characters | 그러나 ~ . 왜냐하면 ~ 때문이다 (However,.... Because....) |
| ④ Opinion | 200 characters | 따라서 나는 ~라고 생각한다. 그 이유는 ~이다 (Therefore I think.... The reason is....) |
Q54 is worth 50 points, the biggest single item in writing, but it needs advanced grammar and logical development, so the return on study time is far higher for Q51 and 52. If Level 3 is your goal, pouring time into Q54 is a loss.