How to Practice for TOPIK II
The most effective TOPIK II preparation is practicing with real past exam questions. NIIED (the National Institute for International Education) publicly releases official exams after they are administered. These are the same questions that appeared on test day, not approximations or practice-only material.
What Does TOPIK II Cover?
TOPIK II has three sections administered in two sessions, totaling 180 minutes:
- Listening (듣기): 50 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes. Audio is played once (questions 1–20) or twice (questions 21–50) through speakers.
- Writing (쓰기): 4 tasks, 50 minutes. Two fill-in-the-blank tasks and two essays (a short descriptive essay and a longer argumentative essay). Listening and writing are combined in Session 1 (110 minutes total).
- Reading (읽기): 50 multiple-choice questions, 70 minutes. Administered in Session 2 after a short break.
The test is scored out of 300 points, with 100 points per section. Your total score determines your level (3, 4, 5, or 6).
Why Past Exams Are the Best Practice
TOPIK II follows a consistent format across every administration. The question types, difficulty progression, and passage styles are predictable. Earlier questions in each section are more accessible, and difficulty increases steadily toward the end. Practicing with real exams builds familiarity with this structure so there are no surprises on test day.
Past exams are also the most reliable way to gauge your current level. Practicing under timed conditions with real questions gives you a calibration that generic study materials cannot match.
How to Study Effectively
Listening
Start with questions 1–20, which test basic comprehension: identifying a picture, choosing the next line of dialogue, or determining what someone will do next. Once these feel comfortable, move to questions 21–50, where each passage is played twice and followed by two questions. Focus on understanding the speaker's intent and main point, which are the most common question types in the upper range. See the listening section guide for the full question type breakdown.
Reading
Time management is critical. You have 70 minutes for 50 questions, roughly 1.4 minutes each. Questions 1–12 are short and should take under a minute each, leaving more time for the dense passages in questions 35–50. Practice reading Korean at speed without translating word by word. See the reading section guide for question types.
Writing
The writing section requires separate preparation from listening and reading. Practice the short essay (Task 53) by describing charts, tables, and graphs in 200–300 characters. For the long essay (Task 54), practice structuring arguments in 600–700 characters with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Writing is graded ongrammar accuracy, vocabulary range, and logical organization.
Practice Reading and Listening with Solvi
Solvi offers free TOPIK II practice with 1,000+ questions from 11 official past exams. Every question includes instant feedback with bilingual explanations in Korean and English. Listening questions include audio playback. No account required, no daily limits. Start practicing.
When you're ready to simulate exam conditions, try a timed mock exam. Pick any of the 11 past exams, choose listening, reading, or both, and get scored results with a full question-by-question review.
Related: Study Timeline · Reading Guide · Listening Guide · Writing Guide
Last updated: March 20, 2026