How is the TOPIK II writing section scored?

Writing is scored out of 100 points by trained human raters. Tasks 51 and 52 (fill-in-the-blank) are worth 10 points each. Task 53 (short essay) is worth 30 points. Task 54 (long essay) is worth 50 points. Raters evaluate content, organization, grammar accuracy, and vocabulary.

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TOPIK II Writing Section Guide

Q: Can I pass TOPIK II with a low writing score?

Yes. TOPIK II has no per-section minimums. Your total score across listening, writing, and reading determines your level. Strong listening and reading scores can compensate for a weaker writing performance.

Q: What writing style does TOPIK II require?

TOPIK II essays require formal literary Korean (문어체). Avoid conversational endings like -아/어요 and spoken vocabulary. Use formal written constructions throughout both the short and long essays.

Last updated March 20265 min read

The TOPIK II writing section (쓰기) has 4 tasks in 50 minutes, scored out of 100 points. It is administered in Session 1 alongside listening (110 minutes combined). Writing is the only section graded by human raters, not machine-scored.

Task Breakdown

Task	Type	Points	Target Length
51	Fill-in-the-blank (practical text)	10	1–2 sentences
52	Fill-in-the-blank (discussion/argument)	10	1–2 sentences
53	Short essay (data description)	30	200–300 characters
54	Long essay (argumentative)	50	600–700 characters

Task 54 alone is worth half the section. Performing well on it has an outsized impact on your total writing score.

Tasks 51–52: Fill-in-the-Blank

Task 51 presents a practical text like an advertisement, notice, or invitation with two blanks. Task 52 presents a short discussion or comparison passage with two blanks. Each task is worth 10 points (5 per blank), scored on grammar accuracy and vocabulary appropriateness.

Read the full text before filling in blanks. The sentences before and after each blank determine both the content and the grammatical form of your answer. Match the verb endings and tone of the surrounding text.

Task 53: Short Essay

Task 53 provides a graph, chart, or table and asks you to describe it in 200–300 characters. Common topics include survey results, trend data, and comparisons between categories.

Use the exact figures from the provided data. Raters check whether you accurately reported the information, not whether you offered creative analysis. Structure your response as: introduce the topic, describe the main findings, and summarize the trend or comparison.

Accuracy over complexity. On Task 53, reporting the correct data clearly scores higher than using advanced vocabulary with vague or incorrect figures.

Task 54: Long Essay

Task 54 asks you to write an argumentative essay of 600–700 characters on a social or abstract topic. Common themes include technology and society, education policy, environmental issues, and cultural change.

Structure your essay in three parts:

Introduction: State the issue and your position clearly.
Body: Develop two or three supporting arguments with reasoning or examples. Each argument should connect logically to the next.
Conclusion: Restate your position and its broader implications.

Raters evaluate content relevance, logical organization, grammar accuracy, and vocabulary range. A well-organized essay with intermediate grammar scores higher than a disorganized essay with advanced grammar.

Writing Style: Formal Literary Korean

Both essays require formal literary style (문어체). This is the single most common mistake on the writing section. Test-takers who write in conversational Korean lose points regardless of content quality.

Avoid (conversational)	Use (literary)
-아/어요 endings	-다, -(으)ㄴ다, -ㄹ 것이다
그래서 (informal)	따라서, 그러므로
되게, 엄청 (slang intensifiers)	매우, 상당히
것 같다 (hedging)	-(으)ㄹ 수 있다, -는 것이다
나는 (casual first person)	Impersonal constructions

How Writing Is Scored

Trained raters evaluate each essay on four criteria:

Content: Did you address the prompt fully and stay on topic?
Organization: Is there a clear introduction, body, and conclusion with logical flow?
Grammar: Are sentence structures accurate, with correct spacing and spelling?
Vocabulary: Is the word choice appropriate for formal written Korean?

Multiple raters score each test to reduce subjectivity. On PBT, legible handwriting and minimal use of correction tape can indirectly affect readability.

Time Management

50 minutes for 4 tasks. A recommended split: 5 minutes each for Tasks 51 and 52, 15 minutes for Task 53, and 25 minutes for Task 54.

Do not spend excessive time perfecting Tasks 51–52. They are worth 20 points combined. Task 54 is worth 50 points and needs the most time for planning, writing, and reviewing. Spend 2–3 minutes outlining Task 54 before you start writing.

Writing and Your Overall Score

TOPIK II has no per-section minimums. Your total score across listening, writing, and reading determines your level. This means strong listening and reading scores can compensate for a weaker writing performance. However, writing is still 100 of 300 total points. Ignoring it limits your ceiling.

Practice for TOPIK II

Solvi provides free TOPIK II practice for listening and reading with 1,000+ questions from 11 official past exams. Start practicing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pass TOPIK II with a low writing score?

Yes. There are no per-section minimums. Strong listening and reading scores can compensate for weaker writing. Your total combined score determines your level.

What writing style does TOPIK II require?

Formal literary Korean (문어체). Avoid conversational endings and spoken vocabulary. Use formal written constructions throughout both essays.

How is the writing section scored?

Human raters score writing out of 100 points. Tasks 51–52 are 10 points each, Task 53 is 30 points, and Task 54 is 50 points. Raters evaluate content, organization, grammar, and vocabulary.

Last updated: March 23, 2026