How to ace your TOPIK exam: tips and tricks
Hello!
In November 2019, I took the 67th TOPIK test and managed to get a level 5 certificate (C1, advanced). In this post I'll elaborate more on what to expect of the test, how to set realistic goals for yourself and what sources to use.
First - for those who don't know me - let's start with a brief overview of my Korean language journey:
September 2014: start (total beginner)
July-August 2015: attended the HUFS summer school, pre-intermediate lessons (A2/B1)
March-June 2016: started an intensive language program at Sungkyunkwan University (B1/B2)
December 2016: passed TOPIK level 4 (B2).
December 2019: passed TOPIK level 5 (C1).
Being enrolled in a language program surely helps, but I honestly think that my consistent exposure to the language and self-studying during all these years has eventually helped me most in passing level 5.
What does the exam look like?
There are two different TOPIK tests: TOPIK 1 and TOPIK 2. TOPIK 1 is aimed at beginners (A1/A2), where as TOPIK 2 is aimed at intermediate and advanced learners (B1/B2/C1/C2).
This post will focus on the TOPIK 2 exam. The exam is quite long and intensive. Please do not let this discourage you, but it is something to keep in mind. You'll be tested on your listening, writing and reading skills. Each part takes about one hour. You're expected to arrive half an hour early. In my case, the exam's schedule was like this:
How to ace the exam?
- Take as many mock exams as you possibly can
The more familiarized you are with the exam format, the better. You'll get a good sense of how many questions you can answer in the given time and a good sense of what your current level is. Focus on time management, because the time is limited.
- The exam aims to test FOUR different language levels (level 3, 4, 5 and 6), comparable with the levels set by the CEFR (A1-C2).
And that's a lot. Both pre-intermediate learners and near-native learners are taking the same test. Learners with different abilities will feel differently about the test and score differently on them. That's completely normal. Do not let this discourage you either. Every test section consists of 50 question and will start with fairly easy questions and gradually become more complex.
- The most important first step is to get a good sense of what your current level is so you know how to handle the questions in a way that works best for your goals. I highly recommend you take several mock tests for both reading and listening. You can do this here. Once you start the test, the time will start running, like in a real exam situation. After you finish the mock exam, the website will give you an indication of your current level. Do not look up words or give yourself more time - take it seriously as if you were taking the exam for real. For the sake of accuracy, stop as soon as your time's up.
- Try to set realistic goals
So: the writing section is the trickiest part. The teachers' evaluations are strict and time is, especially in this section, very limited. The writing section contains of 4 questions. The first two are fairly easy - you just write a few words or one sentence. The third part is a small essay based on a statistic chart, whereas the last part is a longer essay on any possible topic.
But don't worry too much about the writing section, either! I have never managed to finish the last essay because I lacked time and I still managed to get both level 4 and 5 with, in both cases, a lower score on writing. My 2019 score on writing was even lower than my 2016 score, yet my final level was higher. Strange but true.
The package costs 49 USD for TOPIK 2 (and 29 USD for TOPIK 1), which is a pretty fair price for what it contains in my opinion. I bought the package with a friend of mine, splitting the costs (such a typical Dutch trait). So eventually the package just cost me 25 USD. It has helped me a lot, so it was definitely worth it.
In addition to the Topik Package, I also find the following books very handy for TOPIK preparation:
Both books are available for beginners and intermediate learners too. If you are curious about the resources I have used during my Korean language journey, please check out this blog where I write about my resources in detail.
In November 2019, I took the 67th TOPIK test and managed to get a level 5 certificate (C1, advanced). In this post I'll elaborate more on what to expect of the test, how to set realistic goals for yourself and what sources to use.
First - for those who don't know me - let's start with a brief overview of my Korean language journey:
September 2014: start (total beginner)
July-August 2015: attended the HUFS summer school, pre-intermediate lessons (A2/B1)
March-June 2016: started an intensive language program at Sungkyunkwan University (B1/B2)
December 2016: passed TOPIK level 4 (B2).
December 2019: passed TOPIK level 5 (C1).
Being enrolled in a language program surely helps, but I honestly think that my consistent exposure to the language and self-studying during all these years has eventually helped me most in passing level 5.
What does the exam look like?
There are two different TOPIK tests: TOPIK 1 and TOPIK 2. TOPIK 1 is aimed at beginners (A1/A2), where as TOPIK 2 is aimed at intermediate and advanced learners (B1/B2/C1/C2).
This post will focus on the TOPIK 2 exam. The exam is quite long and intensive. Please do not let this discourage you, but it is something to keep in mind. You'll be tested on your listening, writing and reading skills. Each part takes about one hour. You're expected to arrive half an hour early. In my case, the exam's schedule was like this:
- Entrance: by 12:20
- Exam:
12:50 – 14:40 (listening and writing)
15:10 – 16:20 (reading)
How to ace the exam?
So, apart from getting that 8 hours of sleep and making sure you feel energized, the following points are important:
- Take as many mock exams as you possibly can
The more familiarized you are with the exam format, the better. You'll get a good sense of how many questions you can answer in the given time and a good sense of what your current level is. Focus on time management, because the time is limited.
And that's a lot. Both pre-intermediate learners and near-native learners are taking the same test. Learners with different abilities will feel differently about the test and score differently on them. That's completely normal. Do not let this discourage you either. Every test section consists of 50 question and will start with fairly easy questions and gradually become more complex.
- The most important first step is to get a good sense of what your current level is so you know how to handle the questions in a way that works best for your goals. I highly recommend you take several mock tests for both reading and listening. You can do this here. Once you start the test, the time will start running, like in a real exam situation. After you finish the mock exam, the website will give you an indication of your current level. Do not look up words or give yourself more time - take it seriously as if you were taking the exam for real. For the sake of accuracy, stop as soon as your time's up.
After taking several mock exams, you'll have an indication of what your current level is. Are you taking the exam soon? Then it's best to stick with that level (the real exam result is likely a little lower than your online result). If you find that you want to reach a higher level, and you've got plenty of time to master new vocabulary and grammar, go for it!
- Writing = tricky
- Writing = tricky
In order to decide if your goal is realistic, you need to find out how many points you are likely to score on each section. Now, you can't evaluate your own writing, which makes this a bit hard. But for the sake of setting a goal, you will have to self-evaluate your current writing skills. How on earth do you do this? In my case, my writing score was 25 points lower than my listening score. The average scores of other test takers show the same. While the average score on listening was 57, the average score on writing was 34. Again, this is more than 20 points lower. Perhaps it is best to find your highest score and subtract 20 points from it and base your writing score on this outcome - for the sake of setting realistic goals.
So: the writing section is the trickiest part. The teachers' evaluations are strict and time is, especially in this section, very limited. The writing section contains of 4 questions. The first two are fairly easy - you just write a few words or one sentence. The third part is a small essay based on a statistic chart, whereas the last part is a longer essay on any possible topic.
But don't worry too much about the writing section, either! I have never managed to finish the last essay because I lacked time and I still managed to get both level 4 and 5 with, in both cases, a lower score on writing. My 2019 score on writing was even lower than my 2016 score, yet my final level was higher. Strange but true.
Keep this in your mind when setting goals. For example: you want to pass level 4. In order to do so, you need at least 150 points. You scored 62 on listening and 66 on reading, making a total of 128 points. You expect to score 45 on writing and you need just 22 more points to get that level 4 certificate. That's absolutely do-able.
- Find your strengths and weaknesses
In both 2016 and 2019, my highest score was on reading. Listening ranked in second and writing ranked in last. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are is important in making a study plan and setting goals. It is something to hold on during the exam, too. Reading is the last part of the exam, but I knew it was the part that could make a huge difference. Rather than feeling like giving up right after the writing section, I knew I could make up for it by doing well on reading.
- Don't be overwhelmed by the vast amount of resources
There are tons of books published just for TOPIK takers and it's easy to get lost in the vast amount of resources. To save you from too many unused books (and a lot of money spent in vain), I recommend that you start practicing with the Complete Self-Study Topik Package. It's cheap and provides you with all the necessary documents. It contains:
In both 2016 and 2019, my highest score was on reading. Listening ranked in second and writing ranked in last. Knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are is important in making a study plan and setting goals. It is something to hold on during the exam, too. Reading is the last part of the exam, but I knew it was the part that could make a huge difference. Rather than feeling like giving up right after the writing section, I knew I could make up for it by doing well on reading.
- Don't be overwhelmed by the vast amount of resources
There are tons of books published just for TOPIK takers and it's easy to get lost in the vast amount of resources. To save you from too many unused books (and a lot of money spent in vain), I recommend that you start practicing with the Complete Self-Study Topik Package. It's cheap and provides you with all the necessary documents. It contains:
- Complete Video Tutorials for all Sections of TOPIK
- Self-Study eBooks (quite many!) for TOPIK Test Preparation
- Complete Grammar & Vocabulary Study Material
- Comprehensive Guide to TOPIK Essay Writing
- All Past TOPIK Papers + Answer Sheets + Audio Files
The package costs 49 USD for TOPIK 2 (and 29 USD for TOPIK 1), which is a pretty fair price for what it contains in my opinion. I bought the package with a friend of mine, splitting the costs (such a typical Dutch trait). So eventually the package just cost me 25 USD. It has helped me a lot, so it was definitely worth it.
Korean Grammar in Use: Advanced
쏙쏙 TOPIK 어휘 고급 (Advanced Korean vocabulary for TOPIK)
Both books are available for beginners and intermediate learners too. If you are curious about the resources I have used during my Korean language journey, please check out this blog where I write about my resources in detail.
And last but not least: have fun! Learning a language is a journey in which small progress is still progress! Don't focus too much on the destination and enjoy the journey.
Thank you for reading this blog post. I hope this blog post has helped you. If you have questions about the exam, feel free to ask me anything.
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