Writing in Korean: Task, Register and Cohesion
What this domain tests
The Writing section asks you to produce short and longer texts in Korean for a stated audience and purpose: a note or message, a diary entry, an email, an invitation, or an opinion paragraph. Markers reward task fulfilment, range and accuracy of grammar and vocabulary, appropriate speech level and register, and organisation (paragraphing, connectives, consistent tense).
Concepts you must control
- Speech level consistency: choose 습니다/ㅂ니다 for formal writing (announcements, formal emails), 어/아요 for polite informal (letters to a host family, messages to a teacher you know well), and 반말 for diaries and close friends. Never mix within one text.
- Honorific agreement: when writing about a respected person, use 께서, -시-, 드시다, 계시다, and the honorific particle 께.
- Tense control: past -았/었-, present -ㄴ/는-, future -(으)ㄹ 것이다 / -겠-. Keep the narrative tense stable.
- Connectives for cohesion: 그리고, 하지만, 그래서, 왜냐하면, 또한, 따라서, 그런데.
- Purpose and reason clauses: -기 위해(서), -(으)려고, -아서/어서, -기 때문에.
- Polite requests and suggestions: -아/어 주시겠어요?, -(으)시겠어요?, -(으)ㅂ시다.
Traps to expect
- Ignoring the bullet prompts: each bullet must be addressed; missing one loses task marks.
- Register slips: a single 반말 verb in a formal email stands out sharply.
- Literal translation from English: word order and particles (이/가, 은/는, 을/를, 에/에서) must follow Korean patterns.
- Over-ambition: long complex sentences with errors score lower than clear, correct ones.
- No paragraphing: long texts need a clear opening, body, and closing (e.g., 안녕하세요 … 감사합니다).
Worked example
Task: Write an email (60–80 words) to a Korean friend inviting them to a birthday party, giving date, place, and what to bring. Model opening: “지민아, 안녕? 다음 주 토요일에 내 생일 파티를 할 거야. 우리 집에서 할 건데, 오후 세 시에 와 줘. 음식은 준비했으니까 간식만 가져오면 돼.” Note the 반말 consistency (할 거야, 와 줘, 돼), the reason with -니까, and the permission pattern -면 돼.
Rule of thumb
Before writing, circle the audience and purpose, list one Korean sentence per bullet, then add connectives. Leave two minutes to proofread particles and verb endings - that is where most marks are lost.