Vocabulary and Grammar (어휘·문법): collocation, particles, endings
Vocabulary and grammar (어휘·문법) is scored as one area but rewards two habits: learning words as collocations, and learning grammar as contrasts rather than isolated forms.
Vocabulary: meaning is not enough
- Collocation decides. 약을 먹다, 샤워를 하다, 결정을 하다/내리다, 약속을 지키다. A verb with the right meaning but the wrong partner is a wrong option.
- Synonyms differ in nuance. 말하다 vs 이야기하다, 보다 vs 바라보다, 짓다 (build/name a face) vs 만들다.
Grammar: learn the contrast pairs
- 은/는 vs 이/가. 는 = known topic or contrast; 가 = new information or focus (누가 했어요? 제가 했어요).
- 에 vs 에서. 에 = destination, time, existence (학교에 가요, 집에 있어요); 에서 = location of an action (학교에서 공부해요).
- -(으)로서 vs -(으)로써. Status vs means (학생으로서, 펜으로써).
- Irregulars. ㅂ: 돕다→도와요 but 돕습니다. ㄷ: 듣다→들어요. ㅅ: 낫다→나아요. 르: 모르다→몰라요. 으: 쓰다→써요.
- Honorifics. -(으)시-, 계시다, 드시다/잡수시다, 주무시다, 연세, 댁. Never attach -(으)시- to your own action.
- -고 있다 vs -아/어 있다. Progress vs resulting state (읽고 있다 / 앉아 있다).
Worked example
어제 숙제를 (하느라고 / 하기 때문에) 잠을 못 잤어요. Answer: 하느라고. It needs the same subject in both clauses, it explains why a negative result occurred, and it cannot be followed by an imperative or suggestion (하느라고 해요 is impossible). -기 때문에 is a neutral cause that works with any ending, so it does not have this "blocked by the task" flavor.
Traps that cost marks
Using -더니 with a first-person subject in the first clause where -았/었더니 is required (내가 갔더니). Mixing 안 (choice) with 못 (inability). Pairing -밖에 with a positive verb.