NCEA Level 2 Korean cheat sheet

In NCEA Level 2 Korean listening assessments, candidates hear passages spoken at near-native speed; key information is often repeated or paraphrased, so listen for synonyms rather than exact words.

Korean has three-way stop contrast (plain, tense, aspirated) in initial position: ㄱ/ㄲ/ㅋ, ㄷ/ㄸ/ㅌ, ㅂ/ㅃ/ㅍ, ㅈ/ㅉ/ㅊ; mishearing these changes word meaning (e.g., 달 vs 딸 vs 탈).

Final consonants (받침) are often neutralized or assimilated in connected speech: ㄱㄷㅂ become unreleased [k̚ t̚ p̚], and ㄴㄹ become [l] before ㄹ.

Common sound changes to expect: nasalization (ㄱ/ㄷ/ㅂ + ㄴ/ㅁ → ㅇ/ㄴ/ㅁ), lateralization (ㄴ+ㄹ or ㄹ+ㄴ → ㄹㄹ), and palatalization (ㄷ+이 → 지).

Listen for discourse markers that signal structure: 그래서 (therefore), 그런데 (however), 하지만 (but), 즉 (that is), 예를 들어 (for example).

Numbers: native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋…) are used for counting items and age; Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼…) for dates, money, phone numbers, and minutes.

Time expressions: 시 (hour) uses native numbers, 분 (minute) uses Sino numbers; e.g., 세 시 삼십 분 (3:30).

Honorific listening cues: 시 infix, 께서, -세요/-(으)시- indicate the speaker is referring to a superior; plain forms indicate intimacy or children.

Formal polite (합쇼체): -ㅂ니다/습니다 for statements, -ㅂ니까?/습니까? for questions; used in presentations, interviews, and service encounters.

Informal polite (해요체): -아요/어요/여요 for statements and questions; the default for everyday conversation with strangers and acquaintances.

Honorific infix -(으)시- is added before endings when the subject is respected: 가시다, 드시다 (irregular), 계시다 (irregular).

Special honorific verbs: 먹다→드시다, 자다→주무시다, 있다→계시다, 죽다→돌아가시다, 말하다→말씀하시다.

Sentence-final intonation distinguishes statements from questions in 해요체: rising for yes/no questions, falling for statements and wh-questions.

Korean is subject-object-verb (SOV); particles mark case: 이/가 (subject), 을/를 (object), 에/에서 (location/time), 에게/한테 (dative).

Connected speech in speaking: link final consonants to following vowels (한국어 → [한구거]), and apply nasalization (입니다 → [임니다]).

Turn-taking formulas: 저는 …라고 생각합니다 (I think that…), 혹시 …아세요? (Do you happen to know…?), 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요? (Could you say that again?)

Korean text uses spaces between eojeol (word phrases), but particles and endings attach to the stem; identify the stem first, then parse particles.

Topic marker 은/는 vs subject marker 이/가: 은/는 signals known or contrasted topic; 이/가 marks new or focused information.

Object marker 을/를 follows nouns; after a consonant use 을, after a vowel use 를.

Verb endings: -고 (and/after), -지만 (but), -아서/어서 (because/so), -(으)면 (if/when), -려고 (in order to), -는데 (background/contrast).

Noun-modifying forms: -(으)ㄴ (past), -는 (present), -(으)ㄹ (future/guess) before a noun; e.g., 어제 본 영화 (the movie I saw yesterday).

Quotation: -라고 하다 (direct/indirect statement), -냐고 하다 (question), -자고 하다 (suggestion), -라고 하다 (command).

Register in reading: -다 style (plain) appears in newspapers and books; -습니다/ㅂ니다 in formal notices; -어요/아요 in dialogues.

Common connective adverbs in expository text: 따라서 (therefore), 그러나 (however), 또한 (also), 즉 (namely), 예를 들어 (for example).

Use 합쇼체 (-ㅂ니다/습니다) for formal essays and reports; use 해요체 for informal letters or diary entries; keep register consistent throughout.

Paragraph structure: topic sentence + supporting details + concluding sentence; Korean academic writing often places the main point at the end of the paragraph.

Spacing rules: leave a space between eojeol, but not between a noun and its particle (학교에, not 학교 에).

Punctuation: use Korean full stop (.) and comma (,); quotation marks “ ” for direct speech; no space before punctuation.

Irregular verbs to master for accuracy: ㄷ-irregular (듣다→들어요), ㅂ-irregular (춥다→추워요), ㅅ-irregular (낫다→나아요), 르-irregular (모르다→몰라요), 으-irregular (쓰다→써요).

Honorific agreement: if the subject is honored, the verb must take -(으)시- and the particle 께서; e.g., 선생님께서 오셨습니다.

Tense: past -았/었-, future -(으)ㄹ 것이다 or -겠-; progressive -고 있다.

Formal letter format: recipient (존경하는 …께), greeting (안녕하십니까?), body, closing (감사합니다), sender and date.