The 96th TOPIK II exam's writing (쓰기) Q51 features a practical writing task based on a university bulletin board post. The writer is a foreign student looking for advice on moving to a new neighborhood. The context tests the ability to express future plans and navigate indirect questions regarding uncertainty.
The Question Prompt
※ [51~52] 다음을 읽고 ㉠과 ㉡에 들어갈 말을 각각 한 문장으로 쓰시오.
[인주대학교 자유 게시판]
작성자: 에르덴
제목: 어디로 이사하는 것이 좋을까요?안녕하세요. 외국인 유학생입니다.
기숙사 생활이 불편해서 이번 방학에 이사를 ㉠.
집값이 싸고 좀 깨끗한 동네면 좋겠습니다.
그런데 어느 ㉡ 잘 모르겠습니다.
좋은 곳을 아시면 추천 부탁드립니다.
Translation: [Inju University Free Bulletin Board] Writer: Erden Title: Where would be a good place to move? Hello. I am an international student. Because dormitory life is uncomfortable, I ㉠ move this vacation. I would like a neighborhood where the rent is cheap and it is a bit clean. However, I do not know well which ㉡. If you know a good place, please recommend it.
Analysis of Blank ㉠
What is Blank ㉠ Testing?
Blank ㉠ tests the ability to express a future plan, intention, or desire based on a specific cause. The sentence structure "Reason (uncomfortable) + Time (vacation) + Action (move)" demands a grammatical pattern that indicates what the speaker intends to do. It also tests the correct collocations for the noun '이사' (moving).
Key Signal Words and Patterns
To answer this correctly, you must identify three critical signals in the surrounding text that dictate the verb and sentence ending.
Object Marker: 이사를 (Move + Object Particle)
The presence of the object particle '를' attached to '이사' is the strongest grammatical constraint here. In Korean, '이사' is a noun. When it is marked with '를', it must be followed by a transitive verb, most commonly '하다' (to do).
- Correct: 이사를 하다 (To do a move/To move)
- Incorrect: 이사를 가다 is acceptable in speech, but 이사(를) 가다 treats 'move' as the destination or action of going. However, strictly speaking, '이사하다' is the standard verb. If the sentence was "다른 곳으로...", '이사 가다' would be common, but with '이사를', '하다' is the safest and most standard collocation.
Time Phrase: 이번 방학에 (This Vacation)
The phrase '이번 방학에' sets the timeframe in the near future. This eliminates past tense endings. The writer is currently in the dorm and finds it uncomfortable, implying the move has not happened yet. The verb ending must reflect a future plan or immediate intention.
- Example: 이번 방학에 고향에 갈 겁니다. (I will go home this vacation.)
- Example: 이번 방학에 아르바이트를 하려고 합니다. (I intend to do a part-time job this vacation.)
Causal Connective: -어서/해서 (Because)
The clause "기숙사 생활이 불편해서" (Because dorm life is uncomfortable) provides the motivation. When a sentence starts with a reason for an action, the main clause usually describes a decision, a plan, or a desire resulting from that reason.
- Example: 배가 고파서 밥을 먹으려고 합니다. (Because I am hungry, I intend to eat.)
- Example: 머리가 아파서 쉬고 싶습니다. (Because I have a headache, I want to rest.)
Analysis of Correct Model Answers for ㉠
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Model Answer 1:
하려고 합니다- Grammar Point:
-(으)려고 하다(Intention/Plan) This pattern expresses a vague or definite intention to perform an action. It is softer than a firm promise (-ㄹ 것입니다) and is extremely common in Q51 when stating plans.- 한국어를 공부하려고 합니다. (I intend to study Korean.)
- 친구를 만나려고 합니다. (I plan to meet a friend.)
- Why it's correct here: It combines the verb '하다' (matching '이사를') with the intention ending. The politeness level '-ㅂ니다' matches the formal tone of the bulletin board post.
- Grammar Point:
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Model Answer 2:
하고 싶습니다- Grammar Point:
-고 싶다(Desire/Wish) This pattern expresses the speaker's want or desire. Given the context (the dorm is uncomfortable), expressing a desire to move is logically sound.- 여행을 가고 싶습니다. (I want to go on a trip.)
- 피자를 먹고 싶습니다. (I want to eat pizza.)
- Why it's correct here: It logically connects the discomfort (reason) with the desire (result). It also maintains the required formal politeness level.
- Grammar Point:
Analysis of Common Incorrect Answers for ㉠
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Incorrect Answer:
하기로 합니다- Why it's wrong: This is a tense and usage error. The pattern '-기로 하다' (to decide to) is almost exclusively used in the past tense ('하기로 했습니다') when reporting a decision that has already been made. Using the present tense '하기로 합니다' sounds like a general rule or habit, which does not fit a specific one-time plan for "this vacation."
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Incorrect Answer:
하고 싶다- Why it's wrong: This is a formality level error. The entire passage is written in the 하십시오쇼체 (formal polite) style, evident in endings like "외국인 유학생입니다" and "부탁드립니다." The answer "하고 싶다" is in the plain form (해라체), which is rude or grammatically inconsistent in this context. It must be conjugated to "하고 싶습니다."
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Incorrect Answer:
예정입니다- Why it's wrong: This is a grammatical structure error. The sentence provides the object "이사를". You cannot place the noun "예정" (schedule/plan) immediately after an object marker without a verb. "이사를 예정입니다" is ungrammatical. To use "예정", one must turn the object into a modifier clause: "이사를 할 예정입니다" (I am scheduled to move).
Analysis of Blank ㉡
What is Blank ㉡ Testing?
Blank ㉡ tests the ability to form an Indirect Question (embedded clause) involving uncertainty. The writer knows the criteria (cheap/clean) but does not know which specific location matches those criteria. This requires selecting the correct noun to match the context and the correct grammatical ending to connect with the verb '모르다' (to not know).
Key Signal Words and Patterns
Modifier: 어느 (Which)
The word '어느' is a determiner meaning "which." It requires a noun to follow it immediately. Since the topic is moving to a new area, the noun must be a place word.
- Example: 어느 나라 (Which country)
- Example: 어느 쪽 (Which side)
Contextual Noun: 동네 (Neighborhood)
In the sentence immediately preceding the blank, the writer says, "집값이 싸고 좀 깨끗한 동네면 좋겠습니다" (I hope for a cheap and clean neighborhood). The logic of the text flows from defining the ideal neighborhood to admitting ignorance about which neighborhood fits that description. Therefore, the noun required in the blank is likely '동네' or the general term '곳' (place).
Predicate: 모르겠습니다 (Do not know)
The sentence ends with "잘 모르겠습니다" (I don't know well). In Korean, when the main verb is "know," "don't know," "ask," or "wonder," the preceding clause must end with the uncertainty connective '-는지' (for verbs), '-(으)ㄴ지' (for adjectives/past tense), or '-(으)ㄹ지' (for future/conjecture).
- Adjective Pattern: [Adjective Stem] + -(으)ㄴ지
- 어느 옷이 예쁜지 몰라요. (I don't know which clothes are pretty.)
- Future/Guess Pattern: [Verb/Adj Stem] + -(으)ㄹ지
- 내일 날씨가 좋을지 모르겠어요. (I don't know if the weather will be good tomorrow.)
Analysis of Correct Model Answers for ㉡
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Model Answer 1:
동네가 좋은지- Grammar Point:
-(으)ㄴ지(Indefinite Clause for Adjectives) This connects a question word clause to a verb of knowing/not knowing.- Noun: '동네' (Neighborhood) - fits the context established in the previous line.
- Particle: '가' - The subject particle is required because the neighborhood is the subject of being "good."
- Adjective: '좋다' (Good) - implies "Which neighborhood is good."
- Ending: '-(으)ㄴ지' attached to the adjective stem '좋'.
- Why it's correct here: It perfectly answers the implied question: "I want a good neighborhood, but I don't know which neighborhood is good."
- Grammar Point:
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Model Answer 2:
곳이 좋을지- Grammar Point:
-(으)ㄹ지(Future/Conjecture Clause) This form expresses uncertainty about a future state or a guess.- Noun: '곳' (Place) - a valid synonym for neighborhood here.
- Particle: '이' - Subject particle for '곳'.
- Ending: '-(으)ㄹ지' creates a nuance of "Which place would be good."
- Why it's correct here: It suggests the writer is looking for a recommendation on which place would be the best choice.
- Grammar Point:
Analysis of Common Incorrect Answers for ㉡
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Incorrect Answer:
동네 좋은지- Why it's wrong: This answer omits the particle. While colloquial speech often drops particles, TOPIK writing requires precise grammar. The clause is "Which neighborhood is good." In this clause, 'neighborhood' is the subject of the adjective 'good.' Therefore, the subject marker '가' (or '이') is required. "동네가 좋은지" is the correct written form.
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Incorrect Answer:
동네를 좋은지- Why it's wrong: This is a particle error. The student used the object particle '를'. However, '좋다' (to be good) is an adjective (descriptive verb). Adjectives cannot take objects. They describe a subject. You can "like a neighborhood" (동네를 좋아하다), but a neighborhood "is good" (동네가 좋다). Since the verb is '좋다', the particle must be '가'.
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Incorrect Answer:
동네가 좋을까- Why it's wrong: This is a sentence structure error. '-ㄹ까' is a sentence-final ending used for questions or self-monologues (e.g., "Will it be good?"). It cannot be used as a connective ending inside a larger sentence before "모르겠습니다." When connecting a question to "모르다," you must use the '-지' form (specifically '-(으)ㄹ지' or '-(으)ㄴ지'). The form '좋을까' breaks the grammatical link to the main verb.
Practical Tips for Test-Takers
- Check the Politeness Level: Before writing your answer, look at the sentence endings in the rest of the text. If you see '-ㅂ니다/습니다', your answer must end the same way. Never write in plain form ('-다') if the text is polite.
- Match Nouns to Verbs: If there is an object marker (-을/를) before the blank, you need a transitive verb (like 하다). If there is a subject marker (-이/가) or the word is an adjective, ensure you don't use an object marker.
- Identify the "Hidden" Adjective: In Blank ㉡, the word "good" (좋다) wasn't explicitly in the blank, but it was implied by the context of asking for a recommendation. If the prompt asks for a recommendation, the hidden clause is usually "which one is good" or "where I should go."
- Master the "Unknown" Pattern: The pattern "Question Word + -(으)ㄴ/는지 + 모르다" appears frequently in Q51. Memorize that 모르다 (to not know), 궁금하다 (to be curious), and 알다 (to know/check) almost always trigger the '-지' ending in the preceding clause.