TOPIK writing Q54: how to structure the essay

Question 54 of the TOPIK II exam asks you to write an argumentative essay of 600 to 700 characters. Worth 50 points, it frequently determines whether a test taker achieves Level 4 or Level 6. Scorers routinely penalise essays that have zero spelling mistakes simply because the underlying paragraph structure lacks logical coherence.

Every prompt contains two or three sub-questions

Under the main topic description, the test sheet lists two or three bullet points. Treat these bullet points as your paragraph blueprint. Dedicating exactly one body paragraph to each bullet point guarantees you answer every required grading criterion.

Introduction: Do not copy the prompt

The single most common deduction in the introduction is copying sentences directly from the question sheet. Scorers disregard copied lines when calculating total character count. Open your essay by framing why the issue matters in your own words in two or three sentences.

Body paragraphs: One claim plus evidence

Never list bare opinions without justification. Structure each body paragraph with a clear opening claim followed by concrete reasoning or real-world examples.

Connect your ideas using written transition words like 「이에 따라」 (accordingly), 「반면에」 (on the other hand), and 「따라서」 (therefore), rather than conversational fillers like 그리고 or 그래서.

Conclusion: Synthesise without introducing new arguments

Your conclusion should briefly summarise your core arguments and offer a forward-looking recommendation or social call to action. Never introduce an entirely new argument in the final sentence.

Use the plain written style (-는다 / -다)

Never write Question 54 in conversational polite styles (해요체 or 합니다체). Academic essays must be written in the plain narrative style (해라체), ending in 「-는다/다」, 「-(으)ㄹ 필요가 있다」, or 「-는 것이 바람직하다」.