TOPIK I Practice Questions with Answers

Common mistake

저는 민서이고 오늘 아침 일어납니다. 7시에

Why it is wrong

일어납니다 ends the sentence, so 7시에 is left as a fragment. In a complete written sentence, put the time expression before the final verb.

Rule to remember

Put the time phrase before the action: 오늘 아침 7시에 + 일어납니다.

Common mistake

형은 오늘 슈퍼마켓에 물을 한 병 사요.

Why it is wrong

사요 is an action that happens at the supermarket, so the action-location particle 에서 is needed. 에 usually marks a destination or the location of existence, not where this buying action happens.

Rule to remember

For an action at a place, use place + 에서: 슈퍼마켓에서 + 물을 한 병 + 사요.

Common mistake

저는 점심으로 떡볶이를 그릇 한 주문해요.

Why it is wrong

그릇 한 puts the counter before the number. Korean quantity expressions use the number before the counter.

Rule to remember

Keep 한 그릇 together before the action verb: 떡볶이를 + 한 그릇 + 주문해요.

Common mistake

엄마는 이따가 은행에 전화해서 잔액을 거예요. 물어볼

Why it is wrong

물어볼 is an unfinished modifier and cannot be left after 거예요. The future expression must stay together as 물어볼 거예요 at the end.

Rule to remember

Put the connected action first, then keep the future form together: 전화해서 + 물어볼 거예요.

Common mistake

수진은 내일 보내요. 우체국에서 소포를

Why it is wrong

In casual speech, someone may add 우체국에서 소포를 after a pause as an afterthought. In a neutral written TOPIK answer, however, 보내요 closes the sentence, so the place and object should come before the final verb.

Rule to remember

Use time + action place + object + verb: 내일 + 우체국에서 + 소포를 + 보내요.

Common mistake

저는 오늘도 지하철로 등교하고 점심에는 학교 먹어요. 식당에서

Why it is wrong

먹어요 splits the place phrase 학교 식당에서, and 식당에서 is left after the sentence ending. Keep the full place phrase before the verb.

Rule to remember

Keep 학교 식당에서 together, and put 먹어요 at the end of the second clause.

Common mistake

아버지는 주말에 시장에서 사과를 개 두 사요.

Why it is wrong

개 두 reverses the Korean quantity pattern. The native number 두 must come before the counter 개.

Rule to remember

Use noun + number + counter: 사과를 + 두 개, followed by the verb 사요.

Common mistake

내일 오전에는 친구와 병원 하고 예약을 와요.

Why it is wrong

예약을 와요 does not form a valid action, because 예약을 must be the object of 하다. The connector 하고 belongs after 예약을.

Rule to remember

Build the sequence as 예약을 하다 + -고 + 오다: 예약을 하고 와요.

Common mistake

우리 아버지는 새 통장을 위해 만들기 은행에 가요.

Why it is wrong

위해 cannot come before 만들기 in this purpose pattern. The nominalized verb 만들기 and 위해 must remain together.

Rule to remember

Use verb stem + -기 위해 before the destination and movement verb: 만들기 위해 + 은행에 가요.

Common mistake

지수는 오늘 날씨가 좋어서 산책할 거예요.

Why it is wrong

좋- does not combine with -어서 here. Because the stem vowel is ㅗ, attach -아서; 좋- + -아서 becomes 좋아서.

Rule to remember

Build the reason first: 좋- + -아서 = 좋아서, then add the plan 산책할 거예요.

Common mistake

책상 위에 책이 한국어 있어요.

Why it is wrong

한국어 describes 책, so it cannot be separated from the noun and placed before 있어요. The subject phrase is 한국어 책이.

Rule to remember

Use location + subject + existence verb: 책상 위에 + 한국어 책이 + 있어요.

Common mistake

저는 오늘 커피를 않아요. 마시지

Why it is wrong

마시지 is incomplete without 않아요, and it cannot be left after the sentence ending. The two parts form one negative expression.

Rule to remember

Keep verb stem + -지 않아요 together at the end: 마시지 않아요.