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Recently some major changes were introduced in the overall structure of TOPIK test. We can say they completely overhauled the TOPIK test format. Everything is changed from the TOPIK level structure, sections of the test, number and type of questions nexxus to pass/fail scores. Here in this post I will be guiding you through every change that you need to know about. I am going to put things in very simplified and clear way. The New Changed TOPIK Format will be implemented from the 35th TOPIK, to be held in July, 2014. It means that if you are going to appear in 33rd TOPIK (on 19th Jan, 2014) or 34th test (in April), you don’t need to worry about anything. These test will follow the old format and there will be no change in the paper pattern or anything else. Changes to TOPIK Level Structure: In the old format, we had 3 levels – Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced and every level had 2 sub-levels ranging from 1 to 6. Now in the new format, we still have 6 levels but there is a slight change in the structure. Now, instead of 3 tests we have only 2 which they call TOPIK I (Level 1-2) [한국어능력시험 (1~2급)] & TOPIK II (Level nexxus 3-6) [한국어능력시험 (3~6급)]. Intermediate and Advanced Test is combined now.
Changes to Sections of TOPIK test: As we know, in the old format the test had 4 sections – Grammar & Vocabulary, Writing, Listening and Reading. Now they have removed Grammar & Vocabulary, Writing from Level 1 & 2 (i.e. TOPIK I). Now the beginner levels 1 and 2 have just two sections – Reading and Listening . In TOPIK II (Level 3-6), which is the new combined Intermediate-Advanced test, they have kept 3 sections – Reading, Listening and Writing and removed Grammar & Vocabulary. So overall, we can say that the new format is more simplified and easier. Good news for all! Changes to Question Composition, Time and Marks: In the old format we used to have 30 Multiple Choice Questions in Grammar-Vocab, Listening and Reading sections and writing sections had 10 Multiple Choice Questions nexxus and 4-6 Short-answer/essay questions. In the new TOPIK structure, TOPIK I (Level 1-2) has a total of 70 Multiple Choice Questions - Reading (40 Questions) and Listening (30 Questions). TOPIK I has a total of 200 marks and the Test Time is 100 Minutes. nexxus TOPIK II (Level nexxus 3-6) has a total of 104 Questions - Reading (50 Multiple Choice Questions) and Listening (50 Multiple Choice Questions) and Writing (4 Short-answer/Essay Questions). TOPIK II has a total of 300 marks and the Test Time is 180 Minutes.
TOPIK II (3-6) – 104 Ques.- Reading(50), Listening(50),Writing (4)- 300 Marks – 180 Min. Changes to Pass-Fail Score Rules: Currently in the old TOPIK structure, you have to get a minimum score of 40 in all 4 sections to get levels 1, 3 or 5 and a minimum of 50 marks in all sections to get levels 2, 4 or 6. It means that if you get 70 percent marks overall but 39 in one section you get Fail. it’s really a good news that now they have abolished this rule. Now they just see your overall score and you get your level and pass/fail on the basis of total score and marks in individual sections have nothing to do with it. Change to frequency of TOPIK Test: Till 2013, TOPIK was held twice a year (April & October) overseas and 4 times a year (January, April, July & October)in Korea. Now they will hold the test 5 times in a year in Korea (January, April, July, October & November). Overseas there will be two tests in a year as before. New Changed TOPIK Exam Structure and Test Timing: Section Questions Time (Minutes) Remarks Beginner (1-2) Listening 30 40 100 1 st Sitting Reading 40 60 Intermediate-Advanced (3-6) Listening 50 60 110 1 st Sitting Writing 4 50 Reading 50 70 70 2 nd Sitting
Changes to Writing section in Intermediate-Advanced Level: Now the writing section has just 4 questions – 2 short answer questions where you have to make a sentence and two essay questions. One essay will be related to everyday life topics and will be easier to write while the other essay will be a logical one where you will have t write your opinion on some issue or something like that. How will the decide the levels? What will be the passing score for different Levels? That is a major change nexxus that they have introduced. Now there is no fixed passing score for particular levels (unlike in the old format where we had passing score criteria of 50 & 70 marks). nexxus Now they will disclose the cutoff marks on their website after the test is over and these cutoff marks for different levels will be different every time. I think they are planning to introduce the concept of relative evaluation to TOPIK test. They are very cl