Write a Paragraph in Korean: Practice Set with Answer Key

What you will learn

• Build a paragraph from a topic sentence, two supports and a closing sentence.
• Choose connectors by logic: addition, result, contrast, order and reason.
• Pair 왜냐하면 with -기 때문이다 to give a reason.
• Keep one speech style from the first sentence to the last.

Before you start: you should be able to write a ten-sentence text like the one in Write About Yourself in Korean. Time: about 25 minutes for the three tasks.

Key Facts

• The structure is topic sentence, two supports and a closing sentence, in five to eight sentences.
• 그다음에 means "after that", and 그래서 means "so".
• 왜냐하면 pairs with -기 때문이다 or -기 때문이에요 at the end of the sentence.
• The three tasks are a daily routine (polite style), an opinion (plain written style) and a past event (polite style).
• One paragraph keeps one speech style, so never mix -요 and -다.

*Last updated: 2026-10-09. The Korean text, romanization and audio on this page are AI-assisted drafts.

How Do You Write a Paragraph in Korean?

You write a paragraph in Korean with one topic sentence, two supports and a closing sentence, joined by connectors. A Korean paragraph is a group of connected sentences about one idea, and it follows the same logic as an English paragraph. The first sentence names the idea, two sentences support it, and the last sentence closes it. What differs is the glue: Korean marks the logic between sentences with connectors and with endings that join clauses.

At B1 you move from separate sentences to linked ones. The grammar behind the connectors is in Korean connectors, and the reasons are in Korean because grammar. The spelling and the spoken forms follow the Hangul Orthography (한글 맞춤법) and the Standard Pronunciation Rules (표준 발음법) of the National Institute of Korean Language (국립국어원). Next, see why a paragraph is harder than a sentence.

Why Is Writing a Paragraph Hard for English Speakers?

Writing a paragraph is hard for English speakers because the logic words behave differently. English joins sentences with "and", "so" and "because" in nearly any position. Korean has several words for each logic job, and some of them sit only at the start of a sentence, while others attach to the end of a verb.

Three problems appear:

• Overusing 그리고. Learners use "and" for every link, so the paragraph lists facts and shows no reasons.
• Reason endings. 왜냐하면 needs -기 때문이다 at the end, not 때문에 and not a verb ending in -아서.
• Style drift. A paragraph starts in the polite style and slips into -다 or the other way round.

The set fixes each point with a short task. The next section shows how the set is arranged.

How Does the Writing Set Work?

The set has a structure table, a connector table, three tasks, three models and a checklist. You write each paragraph from the prompt, compare it with the model, and mark what differs. The structure table is the plan.

Each support can have more than one sentence, which is why the models have five to eight sentences. The connectors come next.

Which Connectors Should You Use?

Choose a connector by the logic of the two sentences it joins, not by habit. The table lists the ten that this set uses, each with a sentence.

The spoken form of 그다음에 is [그다으메], and 마지막으로 is [마지마그로]. Use the connectors that fit, but you do not need all ten in one paragraph; three or four are enough. The tasks put them to work.

What Are the Tasks and Prompts?

Write each paragraph on paper before you open the model. Aim for the length shown.

1. Task 1: a routine (polite style, 6 to 8 sentences). Describe a weekday. Use 먼저 and 그다음에 for order, and 그래서 for a result.
2. Task 2: an opinion (plain written style, 6 to 8 sentences). Do you prefer to study alone or with a friend? Give two reasons with 첫째 and 둘째, and one reason with 왜냐하면 ... -기 때문이다.
3. Task 3: a past event (polite style, 5 to 7 sentences). Describe a day you enjoyed, such as a party or a trip. Use 처음에는 or 그다음에 for order, and 그런데 or 그래도 for a turn.

Task 2 uses the plain written style because opinion texts are normally written that way. If you plan to take TOPIK, its longer writing tasks are normally answered in the plain written style; check the current format and instructions at topik.go.kr. Now the models.

Model Answers

The models show one way to complete each task. The tables give the Revised Romanization (RR), a learning aid that follows the letters, and the spoken form in brackets where it differs from the spelling. RR writes 첫째 as cheotjjae because ㅉ is a tense letter, but it does not show tensing that comes from a sound change.

Model 1: a Routine

Translation: My weekdays are very busy. First I get up at seven in the morning. After that I take the bus to school. At school I have classes from nine to four. And in the evening I do my homework in the library. So I am always tired at night. Even so, I enjoy learning Korean.

Sentence 1 is the topic, sentences 2 and 3 are the first support (the morning), sentences 4 and 5 are the second support (school and evening), and sentences 6 and 7 close the paragraph. Model 2 changes the style.

Model 2: an Opinion

Translation: I think studying alone is better. First, I concentrate well when I study alone. This is because I end up talking a lot when I am with friends. Second, I can study at my own pace. So I study alone before exams. But I ask a friend about problems I do not understand. Therefore studying alone is best for me.

Notice that sentence 3 explains sentence 2. It uses 왜냐하면 at the start and -기 때문이다 at the end, and the two always travel together. Model 3 returns to the polite style.

Model 3: a past Event

Translation: Last Saturday I went to a friend's birthday party. First we ate cake at my friend's house. After that we went to a karaoke room and sang. But I sang so much that my throat hurt. Even so, it was really fun. Next time I want to prepare the party myself.

In sentence 1, the standard pronunciation of the possessive 의 in 친구의 is [의], and [에] ([친구에]) is also allowed and is what most people say.

The checklist helps you review your own paragraph against these models.

How Do You Check Your Own Writing?

The self-check checklist for a paragraph has five yes/no questions. Answer them in order.

1. Is there one clear topic sentence? Cover the other sentences: the first one should still tell the reader the idea.
2. Are there two supports? Each should add a different point, not repeat the first.
3. Does each connector match its logic? A result takes 그래서, a contrast takes 하지만, and a reason takes 왜냐하면 ... -기 때문이다.
4. Does one style run from the first sentence to the last? Search for 요 in a plain-style text, and for 다 endings in a polite one.
5. Is the paragraph five to eight sentences long?

Then run the shared checks for Korean spelling rules and Korean spacing rules. Next, decide what to do with the result.

What Should You Do after Comparing?

After comparing, find the connector or the ending that differs most from the model, rewrite the paragraph once, and reuse the structure on a new topic. Rewriting a different topic with the same four parts builds the habit faster than polishing one paragraph.

1. Mark. Circle every connector in your paragraph and in the model.
2. Count. Note whether you used 그리고 more than twice.
3. Rewrite. Replace one 그리고 with a connector that shows a result, a contrast or an order.
4. Repeat. Write a new paragraph on a new topic from the structure table.

The worked example below shows the reason pattern step by step.

Worked Example: 왜냐하면 ... -기 때문이다

Writing a reason in Korean takes four steps. The sentence "I study alone because I concentrate better" shows them.

1. Write the result. 나는 혼자 공부한다. (I study alone.)
2. Write the reason as a clause. 집중이 잘 되다. (I concentrate well.) The verb is 되다.
3. Turn the reason into -기 때문이다. Add -기 to the stem and attach 때문이다: 되기 때문이다.
4. Add 왜냐하면. 왜냐하면 집중이 잘 되기 때문이다.

The two sentences read: 나는 혼자 공부한다. 왜냐하면 집중이 잘 되기 때문이다. The spoken form is [왜냐하면 집쭝이 잘 되기 때무니다]. You can swap the order with 그래서: 집중이 잘 된다. 그래서 나는 혼자 공부한다. Both versions say the same thing.

You will know it worked when the sentence ends in 때문이다 and does not stop at 때문에. The next section lists the errors to avoid.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make Here?

Learners repeat five mistakes in paragraph writing. Each has a reason.

• Mistake 1: 그리고 in every link. Learners often assume "and" works everywhere. Actually 그리고 only adds a point, so a result needs 그래서 and a contrast needs 하지만.
• Mistake 2: ending with 때문에. Learners often write 왜냐하면 피곤하기 때문에. Actually 때문에 needs a following clause. To close the sentence, write 때문이다 or 때문이에요.
• Mistake 3: doubling the logic. Learners often write 왜냐하면 and 그래서 in the same sentence. Actually each sentence carries one logic: a reason or a result.
• Mistake 4: style drift. Learners often start with -요 and end with -다. Actually a paragraph keeps one style, because a switch looks like two different writers.
• Mistake 5: the same opening word. Learners often start every sentence with 저는. Actually Korean drops a subject that is clear, and the connectors can begin the sentences.

Expert tip: write the topic sentence last if you get stuck, then check that every other sentence supports it. Test yourself now.

Practice and Answer Key

Write your answers before you open the key.

1. Choose the connector: 비가 왔어요. ___ 집에 있었어요. (그래서 / 하지만)
2. Complete the sentence: 나는 커피를 좋아한다. 왜냐하면 향이 ___.
3. Put the sentences in order: (a) 그래서 일찍 잤어요. (b) 어제는 아주 피곤했어요. (c) 그리고 숙제도 많았어요.
4. Rewrite in the plain written style: 저는 주말에 친구를 만났어요.

Answer key

1. 그래서. The rain is the reason for staying home: 비가 왔어요. 그래서 집에 있었어요.
2. 좋기 때문이다. 나는 커피를 좋아한다. 왜냐하면 향이 좋기 때문이다. (I like coffee because the aroma is good.) RR: waenyahamyeon hyangi joki ttaemunida. The spoken form is [왜냐하면 향이 조키 때무니다].
3. (b), (c), (a): 어제는 아주 피곤했어요. 그리고 숙제도 많았어요. 그래서 일찍 잤어요.
4. 나는 주말에 친구를 만났다. The polite 만났어요 becomes 만났다, and 저는 becomes 나는.

Three or four correct means you can use the structure on your own topics. The last section shows where to go.

Where to Go Next

After you write a paragraph in Korean, continue with Korean Writing Prompts By Level, where thirty prompts let you repeat the structure at your level. Before this set, review Write About Yourself in Korean. More tasks are in Korean writing prompts.

This set covers three paragraph types at B1 with ten connectors. It does not cover the formal -ㅂ니다 style, long essays or the full range of TOPIK writing tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many connectors should I use? Use three or four in a paragraph of five to eight sentences. Pick them by logic: one for order (먼저 or 그다음에), one for a result (그래서) and one for a contrast or reason. More connectors do not make a paragraph better, and a link that the reader can already see needs no word.

What does 왜냐하면 pair with? 왜냐하면 pairs with -기 때문이다 or the polite -기 때문이에요 at the end of the same sentence. The sentence has the form 왜냐하면 + reason + -기 때문이다, as in 왜냐하면 피곤하기 때문이다. Stopping at 때문에 leaves the sentence unfinished, because 때문에 needs a clause after it.

How long should a paragraph be? Five to eight sentences is a good size at B1: a topic sentence, two supports with one or two sentences each, and a closing. This is this set's own guide, not a test rule. If you take an exam, check the required length in the current official instructions at topik.go.kr.

Can I use only 그리고? You can, but the paragraph then lists facts with no logic. 그리고 only adds a point. If one sentence is the result of the previous one, use 그래서. If it contrasts, use 하지만. Replacing even one 그리고 with the right connector makes the reasoning visible to the reader.

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