TOPIK 1 Writing: Describing Where Things Are

This guide focuses on a common TOPIK 1 writing task: describing where things are. It’s designed for beginners and prioritizes practical communication over complex grammar rules. We’ll look at vocabulary, example sentences, and realistic scenarios you might encounter.

Understanding the Task

The goal is to accurately and clearly convey the location of objects or places using simple Korean phrases. The examiner wants to see if you can use common words and sentence structures effectively. Don’t worry about perfect grammar initially; focus on getting your point across.

Essential Vocabulary & Phrases

Here’s a list of key vocabulary you’ll need:

• 여기 (yeogi) – Here
• 저기 (jeogi) – There / Over there
• 여기 근처에 (yeogi geuncheoe) – Nearby, in the vicinity of
• 저기 근처에 (jeogi geuncheoe) – Nearby, in the vicinity of (over there)
• 가까이 (gakkaei) – Close
• 멀리 (meori) – Far away
• 왼쪽 (oenjjok) – Left
• 오른쪽 (oreunjjok) – Right
• 앞 (at) – Front
• 뒤 (dwi) – Back/Behind
• 위 (wi) – Above/Up
• 아래 (arae) – Below/Down
• 식당 (sikdang) – Restaurant
• 화장실 (hwajangsil) – Bathroom
• 지점 (jijeom) – Branch Office

Example Sentences & Scenarios

Let’s look at some examples:

Scenario 1: Meeting a Friend

You’re meeting a friend and need to tell them where the restaurant is.

"안녕하세요, 민수 씨! 식당은 여기 근처에 있어요.  지점이에요." 

(Annyeonghaseyo, Minsu ssi! Sikdang-eun yeogi geuncheoe isseoyo. Jijeomieyo.)

Translation: “Hello, Minsoo! The restaurant is nearby, it’s a branch.”

Scenario 2: Asking for Directions

You are lost and asking someone where the bathroom is.

“저기 화장실은 어디에 있어요?”

(Jeogi hwajangsil-eun eodie isseoyo?)

Translation: “Where is the bathroom there?”

Scenario 3: Describing a Location More Specifically

You want to give more detail about a store’s location.

“오른쪽으로 조금 가시면, 지점이에요.  왼쪽에는 슈퍼마켓이 있어요.”

(Oreneunjjogeuro jogeum gasimyeon, jijeomieyo. Oenjjokeneun seju-makketi isseoyo.)

Translation: “Go a little to the right and it’s the branch office. There’s a supermarket on the left.”

Common Mistakes & Corrections

Here are some typical mistakes beginners make and how to correct them:

• Mistake: “저기 식당은 멀리 있어요.” (Jeogi sikdang-eun meori isseoyo.) – “The restaurant is far there.”
• Correction: “저기 식당은 가까이 있어요.” (Jeogi sikdang-eun gakkaei isseoyo.) – “The restaurant is close there.” (While ‘멀리’ technically means ‘far’, in this context, ‘가까이’ – close – better conveys the desired meaning for a TOPIK 1 task).
• Mistake: Overusing complex sentences.
• Correction: Stick to simple sentence structures like “…는 여기 있어요.” (…-neun yeogi isseoyo.) – “This is here”.

Practice Tips

To improve, try these exercises:

• Describe your room using the vocabulary above.
• Write short descriptions of familiar places in your neighborhood.
• Find a partner and take turns describing locations to each other.