What is TOPIK II writing question 53?

On TOPIK II PBT, question 53 asks you to write a short formal response based on supplied information such as a graph, chart, table, or survey result.

What matters most in question 53?

Accurately reporting the important data, comparing the right categories, using formal written Korean, and organizing the response clearly matter more than adding personal opinions.

Should I explain every number in the graph?

No. Focus on the main pattern, highest or lowest values, meaningful comparisons, and important changes. Listing every number wastes space and weakens organization.

Does question 53 exist on TOPIK II IBT?

The PBT numbering and task structure differ from IBT. If you registered for IBT, use the official IBT sample writing tasks rather than assuming PBT question numbers map directly.

TOPIK II Writing 53: Graph and Data Response Guide

TOPIK II PBT question 53 is not a general essay. It is a data-reporting task.

You are given information such as a graph, chart, table, or survey result and need to turn it into clear written Korean. The safest mindset is:

observe → select → compare → report

Do not turn it into an opinion piece unless the prompt explicitly asks for explanation beyond the supplied data.

For the complete PBT/IBT distinction, see the TOPIK study guide.

What the grader needs to see

A strong response usually shows that you can:

identify the main trend
compare categories accurately
report important numbers or proportions
use formal written language
connect sentences logically
stay faithful to the source data

This is not the place to invent examples or personal stories.

Start by writing the story of the graph in keywords

Before writing sentences, reduce the data to a few notes.

Imagine a survey result:

public transport: 45%
car: 30%
walking: 15%
bicycle: 10%

Your planning notes might be:

대중교통 최고 45 / 자동차 30 / 걷기+자전거 낮음

That is already the skeleton of your response.

Do not begin with polished sentences before you know which comparisons matter.

A reliable three-part structure

1. Introduce what the data shows

Useful frames:

___에 대해 조사한 결과를 보면...
___에 대한 조사 결과는 다음과 같다.
___의 변화를 살펴보면...

Keep the opening short. The data itself should carry the paragraph.

2. Report the biggest patterns

Start with the most obvious information:

가장 높은 항목
가장 낮은 항목
largest increase/decrease
important gap between groups

Useful verbs and expressions:

증가하다: increase
감소하다: decrease
차지하다: account for
나타나다: appear/show
높다 / 낮다: be high / low
비슷하다: be similar
차이가 나다: differ

3. Add one or two meaningful comparisons

Instead of listing:

A는 40%, B는 30%, C는 20%, D는 10%이다.

build relationships:

A가 40%로 가장 높았으며 B는 30%로 그 뒤를 이었다. 반면 D는 10%로 가장 낮았다.

The second version shows organization, not only transcription.

Use numbers as evidence, not as the whole sentence

Numbers should support a pattern.

Weak approach:

2019년 20%
2020년 25%
2021년 30%
2022년 35%

Better:

2019년 20%였던 비율은 매년 증가하여 2022년에는 35%까지 높아졌다.

You transformed four numbers into a trend.

High-value comparison language

Practice these frames until they are automatic:

A가 B보다 높다 / 낮다
A와 B가 비슷하게 나타나다
A는 증가한 반면 B는 감소하다
A가 가장 높은 비율을 차지하다
A에 비해 B는 ___
___에서 ___로 증가하다
___에서 ___로 감소하다
약 ___% 차이가 나다

The goal is not advanced vocabulary. It is accurate relationships.

Keep register consistent

Question 53 expects formal written Korean, not conversational speech.

Avoid writing the way you would text a friend.

A useful default is the written -다 style when appropriate:

증가했다.
가장 높게 나타났다.
차이가 있었다.

Whatever style you choose, keep it consistent.

Do not add causes that the graph does not provide

If a graph shows smartphone use increased, do not write:

스마트폰이 편리하기 때문에 사용량이 증가했다.

unless the prompt/data actually provides convenience as a cause.

You may believe the explanation is true. That does not make it part of the source.

Question 53 rewards reporting, not speculation.

Common mistake: describing everything

A response that mentions every category can become a list.

Choose:

overall pattern
strongest point
strongest comparison
one supporting detail

That usually produces a clearer answer than exhaustive narration.

Common mistake: misreading units

Before writing, check:

percent (%)
people (명)
money (원)
years / months
increase amount vs final total

A beautifully written response with wrong units is still wrong.

Common mistake: no comparison language

If the visual contains multiple groups, show their relationship.

Do not leave the grader to infer why the numbers matter.

Use 반면, 보다, 비해, 가장, 비슷하게, and trend verbs accurately.

A practice template

Use this as a planning frame, not a sentence to memorize blindly:

___에 대한 조사 결과를 보면, A가 ___로 가장 높게 나타났다. B는 ___로 그 뒤를 이었으며, C는 ___로 가장 낮았다. 특히 A는 B보다 ___ 정도 높았고, ___의 경우에는 ___하는 경향을 보였다.

Adapt the grammar to the actual data.

A 20-minute Q53 routine

3 minutes: inspect one graph and write only keyword observations.

8 minutes: write the full response.

4 minutes: compare against a model or corrected answer.

3 minutes: highlight every data/comparison expression you used.

2 minutes: rewrite one weak sentence more compactly.

Repeat with different graph types rather than rewriting the same template forever.

Build the vocabulary you actually need

Create a small Q53 bank around:

increase/decrease
percentage/rate
survey/result
highest/lowest
comparison
change over time
ranking/order

You do not need thousands of essay words to improve this task.

Use the TOPIK vocabulary strategy to build a more systematic review plan.

What to study next

Question 53 becomes much less intimidating when you stop treating the graph as something to “write about” and start treating it as information to organize.