Type 1: Choosing the right grammar for a blank

The first TOPIK II grammar type asks you to choose the connective or sentence ending that fits a blank. The key is to identify the logical relation between the clauses first — reason, condition, concession, or addition.

Strategy 1: Identify the relation first

Decide whether the clause before the blank and the one after it express reason, condition, concession, or addition. Once the relation is fixed, usually only one of the four options fits.

시간이 부족했기 때문에 발표 준비를 다 끝내지 못했다.

sigan-i bujokhaetgi ttaemun-e balpyo junbi-reul da kkeunnaeji mothaetda.

Because there wasn't enough time, I couldn't finish preparing the presentation.

If the blank came right after '부족했', the negative result in the second clause signals reason, so the reason ending '-기 때문에' (gi ttaemun-e) is correct. '-는데도' (concession) and '-(으)려고' (purpose) don't fit the meaning.

Strategy 2: Check conjugation rules

Even with the right meaning, a wrong part-of-speech or tense pairing makes the answer incorrect. For example, '-(으)ㄴ 데다가' attaches to adjectives and past tense, while '-는 데다가' attaches to verbs in the present.

이 카페는 분위기가 좋은 데다가 커피 맛도 훌륭하다.

i kape-neun bunwigi-ga joeun deda-ga keopi mat-do hullyunghada.

This cafe has a nice atmosphere and, on top of that, the coffee tastes excellent.

Strategy 3: Filter out trap options

The options include traps that are similar in meaning but differ in intensity or tense. Distinguish pairs that differ in strength, such as '-아/어도' versus '-더라도'.

아무리 설명을 들어도 그 원리가 이해되지 않았다.

amuri seolmyeong-eul deureodo geu wonli-ga ihaedoeji anatda.

No matter how much explanation I heard, I couldn't understand the principle.

Relation	Endings	Signal words
Reason	-기 때문에 / -(으)니까	그래서, 결과
Concession	-아/어도 / -더라도	아무리, 그래도
Condition	-(으)면 / -다면	만약, 가정
Addition	-(으)ㄴ/는 데다가	게다가, 또한

Strategy 4: Tell purpose from result

'-도록' (dorok) marks purpose or degree, while '-(으)ㄴ/는 바람에' (baram-e) marks the cause of an unintended negative result. If the second clause is an intended action, it's purpose; if it's an unexpected bad outcome, it's cause.

늦지 않도록 일찍 출발했다.

neutji antorok iljjik chulbalhaetda.

I left early so as not to be late.

버스를 놓치는 바람에 지각했다.

beoseu-reul nochineun baram-e jigakhaetda.

Because I missed the bus, I was late.

비가 오는데도 경기를 강행했다.

bi-ga oneundedo gyeonggi-reul ganghaenghaetda.

Even though it was raining, they pushed the match through.

💡 Tip: Practice solving blank questions in this order — relation, then conjugation, then trap removal — within 30 seconds. Don't linger too long on any single question.

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