🧠 Mastering Persuasion: Advanced Connectors '뿐만 아니라' & '-(으)므로'

Want to move beyond simple daily speech? Teacher Hoon explains how to use these Advanced Connectors to build powerful arguments in TOPIK essays and professional presentations.

Cherry blossom street representing layered meanings

The Language of Logic (EEAT Tip)

At the TOPIK 5-6 level, it's not just about what you say, but how you structure it. As a teacher with 20 years of experience, I see many students stuck using "그래서 (So)" or "또한 (Also)". While correct, they lack the academic "weight" required for high scores. By using -(으)므로 and 뿐만 아니라, you signal that you are a sophisticated thinker. Let's look at the nuances.

📑 Tap to view Connectors Lessons

1. Nuances of 뿐만 아니라 & -(으)므로
2. Real-Life Academic Examples
3. 🗣 Job Interview Scenario
4. 💡 Summary of Formality Levels

1. Deep Nuance Breakdown

🌟 뿐만 아니라: "Not only... but also." Use this to emphasize multiple strengths or reasons. It builds a cumulative argument.
⚖️ -(으)므로: "Because / Since." This is the formal, written counterpart to -아서/어서. It connects a premise to a logical conclusion.

📝 Persuasive Sentence Examples

🌍 환경 문제는 개인의 노력뿐만 아니라 정부의 정책 변화도 필요합니다.
(Environmental issues require not only individual effort but also government policy changes.)
🏗️ 이 프로젝트는 비용이 충분히 검토되었으므로 바로 진행할 수 있습니다.
(Since costs have been fully reviewed, we can proceed immediately.)
🇰🇷 그는 한국어를 유창하게 말할 뿐만 아니라 한국 문화도 깊이 이해하고 있습니다.
(He not only speaks Korean fluently but also understands the culture deeply.)

💡 Teacher Hoon's expert "Academic Tone" Tip

In TOPIK writing, -(으)므로 is much stronger than -기 때문에. It gives your essay an "official report" feel. If you combine it with 뿐만 아니라 in one paragraph, you demonstrate that you can handle complex logical structures—this is exactly what TOPIK graders look for in the 700-word essay task!

🗣 Practice Dialogue: The Job Interview

Interviewer: 이 회사에 지원한 이유가 무엇인가요?
(Why did you apply to this company?)

B (Applicant): 이 회사는 근무 환경이 좋을 뿐만 아니라 사회적 가치 실현에도 앞서 있기 때문입니다. 저는 국제 경험이 많으므로 글로벌 확장에 도움이 될 수 있다고 생각합니다.
(...not only good environment but also social value... Since I have international experience...)

Need Feedback on Your TOPIK Essay?

Connectors are the hardest part of advanced writing. Book a 1:1 "Advanced Writing & Persuasion" session with Hoon on italki. I will review your specific drafts and help you replace basic grammar with high-level structures that impress examiners!

🚀 Master Academic Korean with Hoon

Advanced Resources from LearningKR:
Literature Themes | News Listening Guide