ProSyllabus Journal

YKI Puhuminen Harjoitus: Speaking and Writing Tasks, Model Answers

Three speaking tasks and two writing tasks for YKI intermediate, in Finnish with English translations. Each has a grade 3 style and a grade 4 style model answer, and what separates them.

By ProSyllabus Admin
Updated 1 day agoYKI Finnish · Speaking · Writing
#yki puhuminen harjoitus#yki testi esimerkki#yki kirjoittaminen esimerkki#yki speaking practice#yki writing examples#yki mielipidekirjoitus#yki keskitaso puhuminen
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YKI Puhuminen Harjoitus: Speaking and Writing Tasks, Model Answers

Checked 13 October 2026. Task types and level descriptions are from the OPH framework (2011) and the University of Jyväskylä’s description, read on 13 October 2026. All tasks and model answers are our own illustrations; none is an official task and none carries a promised grade. The official pages we read publish an overall test length but no minutes per subtest and no word limits. The Jyväskylä demonstration prints example answer times for single speaking tasks; they are quoted in this guide as that demonstration’s examples, not as official timings.

YKI puhuminen ja kirjoittaminen: what the two subtests ask for

Speaking and writing are the two subtests in which you produce Finnish, and every pair of subtests accepted for a citizenship application contains one of them. They are also the two that are hardest to mark by yourself, because there is no answer key. This page gives you five tasks, three for speaking (puhuminen) and two for writing (kirjoittaminen), each with two model answers: one written in the style of the official grade 3 description and one in the style of the grade 4 description, with a table after each showing what separates them.

Read this before you use the models. Every task and every answer here is ours. They are illustrations of the official level descriptions, not official tasks, and no assessor has graded them, so we do not promise that a text like them would receive that grade. We also keep the Finnish in both models correct on purpose: a real grade 3 answer usually contains mistakes, and the description allows for them, but printing mistakes would teach them. What we vary is what the descriptions vary: range, linking, register and how much the answer says. ProSyllabus is an independent study site. We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Finnish National Agency for Education (OPH), the University of Jyväskylä or the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). Every rule here is quoted or summarised from their published pages; OPH decides everything about the test and Migri decides every citizenship application.

studio
where intermediate speaking is done; your speech is recorded
3
kinds of speaking task named in the framework
3
texts of different types in the writing subtest
0
official word limits or minutes per subtest on the pages we read

Official: framework 2011, sections 6.2 and 6.4; University of Jyväskylä. The last tile is our finding from reading those pages on 13 October 2026.

SubtestKind of task (framework and Jyväskylä)On this page
PuhuminenTaking part in simulated conversationsSpeaking task 2
PuhuminenReacting in given situations; saying a line in a described social situationSpeaking task 1
PuhuminenGiving an opinion or talking about a given topicSpeaking task 3
KirjoittaminenThree texts of different types, for example a message, a letter, an opinion text, a complaint, an application. The tasks are guided and may include extra materialWriting task 1 (informal message) and writing task 2 (opinion text)

There is no face-to-face interview at this level. The framework says the speaking test at basic and intermediate level is done in a language studio, and that an interview belongs to the advanced level (and, for Finnish and Swedish, to the basic level) [official]. You speak to a recording and are recorded. From the start of 2027 every Finnish test is taken on a computer at the test centre, and OPH says the exercises are similar to those of the paper test [official].

Set up your practice: a timer you control

Read a task, start the timer, record yourself on your phone, and only then read the model answers. The settings are yours. No minutes per subtest are published; the Jyväskylä demonstration shows example answer times per speaking task (set out in the question below), and the suggestions in the table are ours, there only to stop you preparing a script.

Speaking practice timer

Set a thinking time and a speaking time, press start, and record yourself on your phone while it runs. The times are yours to choose and are ours, not official: no minutes per subtest are published, and the Jyväskylä demonstration’s examples (1 minute to think and 1½ minutes to speak; 20 or 30 seconds per short situation; 2 minutes for an opinion) are among the options.

Our practice settings, not official timings (the demonstration’s examples are only examples). In the test you follow the recorded instructions; here the point is to keep talking until the time ends and then listen to yourself.

Kind of taskThinking time we suggestSpeaking time we suggestWhy
Reacting in a situation (task 1)20 seconds30 secondsLong enough for the problem, a request and a question
One turn of a conversation (task 2)10 seconds20 secondsA real reply comes quickly; do not plan it word for word
Opinion or talk on a topic (task 3)1 minute1 minute 30Room for a view, two reasons, the other side and an end

Puhumisharjoitus 1: reacting in a situation

The task · Tilanne

Olet tilannut verkkokaupasta talvitakin. Takki on liian pieni. Soitat asiakaspalveluun. Kerro, mikä ongelma on, ja sano, mitä haluat.

English: You have ordered a winter coat from an online shop. The coat is too small. You call customer service. Say what the problem is and what you want.

Model answer in a grade 3 style

Hei. Ostin teiltä takin viime viikolla. Se on liian pieni. Haluaisin vaihtaa sen isompaan. Minulla on kuitti. Miten voin palauttaa takin?

English: Hello. I bought a coat from you last week. It is too small. I would like to change it for a bigger one. I have the receipt. How can I return the coat?

Model answer in a grade 4 style

Hei, täällä Ravi Kumar. Tilasin teiltä viime viikolla talvitakin, mutta se on valitettavasti yhtä kokoa liian pieni, vaikka valitsin koon teidän kokotaulukkonne mukaan. Haluaisin vaihtaa sen isompaan kokoon, jos sitä on vielä varastossa. Jos ei ole, haluaisin mieluummin rahat takaisin. Voisitteko kertoa, miten palautus tehdään ja pitääkö minun maksaa postikulut itse?

English: Hello, this is Ravi Kumar. I ordered a winter coat from you last week, but unfortunately it is a size too small, even though I chose the size from your size chart. I would like to change it for a bigger size, if it is still in stock. If not, I would rather have my money back. Could you tell me how the return is made and whether I have to pay the postage myself?

The caller is invented.

What to compareGrade 3 styleGrade 4 style
Does it do the job?Yes: problem, wish and a question, in six short sentencesYes, and it adds a second option (money back) and a second question (postage)
LinkingSentences stand side by sidemutta, vaikka, jos join them into one account
RegisterPolite enough: teiltä, HaluaisinFormal throughout: teidän kokotaulukkonne, Voisitteko kertoa
Description behind it“Copes in the most common practical speaking situations”“Copes fairly well in both official and unofficial speaking situations”

Both answers would get you your coat exchanged. That is the point of grade 3: the message arrives. Do not hold back a simple, complete answer while you search for an impressive one.

Puhumisharjoitus 2: a simulated conversation

In a simulated conversation you hear the other speaker’s lines and answer in the gaps. Here a colleague speaks to you in the break room. Cover the right-hand columns, read each line aloud or have someone read it, and answer before you look.

You hearA reply in a grade 3 styleA reply in a grade 4 style
1. Hei! Mitä teit viikonloppuna?Olin kotona. Siivosin ja katsoin elokuvan.Kävin lauantaina perheen kanssa mökillä, ja sunnuntaina vain lepäsin, koska viikko oli ollut aika raskas.
2. Me menemme perjantaina työkavereiden kanssa syömään. Tuletko mukaan?Kiitos, tulen mielelläni. Mihin aikaan te menette?Kiitos kutsusta, tulen mielelläni! Pääsen tosin vasta kuuden jälkeen, koska minulla on sitä ennen hammaslääkäri. Sopiiko se?
3. Mikä ravintola olisi sinusta hyvä?Minusta pizzeria on hyvä, koska se on halpa.Ehdottaisin sitä uutta nepalilaista ravintolaa aseman vieressä. Siellä on hyvää kasvisruokaa, joten kaikille löytyy jotain.

The same conversation in English

You hearGrade 3 style replyGrade 4 style reply
1. Hi! What did you do at the weekend?I was at home. I cleaned and watched a film.On Saturday I went to the summer cottage with my family, and on Sunday I just rested, because the week had been quite heavy.
2. We are going out to eat with colleagues on Friday. Will you come along?Thanks, I would be glad to come. What time are you going?Thanks for the invitation, I would be glad to come! I can only make it after six, though, because I have the dentist before that. Is that all right?
3. Which restaurant do you think would be good?I think a pizzeria is good, because it is cheap.I would suggest that new Nepalese restaurant next to the station. They have good vegetarian food, so there is something for everyone.

Look at reply 2 in the grade 3 column: it answers and then asks a question back. That is the phrase in the grade 3 description that candidates overlook: “can take the initiative in everyday situations of language use”. A conversation task is not an interrogation. The grade 4 replies do one more thing each time: they add a condition, a reason or a suggestion that the other speaker did not ask for, which is how people actually talk. The colleague uses sinä, so both sets of replies stay informal; answering a colleague’s “Tuletko mukaan?” with te forms would be the wrong register.

Puhumisharjoitus 3: giving an opinion

The task · Mielipide

Pitäisikö lasten saada käyttää kännykkää koulussa? Kerro mielipiteesi ja perustele se.

English: Should children be allowed to use a mobile phone at school? Give your opinion and justify it.

Model answer in a grade 3 style

Mielestäni lasten ei pitäisi käyttää kännykkää koulussa. Koulussa pitää opiskella. Kännykkä häiritsee, koska lapset pelaavat ja katsovat videoita. Minun poikani on kymmenen vuotta vanha. Hän käyttää puhelinta liian paljon. Välitunnilla on parempi leikkiä kavereiden kanssa. Mutta lapsi voi soittaa äidille tai isälle, jos on ongelma. Se on tärkeää.

English: In my opinion children should not use a mobile phone at school. At school you have to study. The phone disturbs, because children play games and watch videos. My son is ten years old. He uses the phone too much. At break it is better to play with friends. But a child can call mum or dad if there is a problem. That is important.

Model answer in a grade 4 style

Olen sitä mieltä, että kännykät pitäisi kerätä pois oppituntien ajaksi, mutta niitä ei tarvitse kieltää koulussa kokonaan. Ensinnäkin puhelin vie helposti huomion opetuksesta, vaikka se olisi äänettömällä. Toiseksi välitunnit ovat lapsille tärkeitä, koska silloin he liikkuvat ja oppivat tulemaan toimeen toistensa kanssa. Omassa perheessäni olen huomannut, että lapsi keskittyy läksyihin paljon paremmin, kun puhelin on toisessa huoneessa. Toisaalta ymmärrän vanhempia, jotka haluavat tavoittaa lapsensa koulupäivän jälkeen, ja joskus puhelinta voi käyttää myös opiskeluun. Siksi mielestäni paras ratkaisu on, että koulu ja vanhemmat sopivat yhdessä selvistä säännöistä.

English: I am of the opinion that phones should be collected for the duration of lessons, but they do not need to be banned from school altogether. First, a phone easily takes attention away from the teaching, even if it is on silent. Second, breaks are important for children, because that is when they move about and learn to get along with one another. In my own family I have noticed that a child concentrates on homework much better when the phone is in another room. On the other hand I understand parents who want to reach their child after the school day, and sometimes a phone can also be used for studying. That is why I think the best solution is for the school and the parents to agree together on clear rules.

What to compareGrade 3 styleGrade 4 style
OpinionStated in the first sentenceStated with a limit: collected for lessons, not banned altogether
ReasonsOne reason with koska, one example from the speaker’s own lifeTwo ordered reasons (ensinnäkin, toiseksi), then an observation from experience
The other sideOne sentence, added with MuttaIntroduced with Toisaalta and answered with a proposal (Siksi ...)
SentencesShort main clauses; easy to say without getting lostSubordinate clauses with että, vaikka, koska, kun, jotka
Description behind it“Speech may be fairly slow, but there are not very many unnatural breaks”“Can present and justify an opinion understandably and describe what he or she has seen, heard and experienced”

If the grade 4 answer is beyond you today, do not memorise it. Take the grade 3 answer and add one thing: a second reason, or a sentence that begins with Toisaalta. That is one step along the scale, and it is a step you can take in a week.

Kirjoittamisesimerkki 1: an informal message

The task · Tehtävä

Ystäväsi Leena on muuttamassa samaan kaupunkiin kuin sinä ja kysyy, millä alueella kannattaa asua. Kirjoita hänelle viesti.
• Kerro omasta asuinalueestasi.
• Mainitse yksi hyvä ja yksi huono puoli.
• Ehdota tapaamista.

English: Your friend Leena is moving to the same town as you and asks which area is worth living in. Write her a message. Tell her about your own neighbourhood. Mention one good and one bad side. Suggest meeting.

Model answer in a grade 3 style

Hei Leena!

Kiva, että muutat tänne. Minä asun Koivumäessä. Se on hyvä alue. Kaupat ovat lähellä ja bussi menee keskustaan usein. Vuokra ei ole kallis.

Huono asia on, että keskustaan on pitkä matka. Bussilla matka kestää 25 minuuttia.

Tule katsomaan aluetta lauantaina! Voin näyttää sinulle paikat.

Terveisin
Asha

English: Hi Leena! Nice that you are moving here. I live in Koivumäki. It is a good area. The shops are close and the bus goes to the centre often. The rent is not expensive. The bad thing is that it is a long way to the centre. By bus the trip takes 25 minutes. Come and look at the area on Saturday! I can show you around. Regards, Asha

Model answer in a grade 4 style

Hei Leena!

Olipa mukava kuulla, että olet saanut työpaikan täältä ja muutat tänne jo keväällä. Asun itse Koivumäessä, noin kuuden kilometrin päässä keskustasta, ja olen viihtynyt täällä hyvin.

Parasta täällä on luonto: metsä alkaa melkein kotiovelta, ja järven rannalle kävelee kymmenessä minuutissa. Lisäksi vuokrat ovat selvästi halvempia kuin keskustassa. Huono puoli on se, että iltaisin bussit kulkevat harvoin, joten ilman autoa tai pyörää liikkuminen voi olla hankalaa. Jos haluat asua lähempänä palveluja, kannattaa katsoa asuntoja myös aseman läheltä.

Tulisitko käymään jonain viikonloppuna ennen muuttoa? Voisimme kiertää yhdessä pari aluetta, niin näet itse, mikä tuntuu omalta. Kerro, mikä päivä sinulle sopii!

Terveisin
Asha

English: Hi Leena! How nice to hear that you have got a job here and are moving here already in the spring. I live in Koivumäki myself, about six kilometres from the centre, and I have been very happy here. The best thing here is nature: the forest begins almost at the front door, and you can walk to the lake shore in ten minutes. In addition, rents are clearly cheaper than in the centre. The downside is that in the evenings the buses run rarely, so getting about without a car or a bike can be awkward. If you want to live closer to services, it is worth looking at flats near the station too. Would you come for a visit some weekend before the move? We could go round a couple of areas together, so you can see for yourself which feels like yours. Tell me which day suits you! Regards, Asha

The people and the neighbourhood are invented.

What to compareGrade 3 styleGrade 4 style
Task points coveredAll three: the area, one good and one bad side, a meetingAll three, and it answers the friend’s real question with advice (aseman läheltä)
DetailFacts in a row: shops, bus, rentFacts with a consequence: buses run rarely, so getting about is awkward without a car
RegisterInformal and consistent: muutat, sinulle, TuleInformal and warm: Olipa mukava kuulla, Tulisitko käymään
ShapeGreeting, short paragraphs, closeThree paragraphs, each with one job, linked by Lisäksi, joten, Jos
Description behind it“Can write simple, coherent text on ordinary topics”“Can write both private and semi-official texts and present thoughts as a coherent whole”

Kirjoittamisesimerkki 2: an opinion text

The University of Jyväskylä names the opinion text (mielipidekirjoitus) as an example of an intermediate-level writing task. It suits grade 4 well in our reading, because the grade 4 description speaks of expressing a point of view fairly broadly and stressing the key points.

The task · Tehtävä

Paikallislehti kysyy lukijoilta: pitäisikö kaupungin kirjastojen olla auki myös sunnuntaisin? Kirjoita mielipidekirjoitus lehteen. Kerro mielipiteesi ja perustele se.

English: The local paper asks its readers: should the town’s libraries be open on Sundays too? Write an opinion piece for the paper. Give your opinion and justify it.

Model answer in a grade 3 style

Kirjasto auki sunnuntaisin

Mielestäni kirjaston pitää olla auki sunnuntaisin. Monet ihmiset ovat töissä maanantaista lauantaihin. He eivät ehdi kirjastoon. Sunnuntaina on aikaa.

Minä käyn kirjastossa lasten kanssa. Lapset lukevat kirjoja ja minä luen lehtiä. Kirjastossa voi myös käyttää tietokonetta. Se on tärkeää, koska kaikilla ei ole tietokonetta kotona.

Toivon, että kaupunki pitää kirjaston auki sunnuntaisin.

Kirjaston käyttäjä

English: Library open on Sundays. In my opinion the library must be open on Sundays. Many people are at work from Monday to Saturday. They do not have time for the library. On Sunday there is time. I go to the library with my children. The children read books and I read newspapers. In the library you can also use a computer. That is important, because not everyone has a computer at home. I hope the town keeps the library open on Sundays. A library user

Model answer in a grade 4 style

Sunnuntai on kirjastolle oikea päivä

Lehdessä kysyttiin, pitäisikö kirjastojen olla auki myös sunnuntaisin. Olen ehdottomasti sitä mieltä, että ainakin pääkirjaston pitäisi olla auki.

Ensinnäkin sunnuntai on monelle perheelle viikon ainoa yhteinen vapaapäivä. Arkisin kirjasto menee kiinni juuri silloin, kun työssäkäyvät pääsevät töistä. Toiseksi kirjasto on paljon muutakin kuin kirjoja: siellä voi tehdä läksyjä, käyttää tietokonetta ja tavata muita ihmisiä maksutta. Erityisesti opiskelijoille ja yksin asuville tämä on tärkeää.

Toisaalta ymmärrän, että sunnuntaityö maksaa kaupungille enemmän ja että henkilökunnankin pitää saada levätä. Siksi ehdotan kokeilua: kirjasto voisi olla sunnuntaisin auki neljä tuntia, ja lainaus toimisi automaateilla. Jos kävijöitä on tarpeeksi, kokeilua jatketaan.

Kirjasto on kaupunkilaisten yhteinen olohuone, ja sen ovien pitäisi olla auki silloin, kun ihmisillä on aikaa tulla.

Ahkera lainaaja

English: Sunday is the right day for the library. The paper asked whether libraries should be open on Sundays too. I am absolutely of the opinion that at least the main library should be open. First, Sunday is for many families the only shared day off in the week. On weekdays the library closes just when working people get out of work. Second, a library is much more than books: there you can do homework, use a computer and meet other people free of charge. This is especially important for students and for people who live alone. On the other hand, I understand that Sunday work costs the town more and that the staff too must be able to rest. That is why I propose a trial: the library could be open for four hours on Sundays, and lending would work through self-service machines. If there are enough visitors, the trial continues. The library is the townspeople’s shared living room, and its doors should be open when people have time to come. A keen borrower

What to compareGrade 3 styleGrade 4 style
OpeningThe opinion, straight awaySays what it is replying to, then the opinion, narrowed to the main library
ArgumentOne reason and the writer’s own exampleTwo ordered reasons, who benefits, the counter-argument, and a concrete proposal
Key point stressedRepeated as a wish in the last lineCarried by the title and the closing image (yhteinen olohuone)
RegisterNeutral, personal: Minä käyn ...The semi-formal voice of a letter to a paper: Olen sitä mieltä, että ...; Siksi ehdotan ...
Description behind it“The content is mostly understandable”“Can express a point of view fairly broadly and emphasise the key points”

One more semi-formal task, a message to a course teacher, with a model answer and a five-point check, is in YKI keskitaso practice by subtest. Between that page and this one you have three of the text types the framework gives as examples (it also lists a letter, a complaint and an application): an informal message, a semi-formal message and an opinion text.

Check your own writing

Writing check: length, sentences and connectors

Paste or type your Finnish answer. The tool counts words and sentences and lists the connecting words it finds, because joining ideas is what separates the grade 4 description from the grade 3 one.

A rough count that splits on spaces; that method is ours. The official pages we read give no word limit for the writing tasks, so follow the instructions printed with each task in the test. Nothing you type leaves this page or is stored.

What the check is looking for

JobFinnish connectorsUsed in the models above
Reasonkoska · silläSe on tärkeää, koska kaikilla ei ole tietokonetta kotona.
Contrastmutta · vaikka · toisaalta · kuitenkinToisaalta ymmärrän, että sunnuntaityö maksaa kaupungille enemmän ...
Resultsiksi · joten... joten ilman autoa tai pyörää liikkuminen voi olla hankalaa.
Order and additionensinnäkin · toiseksi · lisäksi · lopuksiLisäksi vuokrat ovat selvästi halvempia kuin keskustassa.
Condition and timejos · kunJos kävijöitä on tarpeeksi, kokeilua jatketaan.

Connectors are not decoration. The grade 3 description speaks of simple, coherent text; the grade 4 description of thoughts presented as a coherent whole. The words in this table are the visible joints of that whole. A text can have all of them and still be weak, so the tool counts them only to show you when you have none.

The differences in one table

Across all five tasks the same few things moved between the two columns. This summary is ours, built on the framework’s descriptions for speaking and writing.

What the description namesGrade 3 style on this pageGrade 4 style on this page
SituationsEveryday and practical: a return, a weekend, a neighbourhoodThe same situations, handled with options, conditions and proposals
InitiativeAsks one question backSuggests, limits, proposes a trial
OpinionA view and one reasonA view, ordered reasons, the other side, a conclusion
Formal and informal languageOne safe register per answerClearly informal to a friend, clearly semi-formal to a paper or a company
CoherenceShort sentences in a sensible orderParagraphs with one job each, joined by connectors
MistakesThe description allows gaps that sometimes make understanding harderThe description allows only occasional unnatural expressions

Mistakes that cost more than grammar

Our list, from the task instructions and OPH’s test-day advice

  • Leaving a task point out. The writing tasks are guided: the task tells you what the text must cover. Tick each point off before you stop.
  • Saying nothing. OPH: “Always complete all tasks and answer all questions. Always try to answer something!” A subtest done incompletely can end up as one that cannot be assessed.
  • Mixing sinä and te. Decide who you are talking or writing to before the first word, and stay there.
  • Whispering in the studio. OPH: “Use your normal speaking voice in the speaking test.” The recording is what the assessors hear.
  • Writing spoken forms. mä, sä, oon belong to speech with friends; in a written answer use minä, sinä, olen.
  • Stopping after one sentence in an opinion task. A view without a reason gives the assessors nothing to place on the scale.

Remember who reads and hears your answers: trained assessors who do not know you and who compare your performance with the level criteria, not with other candidates [official: framework, section 7, and oph.fi]. They cannot credit Finnish you know but did not use. What the grades mean subtest by subtest is in YKI levels 3 and 4; which pairs of subtests count for a citizenship application is in YKI for Finnish citizenship.

The same test on seven printable pages

These five tasks show the difference between the two grades. The kit gives you the frames to produce your own answers: by register for messages, in four paragraphs for an opinion text, and in seven steps for a talk.

The YKI Finnish Intermediate revision kit is a seven-page PDF in English with the Finnish you need: the four subtests, grade 3 against grade 4, frames and three model texts for writing, fourteen speaking situations and a model talk, a method for reading and listening, sixteen grammar points and eighteen verbs with the case each one takes. Its test facts come from oph.fi; its model texts are our own, never official tasks. Page 1 is free to read in full before you decide.

Read page 1 of the kit →

Frequently asked questions

What are the speaking tasks in the YKI intermediate test?

The framework gives three examples of speaking tasks: taking part in simulated conversations, reacting in given situations, and giving an opinion or talking about a given topic. They are done in a language studio and recorded.

Is there an interview in the YKI intermediate speaking test?

No. The framework says the intermediate speaking test is done in a language studio. A face-to-face interview is part of the advanced level, and of the basic level in Finnish and Swedish.

How many texts do I write in the YKI writing subtest?

Three texts of different types, for example a message, a letter, an opinion text, a complaint or an application.

How long should a YKI writing answer be?

The official pages we read on 13 October 2026 give no word limit. Follow the instructions printed with each task and cover every point the task asks for.

How long do I get to speak in each YKI speaking task?

No minutes per subtest are published on the official pages we read, but the University of Jyväskylä’s Finnish intermediate speaking demonstration (ykitesti2.solki.jyu.fi, read 13 October 2026) prints example times per task. These are the demonstration’s examples, not official figures for your test: “Kertominen” has “1 minuutti aikaa miettiä” and “1½ minuuttia aikaa puhua”; in the two “Keskustelu” tasks each turn has its time in brackets, between 10 and 25 seconds (“10 sek”, “15 sek”, “20 sek”, “25 sek”); in “Tilanteita” you get “20 sek” to read the situation and then 20 seconds for situation 1 and 30 seconds for each of situations 2 to 5; in “Mielipide” you get “2 minuuttia aikaa puhua”. The demonstration adds that each task has a preparation time and that you see the answer time in the task booklet. In the test you follow the recorded instructions. The timer on this page uses settings you choose yourself.

Are these model answers official?

No. Every task and model answer on this page is our own illustration of the official level descriptions. No assessor has graded them and no grade is promised.

What is the difference between a grade 3 and a grade 4 answer in writing?

By the framework, grade 3 is simple, coherent text on ordinary topics that is mostly understandable. Grade 4 is private and semi-official texts presented as a coherent whole, with a view expressed fairly broadly and formal and informal language kept apart.

What is the difference between grade 3 and grade 4 in speaking?

Grade 3 copes in the most common practical situations, perhaps slowly, and is understood. Grade 4 copes fairly well in formal and informal situations and can present and justify an opinion understandably.

Should I use sinä or te in the YKI test?

Follow the task. A friend or colleague who says sinä gets sinä; in a formal situation, such as a message to an office or a call to a company, te is the safe choice. Keep to one form of address throughout the answer.

Can I write spoken Finnish such as mä and oon in the writing subtest?

Use the written standard forms in written answers. The grade 4 description for writing mentions separating formal from informal language.

How are YKI speaking and writing assessed?

Against criteria built directly on the level scale. Your performance is compared with the level criteria, not with other candidates’ performances, by trained assessors.

Will the digital YKI test change the speaking and writing tasks?

OPH says the exercises in the digital test are similar to those in the pen-and-paper test. You type the writing answers, so practise ä and ö on a Finnish keyboard layout.

Finnish National Certificate YKI Intermediate Test kits

All of YKI Finnish intermediate, on 7 pagesYKI Finnish Intermediate (B1–B2)
  • Cheatsheet
  • Revision sheet
  • All 4 subtests and the grades 3 and 4
  • 3 accepted pairs for citizenship
  • 3 model texts, 1 model talk
  • 14 speaking situations in Finnish
  • 16 grammar points, 18 verbs with case
  • 7 test days, spring 2027 all digital
  • And more to help you pass
Only 7 pages · Page 1 free
23 days left · YKI Finnish intermediate test day
₹1,199Get your kit
All of YKI Finnish intermediate, on 7 pagesYKI Finnish Intermediate (B1–B2)
  • Cheatsheet
  • Revision sheet
  • All 4 subtests and the grades 3 and 4
  • 3 accepted pairs for citizenship
  • 3 model texts, 1 model talk
  • 14 speaking situations in Finnish
  • 16 grammar points, 18 verbs with case
  • 7 test days, spring 2027 all digital
  • And more to help you pass
Only 7 pages · Page 1 free
23 days left · YKI Finnish intermediate test day
₹1,199Get your kit

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