짧은 소개와 과거 이야기Short Biographies and Past Narrative
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Narrate a short sequence of past events using 그리고, 그 다음에, and 그 후에 to connect them in order.
- Express a before/after relationship between two actions using -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에.
- Form the past noun-modifying form of common action verbs, such as 만난, 간, and 배운, and use them to describe a person, place, or thing in relation to a past action.
- Combine past-tense sentences from earlier chapters into a connected short biography.
- Continue using frequency adverbs, -고 있다, and expanded descriptive predicates from Chapter 3 while narrating past events.
- Read a short connected biography that narrates a sequence of past events.
- Write and present a short spoken and written biography of yourself or someone you know.
Communication Scenario
라일라's study group is preparing short self-introductions to share with a new exchange student, 수진, who is joining next week. Rather than a list of disconnected facts, 지은 suggests that everyone tell a short story: where they were born, what they did before coming to this school, and what happened after they arrived. To do this well, 라일라 needs to connect several past events in order, show which action happened before another, and describe people and places using a short past-tense phrase rather than a full separate sentence.
- This chapter introduces sequence connectors for ordering past events and the before/after pattern -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에.
- The chapter's second principal new focus is the past noun-modifying form of action verbs, which allows a past action to describe a noun directly, as in 제가 만난 학생 ("the student I met").
- Past tense, frequency adverbs, -고 있다, and expanded descriptive predicates from Chapters 1 through 3 continue to recycle here, now organized into connected narration.
Core Vocabulary
The vocabulary below supports narrating past events, describing life stages, and organizing a short biography. Sequence and time-relationship expressions are new; several action verbs expand vocabulary already used in past tense.
| Korean | Meaning | Use / Pattern | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그 다음에 | after that, next | 학교에 갔어요. 그 다음에 친구를 만났어요. | sequence connector |
| 그 후에 | after that, afterward | 졸업했어요. 그 후에 이사했어요. | sequence connector |
| 그 전에 | before that | 그 전에 다른 학교에 다녔어요. | sequence connector |
| 먼저 | first | 먼저 아침을 먹었어요. | sequence adverb; review from Vol. I |
| 마지막으로 | lastly, finally | 마지막으로 한국어를 배웠어요. | sequence adverb |
| 태어나다 | to be born | 서울에서 태어났어요. | action verb |
| 자라다 | to grow up | 부산에서 자랐어요. | action verb |
| 이사하다 | to move (residence) | 작년에 이사했어요. | action verb |
| 졸업하다 | to graduate | 고등학교를 졸업했어요. | action verb |
| 입학하다 | to enter (a school) | 이 학교에 입학했어요. | action verb |
| 유학하다 | to study abroad | 미국에서 유학했어요. | action verb |
| 이민을 가다 | to emigrate | 가족이 이민을 갔어요. | collocation |
| 사귀다 | to become friends with, to date | 새 친구를 사귀었어요. | action verb |
| 고향 | hometown | 제 고향은 대구예요. | noun |
| 어린 시절 | childhood | 어린 시절에 자주 이사했어요. | noun phrase |
| 사건 | event, incident | 중요한 사건이었어요. | noun |
| 경험 | experience | 좋은 경험이었어요. | noun; review |
| 계기 | turning point, occasion | 한국어를 배운 계기예요. | noun; often follows a modifier |
| 그때 | at that time | 그때 저는 열 살이었어요. | time expression |
| 어릴 때 | when (I was) young | 어릴 때 여기에 살았어요. | time expression |
| -년 전에 | ~ years ago | 오 년 전에 이사했어요. | time expression with number |
| 배우다 | to learn | 한국어를 배웠어요. | action verb; review |
| 가르치다 | to teach | 동생에게 한국어를 가르쳤어요. | action verb |
| 시작하다 | to start, begin | 새 일을 시작했어요. | action verb; review |
| 끝나다 | to end, finish | 수업이 끝났어요. | action verb; review |
| 기억하다 | to remember | 그 날을 기억해요. | action verb |
| 잊다 | to forget | 이름을 잊어버렸어요. | action verb |
| 인상 깊다 | to be impressive, memorable | 정말 인상 깊었어요. | descriptive verb |
Receptive support: 전학 (transferring schools) may appear in listening or reading with glossing but is not required for independent production in this chapter.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter does not introduce a new sound-change rule. It consolidates control of past-tense endings across a range of verb stems, and continues developing liaison across the batchim-final forms 태어났어요, 졸업했어요, and 입학했어요.
When a verb stem ends in a consonant and the past-tense marker 았/었 is added, the final consonant of the stem liaises into the following syllable rather than being pronounced separately. In 태어났어요, the batchim ㅆ in 났 liaises smoothly into 어요. Practice reading each past-tense form in this chapter as one connected unit rather than as separate syllables.
저는 서울에서 태어났어요 · 그 다음에 부산으로 이사했어요 · 졸업하기 전에 한국어를 배웠어요
Grammar and Sentence Pattern Review
This chapter expands past-tense narration with sequence connectors, introduces the before/after pattern -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에, and introduces the past noun-modifying form of action verbs.
Expanded focus: Sequencing past events
| Korean | Meaning | Typical position |
|---|---|---|
| 먼저 | first | beginning of the first sentence |
| 그 다음에 | after that, next | beginning of the following sentence |
| 그 후에 | after that, afterward | beginning of the following sentence |
| 그 전에 | before that | beginning of a sentence describing an earlier event |
| 마지막으로 | lastly, finally | beginning of the final sentence |
These connectors join separate past-tense sentences rather than attaching directly to a verb stem. They organize a narrative into a clear order without requiring every clause to be combined into one long sentence.
- 저는 대구에서 태어났어요. 그 다음에 다섯 살 때 서울로 이사했어요. I was born in Daegu. After that, I moved to Seoul when I was five.
- 먼저 초등학교를 졸업했어요. 그 후에 이 중학교에 입학했어요. First, I graduated from elementary school. After that, I entered this middle school.
New focus: -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에
[action verb stem] + -기 전에 + [main clause]
-기 전에 attaches to a dictionary-form-style stem (before -다 is removed) and means "before ~ing." The verb in -기 전에 is not marked for past tense even when the whole sentence describes a past event, because 전에 already establishes that the action happens earlier than the main clause.
한국에 오기 전에 일본에서 살았어요.
Before coming to Korea, I lived in Japan.
[action verb past stem] + -(으)ㄴ 후에 + [main clause]
-(으)ㄴ 후에 attaches to an action-verb stem using the same form as the past noun-modifying pattern introduced later in this chapter, and means "after ~ing." Unlike -기 전에, the verb before 후에 takes the past noun-modifying shape even though it is not marked with 았/었 directly.
졸업한 후에 회사에 다녔어요.
After graduating, I worked at a company.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -기 전에 | before ~ing | 이사하기 전에 학교에 다녔어요. |
| -(으)ㄴ 후에 | after ~ing | 이사한 후에 새 학교에 다녔어요. |
Both patterns describe the relationship between two actions rather than giving an absolute time. They are especially useful for organizing a biography around key turning points.
New focus: Past noun-modifying form of action verbs
This chapter introduces the past noun-modifying form -(으)ㄴ, which allows a past action to describe a following noun directly, without a separate sentence.
| Dictionary form | Past noun-modifying form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 만나다 | 만난 | 지난주에 만난 친구 |
| 가다 | 간 | 작년에 간 학교 |
| 배우다 | 배운 | 고등학교에서 배운 것 |
| 살다 | 산 | 어릴 때 산 동네 |
살다 drops the final ㄹ before the noun-modifying ending, following the ㄹ-stem pattern reviewed from Chapter 3: 살 + -(으)ㄴ → 산. This chapter limits the past noun-modifying pattern to common, high-frequency action verbs; broader coverage of past noun-modifying forms, including descriptive-verb-like exceptions, continues in later chapters.
- 지난주에 만난 친구가 수진이에요. The friend I met last week is Sujin. 만나다 → 만난 + 친구
- 제가 어릴 때 산 동네는 아주 조용했어요. The neighborhood I lived in when I was young was very quiet. 살다 → 산 + 동네
The past noun-modifying pattern in this chapter applies to action verbs, not to the descriptive-verb noun-modifying forms from Chapter 3, such as 바쁜 or 건강한. Descriptive verbs use a different, more complex past noun-modifying pattern that is introduced in a later chapter. For now, keep action-verb past modifiers such as 만난 and descriptive-verb present modifiers such as 바쁜 as two separate systems.
Practice — Sequencing, before/after, and past modifiers
- Combine two sentences using 그 다음에: 초등학교를 졸업했어요. + 중학교에 입학했어요. → ___
- Rewrite using -기 전에: 한국에 왔어요. 그 전에 일본에서 살았어요. → ___
- Rewrite using -(으)ㄴ 후에: 졸업했어요. 그 후에 회사에 다녔어요. → ___
- Form the past noun-modifying phrase from 배우다 and 것, and use it in a sentence about something you learned.
Model Dialogue
Setting: 지은 asks 라일라 about her life before coming to this school, ahead of introducing themselves to 수진.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- Where was 라일라 born, and when did she move?
- Did 라일라 learn Korean before or after moving?
- Who was the first friend 라일라 met at this school?
- Identify one sentence that uses -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에, and one that uses a past noun-modifying form.
Guided Practice
Complete each task using vocabulary and patterns from this chapter and prior chapters.
- Write two sentences about your own past connected with 그 다음에.
- Write one sentence using -기 전에 to describe something that happened before another event in your life.
- Write one sentence using -(으)ㄴ 후에 to describe something that happened after another event in your life.
- Form the past noun-modifying form of 가다, 만나다, and 배우다, and use each in a short phrase describing something from your own past.
- Explain in your own words the difference between -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
민호의 어린 시절
민호는 부산에서 태어났어요. 여섯 살 때 서울로 이사했어요. 이사하기 전에 부산에서 유치원에 다녔어요. 서울로 이사한 후에 새 학교에 입학했어요. 그 다음에 지금 친구들을 만났어요. 그중에서 초등학교에서 만난 친구가 가장 오래된 친구예요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| Where was 민호 born, and when did he move? | ______ |
| What did he do before moving to Seoul? | ______ |
| Who is 민호's oldest friend, and where did he meet that friend? | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads two sentences from the passage above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul, then check your spacing and use of -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에.
- (a sentence using -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에)
- (a sentence using a sequence connector such as 그 다음에)
Reading Practice
Below is 수진's short self-introduction, written before joining the study group. Read it and answer the questions below. No romanization is provided.
제 소개
안녕하세요. 저는 수진이에요. 저는 대전에서 태어났어요. 어릴 때 가족과 함께 여러 번 이사했어요. 초등학교를 졸업하기 전에 세 학교에 다녔어요. 졸업한 후에 지금 이 학교에 입학했어요. 이 학교에 오기 전에는 친구가 많지 않았지만, 여기에서 좋은 친구들을 많이 사귀었어요. 처음 만난 친구는 정말 친절했어요. 그 경험이 지금도 인상 깊어요.
This passage combines past tense, sequence connectors, -기 전에/-(으)ㄴ 후에, and past noun-modifying forms using topic-chain structure from Chapter 1. Only vocabulary and grammar activated in Volume I, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, and this chapter are used.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- Where was 수진 born, and what happened during her childhood?
- How many schools did she attend before graduating elementary school?
- How did her situation with friends change after coming to this school?
- Find one past noun-modifying phrase in the passage and identify the verb it comes from.
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short biography, 제 소개 ("My Introduction"), narrating key events in your life in order.
- State where and when you were born. Use 태어나다 in the past tense.
- Narrate at least two more past events in order. Use at least one sequence connector, such as 그 다음에 or 그 후에.
- Describe one before/after relationship. Use -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에 at least once.
- Add a past noun-modifying phrase. Describe a person, place, or thing using a past-tense action verb, such as 처음 만난 친구 or 어릴 때 산 동네.
- Close with a reflection. Use 기억하다 or 인상 깊다 to say what you remember most, or how the experience felt.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- At least three past-tense events appear in a clear order.
- At least one sequence connector (그 다음에, 그 후에, 그 전에, 먼저, 마지막으로) is used correctly.
- -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에 appears at least once and is correctly formed.
- At least one past noun-modifying phrase from an action verb appears.
- Speech level is consistent everyday polite -아요/어요 throughout.
- Only Hangeul is used; no romanization appears in the final draft.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 순서 연결하기
Practice narrating three past events aloud in order using 먼저, 그 다음에, and 마지막으로, then practice forming the past noun-modifying form of five common action verbs until the pattern feels automatic.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 제 소개하기
With a partner or in a small group, introduce yourself as in the Model Dialogue, including where you were born, at least one sequence connector, one -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에 sentence, and one past noun-modifying phrase. The listener asks one follow-up question about an event mentioned.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself presenting your "My Introduction" biography in six to eight connected sentences, using at least one sequence connector, one before/after pattern, and one past noun-modifying phrase.
Culture and Communication
In many South Korean school, university, and workplace settings, a self-introduction often includes brief biographical information beyond a name and current activity, such as hometown, schools attended, or a notable turning point. This kind of short narrative self-introduction is common in orientation sessions, first-day classroom activities, and some interviews, though its exact content and length vary by setting and relationship.
English typically uses a relative clause with "who," "that," or "which" to describe a noun with a past action, as in "the friend that I met." Korean instead places the past noun-modifying form directly before the noun, with no separate connecting word, as in 제가 만난 친구. Learners should resist inserting a word that corresponds to "that" or "who" in Korean; the noun-modifying ending itself carries that function.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 한국에 왔기 전에 일본에서 살았어요.
Correction: 한국에 오기 전에 일본에서 살았어요. — the verb before -기 전에 is never marked with 았/었, even when describing a past event, because 전에 already places the action before the main clause.
Error: 지난주에 만나다 친구가 수진이에요.
Correction: 지난주에 만난 친구가 수진이에요. — a verb that directly modifies a following noun must take the noun-modifying form, not the plain dictionary form.
Error: Attempting to add a separate word corresponding to English "that" before the noun, as in a literal word-for-word translation.
Correction: 제가 어릴 때 산 동네 — the past noun-modifying ending on the verb itself performs this function; no additional connecting word is needed or correct.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. Give one sequence connector, one time expression, and one action verb related to schooling introduced in this chapter.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Explain in your own words the difference between -기 전에 and -(으)ㄴ 후에, and give one example of each.
2. Correct the error: 한국에 왔기 전에 일본에서 살았어요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to 수진's introduction, how did her situation with friends change after coming to this school?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write your "My Introduction" biography following the Writing Workshop steps and checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Present your biography aloud to a partner or record it, following the Speaking Practice guidance.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles topic chains, noun modifiers, and 의 from Chapter 2, and frequency adverbs, -고 있다, and expanded descriptive predicates from Chapter 3, while expanding past-tense narration with sequence connectors, before/after relationships, and past noun-modifying action forms. If any earlier form still feels uncertain, review the relevant chapter before continuing to Chapter 5.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
제 소개 — My Introduction
You will produce a connected spoken and written short biography, combining a sequence of past events, at least one sequence connector, a before/after relationship using -기 전에 or -(으)ㄴ 후에, and at least one past noun-modifying phrase.
- Written: Write your "My Introduction" biography from the Writing Workshop, including where you were born, at least two more past events connected in sequence, one before/after sentence, a past noun-modifying phrase, and a closing reflection.
- Spoken: Present the same content aloud to a partner or recorded alone, as in the Model Dialogue, and answer at least one follow-up question.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying one system from Chapter 2 or Chapter 3 you feel confident recycling here, and one area of this chapter — such as -기 전에/-(으)ㄴ 후에 or past noun-modifying forms — you want to keep practicing.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Past-tense accuracy | Correct formation and use of past-tense verbs across the narrative |
| Sequence connector control | Correct choice and placement of 먼저/그 다음에/그 후에/그 전에/마지막으로 |
| Before/after control | Correct formation and appropriate use of -기 전에 and/or -(으)ㄴ 후에 |
| Past noun-modifying control | Correct formation of the past noun-modifying form from a common action verb |
| Vocabulary range | Appropriate use of at least four chapter vocabulary items |
| Cohesion | Events are ordered clearly and connect into a logical short biography |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout, no romanization |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond Chapters 1 through 4 |
Answer Key
Grammar Review Practice — Sequencing, Before/After, and Past Modifiers
1. 초등학교를 졸업했어요. 그 다음에 중학교에 입학했어요.
2. 한국에 오기 전에 일본에서 살았어요.
3. 졸업한 후에 회사에 다녔어요.
4. Sample answer: 학교에서 배운 것이 아주 유용해요. (any accurate sentence using 배운 것 is acceptable)
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- 라일라 was born in Chicago and moved here when she was ten.
- She did not learn Korean before moving; she started learning it after she moved.
- 지은 was the first friend 라일라 met at this school.
- For example, 이사하기 전에 한국어를 배웠어요? uses -기 전에; 제가 여기에서 처음 만난 친구 uses a past noun-modifying form.
Listening comprehension
- 민호 was born in Busan and moved to Seoul when he was six.
- Before moving, he attended kindergarten in Busan.
- 민호's oldest friend is someone he met in elementary school.
Reading comprehension
- 수진 was born in Daejeon, and her family moved several times during her childhood.
- She attended three schools before graduating elementary school.
- She did not have many friends before coming to this school, but she has made many good friends here since.
- For example, 처음 만난 친구 comes from the verb 만나다.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. -기 전에 means "before ~ing" and the verb before it is never marked for past tense, as in 오기 전에 ("before coming"), while -(으)ㄴ 후에 means "after ~ing" and uses the noun-modifying past shape, as in 졸업한 후에 ("after graduating").
2. 한국에 오기 전에 일본에서 살았어요.
Section D — Sample "My Introduction" biography
저는 대구에서 태어났어요. 다섯 살 때 서울로 이사했어요. 이사하기 전에 유치원에 다녔어요. 이사한 후에 새 학교에 입학했어요. 그 다음에 지금 친구들을 만났어요. 처음 만난 친구는 지은이에요. 그 경험이 지금도 인상 깊어요.
Check that: at least three past events in order, a sequence connector, a before/after sentence, a past noun-modifying phrase, and a closing reflection all appear; speech level is consistent everyday polite throughout; particles and spacing are accurate.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can narrate a sequence of past events in order, describe a before/after relationship between two actions, form the past noun-modifying phrase of common action verbs, and read a connected short biography that moves through several life events.