Your goal
Connect what you expected with the outcome you observed using -(으)ㄹ 줄 알았는데.
This lesson is about a past expectation, not knowing how to do something. State the expectation, then the actual outcome.
Before you start
- 발표
- presentation
- 예상
- expectation
- 실제
- what actually happened
- 많다·적다
- many · few
- 어렵다 → 어려울
- form meaning difficult
- 쉽다 → 쉬웠어요
- was easy
- 생각보다
- than expected
Explore the situation
Mina’s expectation and result
시장에 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
Check the meaning
I expected the market to be crowded, but there were few people.
이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
Check the meaning
I expected about twenty minutes, but waited only five.
Learn the expressions
In 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요, the first part is the earlier expectation and the second is the actual result. Do not report the expectation as the observed fact.
| Base | Expectation | Different result |
|---|---|---|
| 오다 | 비가 올 줄 알았는데 | 비가 오지 않았어요. |
| 많다 | 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 | 사람이 적었어요. |
| 어렵다 | 어려울 줄 알았는데 | 쉬웠어요. |
| 기다리다 | 오래 기다릴 줄 알았는데 | 오 분만 기다렸어요. |
Here we practise a contrast between expectation and result. If the result is not known, do not invent it; say that you do not yet know.
Read the conversation
A market visit
시장은 어땠어요?
Show meaning
How was the market?
사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
Show meaning
I expected many people, but there were few.
많이 기다렸어요?
Show meaning
Did you wait long?
이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
Show meaning
I expected about twenty minutes, but waited only five.
The first class
수업은 어땠어요?
Show meaning
How was the class?
어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
Show meaning
I thought it would be hard, but it was easy.
Build a sentence
Check the details shown on the cards and try a sentence before revealing the example. Then assemble the sentence pieces.
Compare the flow and express it
Number of people
- Expected
- 사람이 많음
- Actual
- 사람이 적음
Example and explanation
사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
Expectations can differ from outcomes.
Waiting time
- Expected
- 20분
- Actual
- 5분
Example and explanation
이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
Keep the roles of the two numbers clear.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Connect the expectation of many people with the result.
Sentence pieces
- 적었어요.
- 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데
2. Rain was expected but did not occur.
Sentence pieces
- 비가 오지 않았어요.
- 비가 올 줄 알았는데
Practice
Choose a response that fits the situation using the expressions you learned.
1. A busy market was expected, but there were few people. Which fits?
- 사람이 적을 줄 알았는데 많았어요.
- 사람이 많아서 못 갔어요.
- 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
2. What was the actual result in 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요?
- 쉬웠어요.
- 어려웠어요.
- 아직 안 했어요.
3. Choose the expectation form of 오다.
- 온 후에
- 올 줄 알았는데
- 오을 줄 알았는데
4. The result is not available yet. What can you say?
- 쉬웠어요.
- 실패했어요.
- 아직 결과를 몰라요.
Try a new situation
Use the new role information. Write the required details in Korean and try saying them.
Aki’s first experience
발표가 어려울 것으로 생각했어요. 실제로 발표는 쉬웠어요.
Check the meaning
Aki expected a difficult presentation; in practice it was easy.
접수할 때 이십 분을 기다릴 것으로 생각했어요. 실제로 오 분만 기다렸어요.
Check the meaning
At registration, Aki expected twenty minutes but waited five.
비가 올 것으로 생각했어요. 실제로 비가 오지 않았어요.
Check the meaning
Rain was expected, but no rain came.
Tasks
Try the tasks first, then compare with the answers and examples in step 10.
1. Aki expected the presentation to be hard, but found it easy. Compare in one sentence.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
2. A twenty-minute wait was expected, but it took only five. Include both.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
3. Rain was expected but did not come. Write the contrast.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
4. Ask how the visit actually was. End the written question with ?.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
5. The result is still unavailable. State that.
Show a hint
Use the pattern and keep the supplied information.
Check your learning
Read the new conditions and distinguish the key information.
1. Expected wait: 20 min. Actual: 5 min. Choose the sentence.
- 이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
- 오 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 이십 분 기다렸어요.
- 오 분 기다린 후에 이십 분 기다렸어요.
2. Which expresses knowing how?
- 비가 올 줄 알았는데 안 왔어요.
- 한글을 읽을 줄 알아요.
- 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
3. Aki expected a difficult presentation; it was easy.
- 발표가 쉬울 줄 알았는데 어려웠어요.
- 발표를 하지 않았어요.
- 발표가 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
4. What is the reference in 생각보다 쉬웠어요?
- The difficulty expected beforehand
- A friend’s exam score
- Tomorrow’s weather
5. Add the expectation pattern to 많다.
- 많기 줄 알았는데
- 많을 줄 알았는데
- 많ㄹ 줄 알았는데
6. Why distinguish expectation and outcome in an account?
- To change the result freely
- To say every experience failed
- To avoid turning a prior thought into an observed fact
Reflect on your reading
Tick only what you actually checked. Feedback from another person is optional and is not required to finish the lesson.
Answers and explanations
Show answers and explanations
Practice questions
1. A busy market was expected, but there were few people. Which fits?
Answer: 사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
It preserves expected many → actual few.
- 사람이 적을 줄 알았는데 많았어요. — Expectation and result are reversed.
- 사람이 많아서 못 갔어요. — Not going is not reported.
2. What was the actual result in 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요?
Answer: 쉬웠어요.
The second clause gives the actual ease.
- 어려웠어요. — Difficulty was the expectation.
- 아직 안 했어요. — The speaker has already experienced it.
3. Choose the expectation form of 오다.
Answer: 올 줄 알았는데
Attach ㄹ to 오-.
- 온 후에 — 온 후에 expresses sequence instead.
- 오을 줄 알았는데 — Do not form 오을.
4. The result is not available yet. What can you say?
Answer: 아직 결과를 몰라요.
Leave the outcome unconfirmed.
- 쉬웠어요. — This invents an easy outcome.
- 실패했어요. — There is no evidence of failure.
Learning check
1. Expected wait: 20 min. Actual: 5 min. Choose the sentence.
Answer: 이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
Keep expectation and actual duration distinct.
- 오 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 이십 분 기다렸어요. — The two durations are swapped.
- 오 분 기다린 후에 이십 분 기다렸어요. — This was not two successive waits.
2. Which expresses knowing how?
Answer: 한글을 읽을 줄 알아요.
It means knowing how to read.
- 비가 올 줄 알았는데 안 왔어요. — This is weather expectation and outcome.
- 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요. — This compares expectation and result.
3. Aki expected a difficult presentation; it was easy.
Answer: 발표가 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
The contrast matches the role.
- 발표가 쉬울 줄 알았는데 어려웠어요. — The contrast is reversed.
- 발표를 하지 않았어요. — The experience says Aki presented.
4. What is the reference in 생각보다 쉬웠어요?
Answer: The difficulty expected beforehand
생각보다 compares with one’s expectation.
- A friend’s exam score — No score is mentioned.
- Tomorrow’s weather — Tomorrow’s weather is not involved.
5. Add the expectation pattern to 많다.
Answer: 많을 줄 알았는데
Use 을 after the final consonant.
- 많기 줄 알았는데 — This pattern does not use 기.
- 많ㄹ 줄 알았는데 — Do not directly add ㄹ to this consonant-ending stem.
6. Why distinguish expectation and outcome in an account?
Answer: To avoid turning a prior thought into an observed fact
It accurately conveys the contrast.
- To change the result freely — Do not alter the outcome.
- To say every experience failed — This distinction is not about assuming failure.
Example answers
Written responses are examples. Other wording can also meet the same conditions.
1. Aki expected the presentation to be hard, but found it easy. Compare in one sentence.
발표가 어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
어려울 줄 알았는데 쉬웠어요.
Difficult was expected; easy was experienced.
2. A twenty-minute wait was expected, but it took only five. Include both.
이십 분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 오 분만 기다렸어요.
20분쯤 기다릴 줄 알았는데 5분만 기다렸어요.
Put the expectation first and actual wait second.
3. Rain was expected but did not come. Write the contrast.
비가 올 줄 알았는데 오지 않았어요.
비가 올 줄 알았는데 비가 오지 않았어요.
비가 올 줄 알았는데 안 왔어요.
Do not change it to actual rain.
4. Ask how the visit actually was. End the written question with ?.
어땠어요?
방문은 어땠어요?
실제로 어땠어요?
Ask about the experience afterward.
5. The result is still unavailable. State that.
아직 결과를 몰라요.
아직 결과를 알 수 없어요.
Do not invent the missing result.
Sentence-piece practice
1. Connect the expectation of many people with the result.
사람이 많을 줄 알았는데 적었어요.
Expectation comes first; outcome second.
2. Rain was expected but did not occur.
비가 올 줄 알았는데 비가 오지 않았어요.
Use 오다 → 올 for the expectation.
Review and continue
Come back to these
Recall with the example closed
Connect what you expected with the outcome you observed using -(으)ㄹ 줄 알았는데.
Change one detail
Change a person, action or time and make two sentences.
Combine with earlier expressions
Make a short exchange with a question and response.
Review what felt difficult
Review this expressionCompare expectations with what happened →Earlier learningReconnect the foundation →Look separately at activity completion and core learning results.