Pivotal Moments in Your Life

1
Pivotal Moments in Your Life

• We are going to look at using the third
  conditional to talk about the hypothetical past.
  
• This is the past that never actually happened,
  but might have happened if things had been
  different.

2
Third Conditional

• If I had P.P. . . .
• I would have P.P. . . .
• I might have P.P. . . .
• (or possibly)
• I would . . .
• I might . . .

3
Pivotal Moments

• We can use the third conditional to talk about
  pivotal moments in our lives.
• A pivotal moment is a time when your lifes
  course changed dramatically.
• A pivotal moment is a big event in your past that
  altered your life.

4

• In 1994, I graduated from university and happened
  to see an ad for a job teaching English in Korea.
• At that time, I wanted to travel the world and I
  was very curious about Asia.

5

• So I answered the ad and got a job in Korea.
• I enjoyed teaching and living in Korea a lot.
• I started dating a Korean woman and after about a
  year together we decided to get married.

6

• We also decided that it would be better if I went
  to graduate school, so I went to graduate school
  at Yonsei University.

7

• Reading that newspaper changed my life! It was a
  pivotal moment.
• Think about it.

8

• If I hadnt read that newspaper ad,
• . . . I wouldnt have come to Korea.
• . . . I wouldnt have met my wife.
• . . . I wouldnt have gone to grad
  school at Yonsei.
• . . . I wouldnt have two children
• right now.
• . . . I wouldnt be teaching at Inha
  University right now.

9

• My life would be completely different.
• Reading that newspaper completely changed my
  life. It was a pivotal moment.