English Learning for Beginners: Self-Introduction

Dialogue

Alice: Oh, hey Bob! I’m trying to write my self-introduction for my new online English class. It’s so hard!

Bob: Self-introduction, Alice? For a class? Just say “Hi, I’m Alice, I like cats.” Done.

Alice: No, Bob! It needs to be professional. Listen: “My name is Alice. I am a student. I live in London. My hobbies are reading and quiet contemplation.”

Bob: “Quiet contemplation”? Alice, are you secretly a wise old owl? That sounds like a sleepy robot.

Alice: It’s serious! What about you? How would you introduce yourself?

Bob: Me? Easy. “Hello, everyone! I’m Bob, the human tornado of fun! I love pizza, video games, and making Alice laugh.”

Alice: “Human tornado”? Nobody will take you seriously! And you live in London, too, remember?

Bob: Well, yeah. But “I live in London” sounds so… plain. Maybe “My current location is a fantastic city known as London!”

Alice: Bob, it’s for beginners. They need simple English! “I live in London” is perfect.

Bob: Okay, okay. So, “My name is Alice. I am a student. I live in London. My hobbies are… what are your real hobbies, Alice? Not sleepy owl stuff.”

Alice: Hmm. I like watching movies and baking cupcakes. And listening to pop music!

Bob: See! Much better! “My hobbies are watching movies, baking cupcakes, and listening to pop music.” Now add “Nice to meet you all!”

Alice: That sounds… much more like me! Thank you, Bob. “Nice to meet you all!”

Bob: You’re welcome, Alice. Maybe I should be an introduction consultant. For a small fee, of course.

Alice: (laughs) Oh, Bob! You’re silly. But my introduction is ready now!

Current Situation

“Self-introduction” is one of the very first things you learn when starting to speak a new language. It’s how you tell people who you are and helps you start conversations. Whether you’re joining a new English class, meeting new friends from different countries, or even starting an online group, knowing how to introduce yourself clearly and confidently is a fundamental skill. It’s not just about sharing facts; it’s about making a good first impression and opening the door to further communication. Don’t worry if it feels a little awkward at first – everyone starts there!

Key Phrases

Hello / Hi: A common greeting.
Example: *Hello, how are you?*
My name is [name] / I’m [name]: To state your name.
Example: *My name is Sarah. / I’m David.*
I am a [job/student status]: To state your occupation or if you are a student.
Example: *I am a teacher. / I am a student.*
I live in [place]: To state where you live.
Example: *I live in New York.*
My hobbies are [hobbies]: To talk about your interests.
Example: *My hobbies are reading and swimming.*
Nice to meet you: A polite phrase when meeting someone new.
Example: *Nice to meet you, Tom!*
What about you?: To ask the other person the same question.
Example: *I like pizza. What about you?*
You’re welcome: A polite response to “Thank you”.
Example: *Thank you for the help! You’re welcome.*

Grammar Points

1. The Verb “To Be” (am, is, are)

This verb is super important for telling people who you are, what you are, and where you are. It changes form based on the subject.

I am: Used with “I”. (e.g., I am Alice. I am a student.)
You are: Used with “you”. (e.g., You are my friend.)
He/She/It is: Used with “he”, “she”, “it”, or singular nouns. (e.g., He is Bob. She is happy.)
We are: Used with “we”. (e.g., We are friends.)
They are: Used with “they” or plural nouns. (e.g., They are students.)

2. Subject Pronouns

These words replace nouns as the subject of a sentence. In self-introductions, “I” is key.

I: Refers to yourself. (e.g., I live in London.)
You: Refers to the person you are talking to.
He/She/It/We/They: (Other subject pronouns you will learn soon!)

3. Possessive Adjective “My”

This word shows that something belongs to “I”.

My: (e.g., My name is Alice. My hobbies are reading.)

4. Simple Present Tense for Facts and Habits

When you talk about things that are always true or happen regularly, you use the simple present tense.

I live in London. (This is a fact about where you live.)
I like pizza. (This is a general preference.)
Form: Subject + Base form of verb (for I/you/we/they). (e.g., I watch movies. You bake cupcakes.)

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct words from the box below.

(am, is, live, hobbies, name, nice)

My ______ is Alice.
I ______ a student.
I ______ in London.
My ______ are watching movies and baking.
It’s ______ to meet you.

Exercise 2: Unscramble the Sentences

Put the words in the correct order to make a sentence.

name / My / is / Bob.
student / a / I / am.
New York / I / in / live.
are / My / playing / hobbies / games.
meet / to / you / Nice.

Exercise 3: Your Turn!

Write your own short self-introduction using the phrases you learned.

Hello, my name is ___________.
I am a ___________.
I live in ___________.
My hobbies are ___________.
Nice to meet you!

Answers

Exercise 1 Answers:

name
am
live
hobbies
nice

Exercise 2 Answers:

My name is Bob.
I am a student.
I live in New York.
My hobbies are playing games.
Nice to meet you.

Exercise 3 Answers:

(Answers will vary, but here is an example)

Hello, my name is [Your Name].
I am a [Your Job/Student Status].
I live in [Your City/Country].
My hobbies are [Your Hobbies].
Nice to meet you!

Self-introduction