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Before starting the IELTS Speaking test, you will be asked to introduce yourself. Although this is the most basic part, you need to prepare thoroughly to create a good impression and rapport with the examiner. Follow the article below for detailed instructions how to make a good impression when introducing yourself in the IELTS Speaking section most effectively.
Introducing yourself is the part of the test that helps you make a good first impression on the examiner
Speaking Part 1 is the first part of the IELTS Speaking test. Part 1 lasts from 4-5 minutes with about 12 questions to answer on 3 different topics. Before officially entering the test, candidates need to greet and introduce themselves to the examiner.
To "score points" with the IELTS examiner, your introduction needs to be complete, clear and accurate with information. The information that needs to be shown in this part includes the following parts:
When you first meet, you need to start with a formal, polite greeting. To express a polite and serious attitude towards the IELTS test, you need to use formal greetings:
Structures used to greet the examiner
Note: In the IELTS Speaking section, instead of using “Hi”, you should use “Hello” because “Hi” is only used when the person is an acquaintance or friend.
After opening with a polite greeting, you should introduce your name in 1-2 sentences. And you can use the simple structures below:
Structures used to introduce your name in the IELTS Speaking section introducing yourself
How to use each structure is as follows:
In the first structure, you need to introduce both your full name and surname.
In the second structure, you can introduce only part of the name that you want the examiner to call you.
In the third and fourth structures, use the nickname that you want the examiner to feel more friendly and easy to remember. If you do not have a nickname, you can skip this structure.
Introducing age is also an important part for the examiner to accurately verify the candidate's personal information. You can use the following simple age-speaking structures:
Structures used to introduce age
Your place of residence, address is also one of the personal information that the examiner is interested in in the IELTS Speaking section introducing yourself. To express this information, you use the following structures:
Structures used to introduce addresses and places of residence
The place name in the above structure can be the province, city or area where you live. To use the above structure correctly, you need to pay attention to the following:
Before the name of the province or city, use the preposition “in”.
In the structure “I’m from/I’m originally from…”, there is no need to add a preposition because the preposition ‘’from’’ is already in front of the name of the province or city.
Here are the structures you can use to introduce your education and profession:
Structures used to introduce your profession
The first three structures are used with students, used to introduce the place of study, the major you are currently studying. The remaining structures are used to introduce your profession. In the 6th and 7th structures, you can use them to introduce your profession, and also "show off" a little about your experience and current position.
>>> Xem thêm: Chuẩn bị luyện thi IELTS chuẩn xác cùng IDP
When answering questions, to increase naturalness and fluency, you can use filler words such as: Well, Like, Actually/ Basically/ Seriously, Um, er, uh, Hmm, Okay, so, … Additionally, filler words are also known as “lifesavers” when you encounter difficult questions and cannot find an immediate answer. They will fill in the empty moments to give you more time to organize your response.
You can refer to some opening sentences for the self-introduction part that are both impressive and polite to the examiner:
See more: Scoring phrases in IELTS Speaking
To have an impressive IELTS Speaking test, candidates can refer to some sample introductions below:
Sample 1: Great to meet you! My name is + Your name. You can call me + Nickname, the name you want to be called. I’m over/nearly/almost + age. I’m originally from + your hometown name. I work for (company name) … as a/ an + career.
Sample 2: Good morning/ good afternoon/ good evening! My full/ first/ last name is + Full name. My nickname is + Nickname/the name you want to be called. I’m + age + years old. I grew up in + where you grew up. I work in/at a + workplace
Sample 3: Pleased to meet you! My name is + Your name You can call me + Nickname, the name you want to be called. I’m in my early twenties/ late thirties. I live in/ My address is + your current living address. I earn my living as a/ an + career.
The self-introduction should be brief and informative.
To achieve a perfect score in the IELTS Speaking self-introduction section, you should refer to the following notes and tips:
You need to practice thoroughly at home so that during the test you can stay calm and confidently look directly at the examiner, making a good impression for the opening part of the Speaking test .
You need to speak clearly, pronounce vowels and consonants accurately, and not swallow words.
The speaking speed needs to be natural, with accurate rhythm. If you speak too slowly, it will make it difficult for the listener to follow what you want to convey. On the other hand, if you speak too quickly, the examiner may not be able to catch your answers clearly.
Professional intonation, emphasizing important words. Lower your voice at the end of declarative sentences or raise your voice at the end of questions. Using intonation helps make your speech more emotional, less monotonous, and more natural.
Some people think that speaking a lot will help get a high score in the IELTS Speaking self-introduction section. This is not advisable because you might go off-topic if you talk too much. Therefore, you need to make sure that you are answering the question directly and expanding your answer by explaining, listing, etc., rather than waiting for the examiner to ask 'Why?'. If you make the examiner ask 'Why?', you might lose points for lacking fluency and coherence.
You should not memorize sample self-introductions for the IELTS Speaking test at home. The pressure of the exam will make you anxious and difficult to remember exactly what you memorized. Therefore, if you answer hesitantly and incoherently, it will also create a forced and unnatural feeling.
Confidence helps you perform the test in the best way
>>> Read more:
IELTS Speaking test preparation materials – Academic & General Training
Tips for an extremely engaging IELTS Speaking test introduction
If you are looking for a quality IELTS test center, you might consider choosing IDP. IDP is proud to be a co-founder and organizer of the IELTS test worldwide. With over 25 years of operation in Vietnam, IDP offers candidates:
Test rooms are fully equipped with international standard equipment to ensure candidates can focus and perform their best in the test.
Candidates can experience free mock tests to familiarize themselves with computer-based test procedures.
IDP often organizes workshops to support candidates, helping them get used to the equipment. So during the test, candidates will not be surprised when using the equipment.
Candidates can proactively choose the most suitable speaking test schedule. IDP's speaking test schedules span both mornings and afternoons throughout the week.
>>> You can learn about IDP's computer-based IELTS mock test at home through the link below: https://ielts.idp.com/vietnam/about/news-and-articles/article-ielts-computer-trial-at-home
The above article has detailed how to make an impression in the IELTS Speaking self-introduction . Hopefully, through this article, you have gained more experience in studying and practicing to achieve the highest results. Prepare thoroughly, be confident, and impress the IELTS Speaking examiner!
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