How To Introduce Yourself In IELTS Speaking To Score 8

Introducing yourself is important in IELTS speaking as everyone knows, “your first impression is your last impression.”

If you do not do well in the introduction part, there are chances that you may not get the desired band score in the IELTS speaking. 

But performing well in the IELTS speaking introduction will boost your confidence, and you may do well in the other parts.

If you are one of those students who do not know how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking and how to answer introductive questions, then you are at the right place.

Here you will get the best tips to improve your introduction, and some do’s and don’ts in the IELTS speaking introduction. 

Let’s get started!

IELTS Speaking

You must understand IELTS speaking before understanding how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking. 

The IELTS speaking module takes place before or after the other 3 modules and takes 11 to 14 minutes to complete. There are 3 parts in the IELTS speaking module;

• Introduction (which we will discuss in this blog)
• Cue card
• Follow-ups

Introduction: In this part, the examiner will ask you questions about yourself, and you must answer the questions in 2 to 3 lines.

Cue Card: In this part, the examiner will give you a topic, and you must speak about the topic for 1:30 to 2 minutes. You will get 1 minute to prepare for the cue card topic.

Follow-ups: In this part, the examiner will ask general questions that may or may not be related to the cue card. You must answer these questions in minimum 3 to 4 lines.

Read our other blog to learn How to improve IELTS speaking skills.

IELTS Speaking Introduction: How To Introduce Yourself In IELTS Speaking

This is the first part of the IELTS speaking, and the examiner will ask questions related to you. This part of speaking takes 4 to 5 minutes to complete, and the examiner will give you a score in this section based on your responses. 

Now we will shift to the main focus of our blog. 

Let’s start with some do’s and don’ts in IELTS speaking.

Do’s And Don’ts In IELTS Speaking

Here you will get some things you must do and some things that you should not do in IELTS speaking introduction.

Do’s

The introduction is the first part of the IELTS speaking, and you must present yourself confidently. So, here are some things that you must do in IELTS speaking.

1) Create a good first impression:

You must create a positive impression on the examiner by answering the questions confidently. 

While introducing yourself or answering the questions in the introduction section, you must speak confidently without fumbling. 

It may affect your score if you hesitate while speaking or look here and there while answering. So speak confidently and set up a good impression.

2) Speak clearly:

You must speak clearly so the examiner can easily understand your words. It may also affect your score if the examiner can’t understand what you are saying. 

3) Show you are interested in the question:

You may find some questions in IELTS speaking boring, but you have to show interest in the question.

While answering a boring question, some students may start answering monotonously. They start answering a flat pitch, which can lead to band deduction. 

So, show interest while answering the question to make your speaking interesting.

4) Use proper hand gestures and facial expressions:

If you use proper hand gestures while giving answers, there is nothing wrong with that. It may even show your confidence.

Also, put a decent smile on your face while answering because if you look stressed, it may put a bad impression.

Download the IELTS Speaking pdf to get the IELTS speaking questions with sample answers.

Don’ts

I explain some things you must avoid while answering in the IELTS speaking introduction because it is a very important part of understanding how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking.

1) Answer memorized answers:

Some students give memorized answers to the IELTS speaking introduction questions which is their biggest mistake. 

The memorized answer may sound unnatural and even can go off-topic. So avoid giving the memorized answer in the IELTS speaking introduction.

2) Use slang or informal language: 

Understanding that using slang in IELTS speaking can affect your band score is important. 

3) Answer in yes/no:

If you answer the question just yes or no, it will be bad for you and can decrease your band score. So try to expand your answer slightly instead of saying yes or no.

For example, if the examiner asks, “Do you like flowers?”

Don’t answer just yes or no. Instead, answer, “Yes, I really like flowers. They are such a beautiful and colorful part of nature. Whenever I see a field of flowers or a garden full of them, it brings a smile to my face.”

4) Answer with silence:

You should not also answer any question with silence. If you can’t understand the question, you can ask the examiner to repeat the question.

Also, if you do not know the answer, speak about anything related to the question.

Tips For Introducing Yourself In IELTS Speaking

Here I will explain some tips to help you understand how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking.

Start With A Greeting

When you enter the room, ask for permission before entering, and when you reach the examiner, greet him or her by saying, “Hello, sir/mam.” It will put a positive or good impression on the examiner.

State Your Name And Where You Belong

When the examiner asks you to introduce yourself, give your name and tell where you belong appropriately. Also, you can add some background information like your qualification, hobbies, etc.

You can start with the following;

• I am (your name).
• Hi, I am (your name).
• My name is (your name).

But, do not begin as follows:

• It’s me (your name).
• You can call me (your name).
• Everybody calls me (your name).
• My nickname is (your name)
• My first name is (first name), and my last name is (last name).

While giving information about your hometown, use simple sentences instead of high-sounding vocabulary. Using high-sounding vocabulary in introducing yourself can have a bad impact on the examiner.

For example; 

Instead of saying, “I hail from (your hometown) say I live in or I am from (your hometown).

Speak With Confidence And Enthusiasm

While speaking, show the examiner that you are interested in speaking and enjoying speaking. Use facial expressions or hand gestures to show you are enjoying.

Just don’t speak in a flat pitch because it can make your speaking monotonous and can affect your band score. 

Read our other blog to learn about IELTS Speaking Cue Card Questions And Answers.

Conclusion

If you are aiming to get a band score of 8 in IELTS speaking, then you must do well in the introduction part, so for you, I have explained how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking. 

As you know that your first impression matters a lot, and your introduction part will affect your whole speaking.

If your introduction goes well, you will also get confidence for the cue card and follow-up. 

After reading this blog, I hope you have no queries or questions about how to introduce yourself in IELTS speaking. 

If you still have any queries left, don’t hesitate to contact our experts or let us know through comments.

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