Shadowing Practice: How to Introduce Yourself in IELTS Speaking (and Common Mistakes) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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A lot of students think

that part one of the IELTS speaking test is just one big introduction where they have to introduce themselves.

But this is not true.

You don't have to give a long introduction like you would in a job interview.

If you start trying to say something like, hi, my name's John, I'm from Australia, and I have a brother, a dog and a cat.

Well, the examiner is exactly what I'm going to show you in this lesson.

You're going to learn what actually happens in the first part of IELTS speaking, how to answer the basic questions you get asked,

common mistakes you should avoid, and then at the end we're going to do a bit of practice.

And by the way, if you do want to get a band 7 or higher in IELTS speaking, make sure you check out our IELTS preparation course.

The link is in the description below.

All right, let's talk about the first part of the IELTS speaking test.

So the first thing that will happen for your speaking test is you will have to register and have your photo taken.

After that, you will be told to sit down and wait for the examiner to call you.

When he or she does call you, you obviously need to follow the examiner to the interview room.

Now, when you see the examiner, I recommend that you say good morning or good afternoon.

because it's going to make the experience much better for you and also for the examiner as well.

Now, when you do get to the interview room, the examiner will read some information.

So what you can see now is exactly what the examiner is going to say before the speaking test starts.

If you're interested, quickly pause the video and have a quick read.

Now after the examiner has read that information, the interview officially starts.

Now the first thing that's going to happen is that the examiner will say his or her name.

So for example, he will say something like, "Good afternoon, my name is John Smith." And then after that, he will ask you three basic questions.

Here are the three questions.

The first one is, could you tell me your full name?

The second one is, what shall I call you?

And the third one is, could you tell me where you're from?

Now, please note that this question might not be asked if it's already obvious where you're from.

example, John Smith.

Alternatively, you could say "it's John Smith", or you could say the full sentence and say "my name is John Smith".

Now let's move on to the second question, which is what shall I call you?

For this one, it simply means what name would you like the examiner to use in the interview?

It can also mean what is your nickname or what is your English name?

So to answer this one, you can simply say what you want the examiner to call you and then say is fine.

So for example, John is fine.

Alternatively, you could say call me John, please.

like just call me John.

Now the next question is, could you tell me where you're from?

Well for this one there are a few different ways you can say it.

The first thing you can say is, I'm from city or country.

So for example, you could say, I'm from Japan.

That's it.

Alternatively, you could say, I'm from place, but I live in place now.

So for example, I'm from Bangkok, but I live in Chiang Mai now.

You could also say, I'm from place, and then you give a little bit more information.

So you could say something like, I'm from Perth on the west coast of Australia.

Now the key with this one is keep it short.

Don't give a very long answer, just make it short and make it very quick.

Now, after you have answered those three questions that we just looked at, the examiner will ask to see your identification and check

if it is the same as what he or she has got on his paper in front of him.

After that, the examiner will return your identification to you

and then the examiner will ask you the first question for the first topic in part one of the speaking test.

And remember that the examiner has strict time limits that he or she must follow.

So for those 30 seconds, keep your answers short and sweet.

Now let's look at what happens after those first 30 seconds.

So you're going to get three speaking topics in part one.

The first one will be either work, study or home.

And this will always be one of the topics.

these topics for the first part one topic every single time.

The second topic that you get asked about is a random topic.

It could be anything.

It could be about phones or it could be about buildings.

And then the third topic is also a random topic.

So it could be anything.

Now for the first topic you'll get three to four questions.

For the second topic you'll get four questions and then for the third topic you will also get four questions.

So in total for part one speaking you will get 11 to 12 questions.

Now please note that part one topics are everyday personal topics

so they're going to be very simple topics and very common everyday topics.

Now, like I said, work, study or home will be the first topic that you'll get asked about every single time,

so let's have a look at some questions and answers for these topics.

So the first question that you might get asked is do you work or are you a student?

So if you work you can use this four step formula.

The first thing you can say is I'm currently employed in the

something field as a something and I'll show you how to fill those gaps in just a second.

The second thing is you can say my responsibilities include

and then you have a verb ing that's very important remember you need a verb ing to have correct grammar

and the third step is you can say how you feel about your job

and then finally you can talk about the future.

Now please note that you work.

You don't have to follow this, it's just a suggestion.

So let's have a look at what a real answer might look like.

I am currently employed in the IT field.

working as a software developer.

So when it's talking about the field, that's talking about the area.

So are you in the IT field, which is related to computers?

Are you in the education field?

What area do you work in?

And then after you say as a, that's where you actually say your job or your position.

Following this, you can talk about your responsibilities.

So you could say something like, my responsibilities include designing and maintaining websites,

issues for clients and again notes here how we have verb INGs

so designing maintaining and troubleshooting after

that you can say how you feel I really enjoy the work

because it's challenging and rewarding and finally you can say something about the future

and I don't have any plans to change jobs in the near future

so this is a really nice well balanced answer it's not too long grammar and vocabulary.

Alright, so now let's pretend that you are a student.

How do you answer this question if you're a student?

Well, it's pretty simple.

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You can follow a similar sort of formula.

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Let me show you.

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So you can say something like, I'm in my final year of tertiary studies at university, majoring in economics.

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Tertiary studies, that's referring to university.

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If you're at high school, you could say something like secondary education.

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secondary education.

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After that, you can give a little bit more information about what you're studying.

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So for example, it's quite demanding, especially with all the research projects and deadlines,

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but I enjoy analysing real world financial trends.

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So you're not just saying what you major in, you're giving more information.

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And remember, in the speaking test, it's your job to show the examiner that you can speak English really well.

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And finally, for the last sentence, you can say what you're going to do after you finish your studies.

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So for example, after graduating, I'm hoping to pursue a career in investment banking,

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or maybe even further studies if the right opportunity comes up.

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So this is a really nice answer to the question.

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Again, it's not too long, not too short.

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Now, another question that you might get asked is, which city or town do you live in now?

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So let's have a look at an answer to this question.

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So we can start by saying the city, obviously.

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So I currently live in Sydney, Australia, which is a vibrant and multicultural city with plenty to offer.

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Look at this beautiful sentence.

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Instead of just saying, I currently live in Sydney, and then stopping, we have given more information.

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that we have a higher level of grammar

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and also a higher level of vocabulary because we've used some more advanced terms like vibrant and multicultural.

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After that, you could say more specifically where you live.

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So we could say I'm based in the inner suburbs.

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So I'm close to the city center, but still have access to parks and quieter residential areas.

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So this is a great formula.

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You start with the city and then you be more specific as to which area you live in.

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What I love most is the coastal lifestyle.

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Now look at that sentence.

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It's quite short, but there's nothing wrong with that.

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Because if you want a high grammar score, you need to show the examiner that you can use both simple and complex or longer sentences.

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Having world famous beaches like Bondi, just a short trip away, is definitely a plus.

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So again, we've given a very nice answer.

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It's not too long, it's not too short, and we've given a little bit of extra information.

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mistakes that a lot of students make in this first part.

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The first one is spelling out your name.

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You don't need to do this.

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Instead, just say your name.

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So for example, "My name is John Smith." Or you can just say your name, John Smith.

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Another common mistake is giving one -word answers for the questions that you get for the three topics.

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What you should do instead is give 15 to 20 second answers for the three topics, and that's normally around two to three sentences.

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So if you think back to the answers we just looked at before,

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they are some good examples of answers that are not too long and not too short for part one.

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The next common mistake is trying to give a long self -introduction.

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Don't worry, you're going to get a chance to speak and show the examiner what your English is like.

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So instead, just answer the questions like I showed you at the start of the lesson.

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always be polite always be respectful say hello say good morning I'm not saying you should have a long conversation

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or a long chat with the examiner just be nice just be respectful say hello say good morning Alright, now it's time for some practice.

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I'm going to act like the examiner, and I'm going to ask you the first few questions from the IELTS speaking test.

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Try to answer them just like you would in a real test.

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Are you ready?

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Let's get started.

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3. 2.

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1. My name is Shane Edwards.

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Could you tell me your full name, please?

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Thank you, and what shall I call you?

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Could you tell me where you're from, please?

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Thank you.

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And can I see your identification, please?

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Thanks.

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Thanks very much.

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That's fine.

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Thank you.

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Now, in this first part, I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself.

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Let's talk about what you do.

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Do you work?

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Now, let me give you one final tip about the speaking test.

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So in the speaking test, the examiner has strict time limits and they must follow those time limits.

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So my final tip for you is to just answer the examiner's questions.

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And if they stop you, don't worry.

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You haven't done anything wrong.

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It's just that they have to follow strict time limits.

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Now, if you're looking to improve your speaking even more and you want to sound very natural in the IELTS speaking test, video right here.

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Thanks for watching.

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Take care and keep studying hard.

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Context & Background

In the IELTS speaking test, many candidates misunderstand the format of the first part, believing it resembles a job interview where an extensive self-introduction is required. However, this portion of the test is designed to be concise and straightforward. Candidates are typically asked three basic questions about their name, what they prefer to be called, and their origin. Understanding this context is crucial for success in your IELTS speaking exam. Utilizing resources like shadowing apps can significantly enhance your practice by enabling you to repeat and refine your responses while engaging with authentic content.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

Could you tell me your full name? - A direct way for the examiner to get your full identity.
What shall I call you? - This question refers to your preferred name or nickname during the interview.
Could you tell me where you're from? - Be prepared to provide your place of origin in a succinct manner.
John is fine. - A simple response to indicate your preferred name.
I'm from Perth on the west coast of Australia. - A clear, concise way to give a bit more information without being too verbose.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

For non-native speakers preparing for the IELTS speaking test, employing a shadow speak technique can be extremely beneficial. Here’s how you can tackle this specific video’s content:

Watch the Video: Start by watching the video thoroughly to grasp the nuances of the introduction process in the IELTS speaking test.
Pause and Imitate: Use a shadowing app to pause the video after key phrases. Repeat what you hear, mimicking the intonation and style of the speaker.
Record Yourself: Capture your responses using your own voice to analyze your pronunciation and fluency. This helps identify areas for improvement.
Practice with Variations: Change up your responses using the phrases provided. Try introducing yourself multiple times with different details to build flexibility in your replies.
Engage with Others: If possible, practice with peers or a language partner, discussing your backgrounds and responding to each other's questions in English.

This step-by-step approach to using the shadowspeaks method will equip you with the skills necessary for effective communication. Not only will this prepare you for the IELTS, but it will enrich your overall ability to learn English with YouTube content effectively.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has read · have answered · have given
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	question, which is · field, which is · Australia, which is
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	will be told · might not be asked

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: How to Introduce Yourself in IELTS Speaking (and Common Mistakes) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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