Self Introduction in English: Format, Phrases and 6 Samples
A self introduction in English is a short talk in which you tell others who you are: your name, where you are from, what you study or do, and one or two things about yourself. A good one lasts 30 to 60 seconds, uses simple sentences in the simple present tense, and ends with a friendly closing line.
You need it on the first day of school or college, in an interview, in a meeting, at a new workplace and when you meet people online. This lesson gives you a six-step format, useful phrases for each step, six complete samples that you can change to suit yourself, the mistakes to avoid and tips to say it confidently.
The 6-Step Format for a Self Introduction
1. Greeting: Good morning / Hello everyone.
2. Name: I’m ___. / My name is ___.
3. Where you are from / live: I’m from ___. / I live in ___.
4. Study or work: I’m a student of ___. / I work as a ___ at ___.
5. Interests or strengths: I like ___. / I’m good at ___.
6. Closing: Thank you. / I’m happy to be here. / I look forward to working with you all.
Keep to this order. Steps 1 to 3 are the same in every situation. Change steps 4 and 5 for your audience: a teacher wants to know your class, an interviewer wants your skills, and a new colleague wants to know your role.
Useful Phrases for Each Step
| Step | Phrases you can use |
|---|---|
| Greeting | Good morning, everyone. / Hello, everyone. / Good afternoon, sir and ma’am. / Hi, nice to meet you all. |
| Name | My name is Kavya Reddy. / I’m Kavya Reddy. / Please call me Kavya. / Everyone calls me Kavi. |
| From / live | I’m from Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu. / I was born and brought up in Lucknow. / I live in Pune with my parents and younger brother. |
| Study | I’m studying in Class 10 at Kendriya Vidyalaya. / I’m a second-year B.Com student at Delhi University. / I have completed my B.Tech in mechanical engineering. |
| Work | I work as a software tester at an IT company in Bengaluru. / I have three years of experience in customer support. / I’m a team leader in the sales department. |
| Interests | I enjoy playing cricket on weekends. / In my free time, I like reading and cooking. / I’m interested in photography. |
| Strengths | I’m good at solving problems. / I work well in a team. / People say I’m a good listener. |
| Closing | Thank you for listening. / That’s all about me. Thank you. / I’m excited to learn from all of you. / I look forward to working with you. |
Almost every sentence in a self introduction uses the simple present tense (“I study…”, “I live…”, “I like…”). If it is not yet comfortable, revise Simple Present Tense: Rules, Formula and Examples.
6 Self Introduction Samples
Read each sample aloud once, then replace the details with your own. Do not memorise the sample word for word. Memorised speeches sound flat.
1. School student
Good morning, everyone. My name is Aarav Sharma. I’m twelve years old and I study in Class 7 at St. Mary’s School in Jaipur. I live with my parents and my little sister. My favourite subject is science because I like doing experiments. In my free time, I play cricket and draw. I’m happy to be here. Thank you.
2. College student
Hello, everyone. I’m Sneha Iyer. I’m from Chennai, and I’m in the first year of B.Sc. Computer Science at Loyola College. I chose this course because I enjoy solving puzzles and working with computers. Outside class, I sing in the college choir and volunteer at a local library. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you and learning together. Thank you.
3. Fresher at an interview
Good morning, sir and ma’am. Thank you for this opportunity. My name is Rohit Verma, and I’m from Indore. I have recently completed my B.Com with first class from Devi Ahilya University. During my final year, I did a three-month internship in an accounts firm, where I learned to prepare invoices and use Tally. I’m careful with numbers, I learn quickly, and I work well in a team. I’m eager to start my career with your company. Thank you.
4. Working professional
Hello, I’m Meena Nair. I’m from Kochi and I currently live in Bengaluru. I work as a senior customer support executive at a telecom company, and I have five years of experience in handling customer queries and training new joiners. I enjoy solving problems and making customers feel heard. Outside work, I like reading and trekking. I’m now looking for a role where I can lead a small team. Thank you for your time.
5. In class on the first day
Good morning, everyone. I’m Imran Khan. I’m new to this class. I have come from another school, because my family has moved to Hyderabad. In my old school I was in the football team, and I would like to join the team here too. I like maths and I don’t like early mornings, but I’m trying! I hope to make many new friends. Thank you.
6. In a meeting (new team member)
Good morning, everyone. Let me introduce myself. I’m Deepak Singh, and I’m joining the marketing team as a content writer. Before this, I worked for two years at a digital agency in Gurugram, writing articles and social media posts. I’m glad to be part of the team. If you need anything written, please feel free to ask me. I look forward to working with you all. Thank you.
A Very Short Self Introduction (10 Seconds)
Sometimes you have only a few seconds, for example when a group is going round the table. Use three sentences: name, what you do, one personal detail.
“Hi, I’m Pooja. I work in HR at a pharma company in Ahmedabad. I love travelling, especially to the hills.”
Mistakes to Avoid in a Self Introduction
| Instead of | More natural | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Myself Ravi. | ✅ I’m Ravi. / My name is Ravi. | “Myself” cannot be the subject of a sentence. It is used after an action: “I taught myself English.” |
| ❌ My good name is Ravi. | ✅ My name is Ravi. | “Good name” is a direct translation. English simply says “name”. |
| ❌ I am from Mumbai side. | ✅ I’m from Mumbai. | “Side” is not needed unless you mean the area around the city. |
| ❌ I am doing B.Tech from XYZ college. | ✅ I’m doing my B.Tech at XYZ College. / I’m a B.Tech student at XYZ College. | We use “at” (not “from”) for the college. “I’m doing my B.Tech at…” is also fine. |
| ❌ I am having two brothers. | ✅ I have two brothers. | “Have” for family is not used in the continuous form. |
| ❌ I am working in IT field since 2022. | ✅ I have been working in IT since 2022. | Use the present perfect continuous with “since”. |
| ❌ My hobbies are reading books, listening music. | ✅ My hobbies are reading books and listening to music. | “Listen” needs “to”, and “and” joins the last item. |
| ❌ I have 5 years experience. | ✅ I have five years of experience. | Use “of” after the number of years, and “five years of experience” as a phrase. |
| ❌ Thank you for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself, and now I will start. | ✅ Thank you. Let me start. | Avoid long, empty sentences. Get straight to the point. |
To correct more everyday sentence mistakes like these, see Daily Use English Sentences, which has a “Say this, not that” section.
Tips to Say It Confidently
1. Write it, then keep only the key points
Write your introduction once. Then underline five key words (name, place, study or job, one strength, closing) and speak from those words. This keeps it natural.
2. Speak slowly and pause after each sentence
Nervous speakers rush. Stop after each full stop and take a breath. A slow, clear voice sounds more confident than a fast one.
3. Look at people and smile
Look at the audience, or at the interviewer, for a moment at the start of each sentence. A smile in the first line makes everyone listen better.
4. Practise aloud, on your phone
Record yourself, listen once, then record again. Three recordings are usually enough to hear and fix your pauses and mistakes.
5. Prepare two versions
Have a 15-second version and a one-minute version ready, so that you can use the right one when you are called upon.
Nervous before an interview? Read How to Speak Confidently in an English Job Interview, and for starting conversations after the introduction, read Small Talk in English.
✍️ Quick Practice — Correct the Introduction
Correct the mistake in each sentence.
- Myself Kiran Patel.
- I am having one sister and one brother.
- I am from Pune side.
- I am doing B.A. from Fergusson College.
- My hobbies are playing cricket and listen to songs.
- I have three years experience in sales.
Answers: 1. I’m Kiran Patel. / My name is Kiran Patel. | 2. I have one sister and one brother. | 3. I’m from Pune. | 4. I’m doing my B.A. at Fergusson College. (or: I’m a B.A. student at Fergusson College.) | 5. My hobbies are playing cricket and listening to songs. | 6. I have three years of experience in sales.
✍️ Quick Practice — Write Your Own
Fill in the blanks to build a short introduction. (Sample answer given below.)
- Good morning, everyone. My name is ______.
- I’m from ______.
- I ______ (study / work) at ______.
- In my free time, I like ______.
- Thank you.
Sample answer: Good morning, everyone. My name is Divya Menon. I’m from Thrissur. I study at Government Engineering College. In my free time, I like painting and watching films. Thank you.
Summary
A good self introduction in English follows six steps: greeting, name, where you are from, study or work, interests or strengths, and a closing line. Use simple present tense, short sentences and a natural, slow voice. Avoid “Myself…”, “good name” and “I am having…”, and say “I’m…” or “My name is…”. Prepare a short and a longer version, practise it aloud, and change the details for each audience. To keep practising, work through Daily Use English Sentences and follow the plan in How to Speak English Fluently.