Topic Discussion about oneself – Sample introduction in English

1. Vocabulary related to the topic of talking about yourself

1.1. Nouns (Substantives)

• Achievement: thành tựu, thành tích
• Ambition: hoài bão, tham vọng
• Art: nghệ thuật
• Belief: niềm tin
• Book: sách
• Career: sự nghiệp
• Challenge: thử thách
• Childhood: thời thơ ấu
• Communication: giao tiếp
• Creativity: sáng tạo
• Criticism: chỉ trích
• Culture: văn hóa
• Curiosity: sự tò mò
• Dream: giấc mơ, mơ ước
• Education: giáo dục
• Experience: kinh nghiệm
• Family: gia đình
• Film: phim
• Food: đồ ăn
• Friendship: tình bạn
• Goal: mục tiêu
• Hobby: sở thích
• Hometown: quê hương
• Identity: danh tính
• Imagination: trí tưởng tượng
• Inspiration: cảm hứng
• Interest: quan tâm
• Language: ngôn ngữ
• Memory: ký ức
• Motivation: động lực
• Music: âm nhạc
• Passion: đam mê
• Personality: tính cách
• Perspective: quan điểm
• Responsibility: trách nhiệm
• Satisfaction: sự hài lòng
• Skill: kỹ năng
• Strength: sức mạnh
• Support: hỗ trợ
• Travel: du lịch
• Weakness: điểm yếu

1.2. Verbs (Verbes)

• Enjoy: thích thú
• Love: yêu
• Like: thích
• Prefer: ưa thích
• Study: học tập
• Learn: học hỏi
• Work: làm việc
• Volunteer: tình nguyện
• Travel: đi du lịch
• Explore: khám phá
• Communicate: giao tiếp
• Create: sáng tạo
• Sing: hát
• Dance: nhảy
• Draw: vẽ
• Write: viết
• Read: đọc
• Watch: xem
• Cook: nấu ăn
• Eat: ăn
• Dream: mơ ước
• Remember: nhớ lại
• Overcome: vượt qua
• Achieve: đạt được
• Pursue: theo đuổi
• Believe: tin tưởng vào
• Challenge: thách thức
• Inspire: truyền cảm hứng
• Support: hỗ trợ
• Respect: tôn trọng

1.3. Adjectives (Adjectifs)

• Friendly: thân thiện
• Outgoing: hướng ngoại
• Introverted: hướng nội
• Confident: tự tin
• Ambitious: có tham vọng
• Curious: tò mò
• Creative: sáng tạo
• Artistic: nghệ thuật
• Musical: âm nhạc
• Athletic: thể thao
• Patient: kiên nhẫn
• Hardworking: chăm chỉ
• Determined: quyết tâm
• Open-minded: cởi mở
• Tolerant: khoan dung
• Responsible: có trách nhiệm
• Reliable: đáng tin cậy
• Honest: trung thực
• Humorous: hài hước
• Kind: tử tế
• Brave: dũng cảm
• Intelligent: thông minh
• Resourceful: nhiều tài năng
• Independent: độc lập
• Motivated: động viên
• Passionate: đam mê
• Supportive: hỗ trợ
• Understanding: thông cảm
• Wise: khôn ngoan
• Optimistic: lạc quan

1.4. Adverbs (Adverbes)

• Always: luôn luôn
• Often: thường xuyên
• Sometimes: đôi khi
• Rarely: hiếm khi
• Never: không bao giờ
• Well: tốt
• Quickly: nhanh chóng
• Slowly: chậm rãi
• Carefully: cẩn thận
• Easily: dễ dàng
• Honestly: thành thật
• Respectfully: tôn trọng
• Responsibly: có trách nhiệm
• Reliably: đáng tin cậy
• Happily: hạnh phúc
• Confidently: tự tin
• Comfortably: thoải mái
• Passionately: đam mê
• Curiously: tò mò
• Creatively: sáng tạo
• Kindly: tử tế
• Bravely: dũng cảm
• Intelligently: thông minh
• Resourcefully: nhiều tài năng
• Independently: độc lập
• Motivationally: động viên
• Supportively: hỗ trợ
• Understandingly: thông cảm
• Wisely: khôn ngoan
• Honestly: trung thực

1.5. Idioms & phrases (Idiomes et expressions)

• Get the ball rolling: Khởi động
• Wear your heart on your sleeve: Thể hiện cảm xúc rõ ràng
• Let the cat out of the bag: Vạch trần bí mật
• Break the ice: Phá vỡ sự ngại ngùng
• Bite off more than you can chew: Tham lam quá mức
• Put your best foot forward: Tập trung vào cái tốt nhất
• Cut to the chase: Đi thẳng vào vấn đề
• A blessing in disguise: Tai họa thành phúc
• A fresh start: Bắt đầu lại từ đầu
• A piece of cake: Dễ dàng hơn dự đoán
• A chip on your shoulder: Tự cho mình cao hơn người
• A taste of your own medicine: Nhận lại những gì đã làm cho người khác
• All ears: Chăm chú lắng nghe
• Every cloud has a silver lining: Không có gì là tuyệt đối
• Hit the nail on the head: Chính xác, đúng mục tiêu
• Learn the ropes: Học cách làm việc một cách chuyên nghiệp
• Make a long story short: Tóm tắt lại câu chuyện dài dòng
• On cloud nine: Rất hạnh phúc, vui sướng
• The sky’s the limit: Không giới hạn
• Time flies when you’re having fun: Thời gian trôi nhanh khi bạn đang vui chơi.

2. Some notes on the topic Talk about yourself

• Cố gắng trả lời thật tự nhiên, không gượng gạo vì đây là câu hỏi liên quan đến chính bản thân bạn.
• Câu trả lời nên bao gồm đầy đủ chủ ngữ, vị ngữ.
• Khi nói chuyện, không nên nhìn qua lại không xác định, hãy tự tin và mắt nhìn tập trung vào giám khảo.
• Chuẩn bị các ý tưởng để trả lời chứ không học thuộc lòng (việc học thuộc sẽ ảnh hưởng đến phần phát âm và ngữ điệu.)
• Đối với các câu hỏi ở dạng Yes/No questions, đừng chỉ trả lời “Yes” hay “No” mà hãy giải thích thêm hoặc mở rộng ý cho câu trả lời của bạn. Bởi vì giám khảo sẽ không đánh giá được khả năng tiếng Anh của bạn.
• Không quan trọng ý kiến cụ thể của bạn về câu hỏi/chủ đề đó thực tế như thế nào, điều bạn cần là trả lời theo hướng nào có thể phô bày nhiều kỹ năng tiếng Anh của bạn nhất (về ngữ pháp cũng như từ vựng).
• Cố gắng mở rộng câu trả lời theo nhiều hướng, kể cả trong trường hợp bạn không biết câu trả lời về chủ đề đó.

3. Some sample sentences on the topic Talk about yourself

3.1. Topic

Occupation, field of study

• I am currently working as…
• I am currently studying at…
• I like my job/major because…

Place of residence

• I was born in… but now I live in…
• My hometown is… which is…

Reference: Talk About Your Hometown – IELTS Speaking part 1

Hobbies

• I am a big fan of…
• I’m really into
• I prefer…
• I enjoy…
• I’m keen on…
• I’m passionate about…
• I can’t stand/bear…

Reference: Talk about your hobby – IELTS Speaking Part 1

Activities

• In my spare time, I usually….
• When I’m not at work/at school, I like to…

Listing ideas in sequence

• There’s a fairly wide range of…
• There’s quite a diverse mixture of…
• The first thing I’d like to mention is…
• The most… is…
• On top of that,…
• Also,… is really…
• Another kind is…

Overview to details

• Generally speaking,…
• On the whole, I think that…
• In particular,…
• Specificially,…

Scenario division

• Well, It is contingent upon…
• Actually, It depends.
• If I’m…I prefer to….But, If I…, I would rather
• Usually, I prefer…However, If I have…I’d…

Creating contrasts

• Although…
• However,…

Né tránh (often used to respond to questions about the future or to make comparisons)

• Well, to be honest, I don’t…but I guess that I…
• Frankly speaking, I’m not sure about…but I guess if I had to choose one, then I’d…
• I’ve never thought about that. Though I think…
• I enjoy … much more than…

Explain the reason

3.2. Present arguments, organize ideas

• I guess this is due to/because…
• The reason for this is…

4. Sample topic Talk About Yourself

4.1. Bài mẫu chủ đề Discussing Yourself 1

I am a 20-year-old student at an art university, currently pursuing a degree in graphic design. I find the creative process of designing to be challenging yet fulfilling, and I am constantly seeking new ways to improve my skills. In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends, go to the movies, and explore the city on my motorbike. Besides, I am also working as a part-time teaching assistant at an art school for children. I believe that having a good work-life balance is essential to maintain a healthy mindset and achieving success in both personal and professional aspects of life.

• Pursue (v): theo đuổi
• Graphic design (n): thiết kế đồ họa
• Challenging (adj): thử thách
• Fulfilling (adj): đầy đủ, thỏa mãn
• Seek (v): tìm kiếm
• Improve (v): cải thiện
• Hang out (phrasal verb): tán gẫu, đi chơi
• Work-life balance (noun phrase): cân bằng giữa công việc và cuộc sống
• Essential (adj): cần thiết
• Maintain (v): duy trì
• Mindset (n): tư duy, cách suy nghĩ
• Personal (adj): cá nhân
• Professional (adj): chuyên nghiệp
• Aspect (n): khía cạnh
• Life (n): cuộc sống

4.2. Bài mẫu chủ đề Discussing Yourself 2

I would describe myself as an ambitious and motivated university student with a strong passion for learning and personal growth. I have achieved excellent results throughout my educational journey, which has instilled in me a diligent work ethic in the future. I also have effective communication skills gained from various team-based projects and leadership positions. When I’m not studying, I enjoy engaging in recreational activities such as hiking and photography, which allow me to appreciate the beauty of nature.

• Ambitious (adj): có tham vọng
• Motivated (adj): động lực
• Personal growth (noun phrase): sự phát triển cá nhân
• Excellent results (noun phrase): kết quả xuất sắc
• Educational journey (noun phrase): hành trình học tập
• Instill (v): thấm nhuần
• Diligent (adj): chăm chỉ
• Work ethic (noun phrase): đạo đức làm việc
• Effective (adj): hiệu quả
• Communication skills (noun phrase): kỹ năng giao tiếp
• Team-based projects (noun phrase): các dự án nhóm
• Leadership positions (noun phrase): vị trí lãnh đạo
• Recreational activities (noun phrase): các hoạt động giải trí mang tính sáng tạo

4.3. Bài mẫu chủ đề Presenting Yourself 3

Recently graduated from university, I am planning to take a gap year to explore my interests and gain more life experiences. During my studies, I have learned a lot about my field, but I also feel that there is much more to discover outside of academia. I want to take this time to travel and pursue personal projects that I have put on hold. I believe that this will help me to broaden my perspective, develop new skills, and gain a better understanding of myself. I hope to return to my career path with a fresh mindset and renewed motivation.

• Gap year (noun phrase): nghỉ học để đi làm, du lịch
• Academia (n): giới học thuật
• Travel (v): du lịch
• Pursue (v): theo đuổi
• Personal projects (noun phrase): các dự án cá nhân
• Broaden (v): mở rộng
• Perspective (n): quan điểm
• Develop (v): phát triển
• Understanding (n): sự hiểu biết
• Renewed (adj): mới lại, tươi mới

4.4. Bài mẫu chủ đề Presenting Yourself 4

I have been working at my current job as an office worker for several years and have gained valuable experience in the field. Although my work can be demanding, I find it rewarding and enjoy the challenges that come with it. As I prepare for my upcoming wedding, I am also looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life. I believe that marriage will bring new responsibilities and opportunities for personal growth, thus I am excited to embark on this journey with my partner.

• Office worker (noun phrase): nhân viên văn phòng
• Several (article): một vài 
• Valuable (adj): có giá trị
• Demanding (adj): đòi hỏi cao
• Rewarding (adj): đáng làm, đáng đầu tư
• Challenges (n): thách thức
• Upcoming (adj): sắp tới
• Chapter (n): chương, giai đoạn
• Life (n): cuộc sống
• Responsibilities (n): trách nhiệm
• Opportunities (n): cơ hội
• Personal growth (noun phrase): sự phát triển cá nhân

4.5. Bài mẫu chủ đề Presenting Yourself 5

I am an English teacher at a high school. I find it incredibly achieving to help students improve their language skills, it’s a great experience to see them grow and succeed in their studies. Outside of work, being a mother to a girl also brings me great joy. Balancing my professional and personal life can be challenging at times, but I still try my best due to the importance of both roles. I strive to be a positive role model for my students and a loving parent to my daughter.

• Experience (n): trải nghiệm
• Grow (v): phát triển
• Succeed (v): thành công
• Studies (n): học tập
• Outside of (phrase): ngoài việc
• Joy (n): niềm vui
• Balancing (v): cân bằng
• Professional (adj): chuyên nghiệp
• Positive (adj): tích cực
• Role model (n): hình mẫu

4.6. Bài mẫu chủ đề Discussing Yourself 6

I am a 25-year-old Customer Care officer at an English language centre for young children. My role involves assisting parents with their inquiries regarding course enrollment, scheduling classes, and resolving any issues that may arise. Although I do not have extensive work experience, I am constantly striving to enhance my communication skills and customer service abilities. When not working, I like to unwind by reading books and spending time with my family.

• Customer Care officer (noun phrase): nhân viên chăm sóc khách hàng
• Role (n): vai trò
• Assisting (v): hỗ trợ
• Inquiries (n): câu hỏi, yêu cầu
• Course enrollment (noun phrase): đăng ký học
• Resolving (v): giải quyết
• Issues (n): vấn đề
• Extensive (adj): rộng lớn, bao quát
• Constantly (adv): liên tục
• Striving (v): cố gắng
• Enhance (v): nâng cao
• Customer service (noun phrase): dịch vụ khách hàng
• Abilities (n): khả năng
• Unwind (v): thư giãn

4.7. Bài mẫu chủ đề Discussing Yourself 7

As a 16-year-old high school student who dreams of becoming a doctor, I have always been fascinated by the human body and the intricacies of how it works. My passion for medicine has led me to pursue a career in the field, and I am currently working hard to achieve my goal of attending a medical university. I enjoy reading medical journals and volunteering at a local hospital to gain more experience and knowledge in my spare time. Hard work and dedication are crucial for me to achieve success, and I am willing to put in the necessary effort to make my dreams a reality.

• Fascinated (adj): mê hoặc, quyến rũ
• Human body (noun phrase): cơ thể con người
• Intricacies (n): sự phức tạp, rắc rối
• Medicine (n): y học
• Pursue (v): theo đuổi
• Career (n): sự nghiệp
• Field (n): lĩnh vực
• Medical journals (noun phrase): các tạp chí y học
• Volunteer (v): tình nguyện
• Gain (v): đạt được, thu được
• Experience (n): kinh nghiệm
• Knowledge (n): kiến thức
• Spare time (noun phrase): thời gian rảnh
• Dedication (n): tận tâm, sự cống hiến
• Crucial (adj): quan trọng, cốt yếu
• Effort (n): nỗ lực

4.8. Bài mẫu chủ đề Presenting Yourself 8

My name is Ngoc. I am a 29 year-old girl from Tien Giang but now I am living in Ho Chi Minh city. I am working as a sales executive for a small company and I’m also taking some English classes in the evening to improve my language skills. I am a big fan of traveling, so I often spend some time going on trips with my friends. Besides traveling, I am keen on doing sports as well.

My hobbies are badminton and jogging, so I wake up early in the morning to join my teammates for some exercise. I think my biggest strength is that I am very sociable and easy to make new friends. I am a good listener and can give my loved ones good pieces of advice when they need me. However, there are things I’d like to improve about myself. I should be more hard-working and patient in my work so that I can achieve bigger goals.

4.9. What types of photographs do you enjoy taking? [Why/Why not?]

I often experiment with my camera and mobile phone camera and that’s why I like to take a wide range of photos that include nature, people, gift items, sky, river, flower and so on.

However, I am inclined to take photos of people. Their genuine smile, sad expression and sometimes bewilderment make the photograph worth cherishing.

4.10. Do you engage in any games? [Why/Why not?]

Yes, I really enjoy playing badminton most of the time. Football was, and still is my favourite sports, but I can’t manage time to practice football in the evening. Also, I am a great fan of chess and I often visit a few of my friends who are also passionate about playing chess. Sometimes, a single chess match between me and my friend takes multiple days to finish!

4.11. Are there aspects of your hometown that you dislike?

Generally speaking, I’d have to say that I’m not really fond of the weather. I really can’t stand the summer months. I think this is because it is always humid, so it makes me feel quite hot and sweaty.

4.12. What do you typically do on weekends?

Well, it is contingent upon how I feel. If I’m exhausted after working all week, I prefer to do something relaxing like chilling out on the sofa with a good book or watching movies on Netflix. But, if I feel energetic I would rather do something more exciting like going out and taking some photographs or going shopping with my friends.

4.13. Do you prefer reading books or watching TV?

5. Practice topic: Talk about yourself

1. Are you a student or do you go to work?
2. What kind of work do you do?
3. Is there anything you don’t like about your job?
4. Why did you choose to study that field?
5. What would you like to do after you finish your studies?
6. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
7. Which is your favorite room?
8. Is your neighborhood a good place for families with children?
9. Where is your hometown?
10. How do you think your city/town could be improved?
11. How do you usually spend your birthday?
12. Do you like children?
13. Do you prefer indoor or outdoor games?
14. What do you usually do at weekend?
15. Do you enjoy looking for gifts for other people?
16. Would you like to live by the ocean?
17. What types of clothes do you usually wear?
18. Do you spend a lot of money on clothes?
19. Do you often wear perfume?
20. Are you have any pet? Why?
21. Would you like to learn a new language?
22. Do you prefer to write by hand or using a computer?