SPEAK FIRST · A1 · 50 min

Name and Job

Two people meet for the first time. Say who you are, and ask the same.

Speak First · Lesson 1 of 15. Lesson 2: My Family →

Today: say your name, your country and your job, and ask another person the same three questions. Grammar: I'm and Are you…?
Warm up — five words you probably know. Do you know it? Say it out loud and say when you use it. Is it new? Good — learn it now. Click Reveal to check.
hello
Say it. When do you say it?
hello — the first word when you see a person.
thank you
Say it. When do you say it?
thank you — you say it when a person helps you or gives you something.
yes / no
Say both. Answer: Are you a student?
yes = ✅ · no = ❌
sorry
Say it. When do you say it?
sorry — you say it when you make a mistake, or when you do not understand.
please
Say it. Ask for a coffee.
please — a polite word when you ask for something: "A coffee, please."

Now — the words for today's conversation

These are the new words for Name and Job. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

  1. a name
  2. a job
  3. a company
  4. an engineer
  5. a teacher
  6. a school
  7. hot
  8. to meet

Meanings

  • A. a place where children learn
  • B. a person who makes or fixes machines, roads or bridges
  • C. to see a person for the first time
  • D. the word people call you
  • E. a person who helps people learn
  • F. very warm
  • G. the work you do for money
  • H. a business — people work there

1 = D (a name) · 2 = G (a job) · 3 = H (a company) · 4 = B (an engineer)

5 = E (a teacher) · 6 = A (a school) · 7 = F (hot) · 8 = C (to meet)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:
  • Which words are about work? Which word is about the weather?
  • Two people meet. What are the first three questions? Guess.

The conversation, in three parts

Anna and Leo meet at a coffee break, both holding cups.
Look at the picture. Say:
  • Where are they?
  • How many people can you see?
  • What are they drinking?

Two people meet at a coffee break. Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and answer the last one about you.

Part 1 — Hello

Anna: Good morning.

Leo: Good morning.

Anna: I'm Anna. What's your name?

Leo: My name is Leo. Nice to meet you.

Anna: Nice to meet you too.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What is the woman's name?

2. What does Leo say after his name?

1. Anna.

2. "Nice to meet you."

Talk about it:
  • And you? Say hello, and say your name — two ways: "I'm…" and "My name is…"

Part 2 — Where are you from?

Anna: Where are you from, Leo?

Leo: I'm from Spain. From Madrid. And you?

Anna: I'm from Brazil.

Leo: Oh, Brazil! Is it hot there?

Anna: Yes, very hot!

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Where is Leo from?

2. Is Brazil cold?

1. Spain — from Madrid.

2. No. It is very hot.

Talk about it:
  • And you? Where are you from? Is it hot or cold there?

Part 3 — What do you do?

Anna: What do you do, Leo?

Leo: I'm an engineer. I work for a big company. And you?

Anna: I'm a teacher. I work in a school.

Leo: Do you like it?

Anna: Yes, I do. I love it.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What is Leo's job?

2. Where does Anna work?

1. He is an engineer. He works for a big company.

2. In a school. She is a teacher.

Talk about it:
  • And you? What do you do? Do you like it?

Grammar: I'm / Are you…?

In a first conversation you say who you are. English uses the verb be: am and are.

I'm = I am. Use it for your name, your country and your job: "I'm Sara." "I'm from Mexico." "I'm a nurse."
Are you…? = a question. Answer Yes, I am or No, I'm not: "Are you from Italy?" — "No, I'm not. I'm from Poland."
Question words: "What's your name?" (What's = What is) · "Where are you from?" · "What do you do?" (= your job)
a or an? a nurse, a driver — but an engineer, an office. Use an before a, e, i, o, u.

1. am, are or is?

Complete each sentence with am, are or is.

1. I Marco.

2. you from Japan?

3. What your name?

4. Yes, I .

1. am

2. Are

3. is (What's = What is)

4. am

2. Make the sentence

Put the words in order. Then say the sentence out loud.

1. from / I'm / Poland

2. you / are / Where / from?

3. a / I'm / driver

4. an / you / Are / engineer?

1. I'm from Poland.

2. Where are you from?

3. I'm a driver.

4. Are you an engineer?

3. Complete the conversation

Fill each gap with one word. Read the conversation out loud when you finish.

"Good afternoon. Tom. What's your ?" — "My name Julia. Nice to you." — "Nice to meet you too. you from Spain?" — "No, I'm not. I'm Italy."

I'm · name · is · meet · Are · from

Use I'm for you, and Are you…? to ask.

Role Play

A coffee break. A person you do not know says hello.

Round 1 — you are yourself. Read your partner's line, then say your own line from the cue in italics. Use your real answers. Then click to compare with a model.

Maria: Hello! I'm Maria.
You: your name · nice to meet you

Maria: Nice to meet you too. Where are you from?
You: your country

Maria: Oh, nice! What do you do?
You: your job

Maria: Interesting. Do you like it?
You: yes or no · one thing about it

Maria: Is it hot in your country now?
You: hot or cold

Maria: Hello! I'm Maria.
You: Hi, I'm Tom. Nice to meet you.

Maria: Nice to meet you too. Where are you from?
You: I'm from Italy. From Milan.

Maria: Oh, nice! What do you do?
You: I'm a driver. / I have a company.

Maria: Interesting. Do you like it?
You: Yes, I do. It's busy, but it's good.

Maria: Is it hot in your country now?
You: Yes, it's very hot now.

Round 2 — change roles. Now you are Maria. Ask the questions, and listen to the answers. Then say one thing you remember.

Quick-fire questions

Answer fast, in full sentences. No time to think. Then check a model answer for the ones that were hard.

1. What's your name?

2. Where are you from?

3. What do you do?

4. Do you like your job?

5. Is it hot in your city now?

6. Are you a teacher?

7. Nice to meet you.

8. What's your city?

1. I'm Tom. / My name is Tom.

2. I'm from Italy.

3. I'm an engineer.

4. Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

5. Yes, it is. / No, it's cold.

6. No, I'm not. I'm a driver.

7. Nice to meet you too.

8. It's Milan.

Speak

Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.

Useful language: "I'm…" · "My name is…" · "I'm from…" · "I'm a… / I'm an…" · "Nice to meet you." · "And you?"
Time remaining: 1:00
Task A · Play the conversation

You are Leo. Use your name, your country and your job. Follow the steps: hello → your name → "Nice to meet you" → where you are from → your job → "And you?"

Then change: you are Anna. Ask the questions.

Task B · About you (1 minute)

Say five sentences about you: your name, your country, your city, your job, and one thing you like. Start the timer and keep talking.

Task C · Ask me

Ask me four questions: my name, where I am from, my job, and "Do you like it?" Then ask them again, faster.

To finish

  1. Is your job good? Say one good thing about it.
  2. Which is easy to say: your name, your country or your job? Which is hard?
  3. From memory: say the three questions from today.