EduCareer

Writing About Yourself

A1 (Beginner)Writing

Writing About Yourself

The most important A1 writing skill is being able to write about yourself: your name, age, nationality, job, and where you live. This is used on forms, in introductions, and in your first messages to new people. This lesson gives you the exact sentence patterns to do it.

The most important A1 writing skill is being able to write about yourself: your name, age, nationality, job, and where you live. This is used on forms, in introductions, and in your first messages to new people. This lesson gives you the exact sentence patterns to do it.

1. The core sentences

Use the verb be (am/is/are) and have to give your basic facts.

Information Sentence pattern Example
Name My name is + name My name is Aisha.
Age I am + number + years old I am nineteen years old.
Nationality I am + nationality I am Egyptian.
Home I live in + place I live in Cairo.
Job / study I am a + job / I study + subject I am a student. I study English.

2. Talking about family and likes

Pattern Example
I have + family I have one brother and two sisters.
I like + noun / verb-ing I like reading and football.

3. Putting it together: a short paragraph

Join your sentences into a short paragraph. This is a complete A1 self-introduction:

Model paragraphMy name is Aisha. I am nineteen years old and I am Egyptian. I live in Cairo with my family. I am a student and I study English at university. I have one brother and two sisters. I like reading and playing football.

4. Useful verbs for describing yourself

  • be: I am tall. I am friendly.
  • have: I have brown eyes. I have a small family.
  • like / love: I like music. I love travelling.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersIn Arabic you can say “أنا طالب” (“I student”) with no verb. In English you must add am: “I am a student.” Also, do not forget the article a before a job: “I am a teacher,” not “I am teacher.” And nationalities are always capitalized: Egyptian, Saudi, Malaysian.

Examples from EduCareer

  • My name is Omar. I am twenty years old and I am a student.
  • Yusuf lives in Dubai and studies English.
  • Aisha has a big family and likes writing stories.
Common mistakes

I student.  →  I am a student.

I am teacher.  →  I am a teacher.

I have 20 years.  →  I am 20 years old.

I am egyptian.  →  I am Egyptian.

I live in Cairo since 5 years.  →  I live in Cairo.

Check your understanding

Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.

1.Choose the correct sentence.
English needs the verb "am" and the article "a": I am a student.
2.How do you write your age?
Use be + number + years old: I am 20 years old.
3.Which is correct?
Nationalities are capitalized and use "am": I am Egyptian.
4.Choose the correct sentence about your home.
Use "live in" + place: I live in Cairo.
5.Which is correct?
A job needs the article "a": I am a teacher.
6.How do you say what you study?
Simple present: I study English.
7.Choose the correct family sentence.
Use "have": I have one brother.
8.Which sentence is correct?
Third person: she has (not have).
9.How do you say your likes?
like + verb-ing: I like reading.
10.Choose the correct sentence.
Third person adds -s: Omar lives.
11.Which is the correct order?
My name is + name.
12.Which sentence needs "a"?
A job needs "a": I am a doctor. Adjectives do not.
13.Choose the correct sentence.
Correct age pattern + "a student".
14.Which is correct?
Third person: studies.
15.How do you connect two facts about yourself?
Join with "and" and keep each part complete.
16.Which sentence is correct?
Use "have" for family: I have a big family.
17.Pick the correct nationality sentence.
Nationalities are capitalized: Malaysian.
18.Which is the best A1 self-introduction opener?
Start simply and directly: My name is...
19.Choose the correct sentence.
love + verb-ing: I love travelling (or "love to travel").
20.Which paragraph sentence is correct?
Simple present "live in" + place; no "since" needed at A1.

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