Lesson 3 · Lesson guide
Greetings and introductions
Hello again, my dear student!
You know the letters and the numbers. Today we use them to talk to people! You will learn how to say hello and goodbye, how to introduce yourself, and how to be polite with teachers.
This is the English you will use first in every new class, every trip, and in the first minute of your IELTS Speaking test. So let’s make your first “hello” perfect.
Nice to meet you,Your teacher
Your browser has no English voice, so the listen buttons are hidden. Everything is written on the page.
What we’ll learn today
- 4times of day to greet
- 2styles: friends and teachers
- 3steps to introduce yourself
- 15minutes with this guide
By the end of this lesson, you will
- say hello and goodbye in the right way at any time of day
- talk to friends (Hi! Bye!) and to teachers (Good morning, Mr Jones.)
- introduce yourself: My name is … and Nice to meet you
- ask and answer How are you?
- spell your name when someone asks, like in IELTS
A note from your teacher
A good greeting is your first impression. People remember it, and so do IELTS examiners!
Six things I want you to understand
Read each card, then listen to the examples.
Idea 1
Hello and goodbye
To say hello: Hello! or Hi! To say goodbye: Goodbye!, Bye! or See you! “Hi” and “Bye” are short and friendly.
- Hello!(Salom!)
- Hi!(Salom!)
- Goodbye!(Xayr!)
- Bye!(Xayr!)
- See you!(Koʻrishguncha!)
Idea 2
Morning, afternoon, evening
Good morning before 12:00, Good afternoon from 12:00 to 18:00, Good evening after 18:00. Use them to say hello, especially to adults.
- Good morning!(Xayrli tong!)
- Good afternoon!(Xayrli kun!)
- Good evening!(Xayrli kech!)
Idea 3
“Good night” is not hello
Good night means goodbye: say it when you leave late in the evening, or when you go to bed. Never use it to say hello!
- Good night, Dad!(Xayrli tun, dada!)
- Good evening!(Xayrli kech!)
Idea 4
Friends or teachers?
With friends and family, be informal: “Hi, Dilshod!” With teachers and adults, be polite: Mr (a man) or Mrs (a woman) + their surname: “Good morning, Mr Jones.”
- Hi, Dilshod!(Salom, Dilshod!)
- Good morning, Mr Jones.(Xayrli tong, janob Jons.)
- Goodbye, Mrs Saidova.(Xayr, Saidova xonim.)
Idea 5
Introduce yourself in 3 steps
1. Say hello. 2. Say your name: My name is … or I’m … 3. Say Nice to meet you. The other person answers: Nice to meet you, too.
- Hi! My name is Kamola.(Salom! Mening ismim Kamola.)
- I’m Sardor.(Men Sardorman.)
- Nice to meet you.(Tanishganimdan xursandman.)
- Nice to meet you, too.(Men ham tanishganimdan xursandman.)
Idea 6
How are you?
People ask this all the time. A short, happy answer is perfect: I’m fine, thanks. Then ask back: And you?
- How are you?(Qalaysiz?)
- I’m fine, thanks. And you?(Yaxshiman, rahmat. Oʻzing-chi?)
- I’m good, thank you.(Yaxshiman, rahmat.)
Remember!
Good evening = hello. Good night = goodbye.
What do I say? Try it yourself
Move the clock through the day and listen to the right hello and goodbye. Then switch between friend and teacher and hear how the words change.
The greeting clock
Say “Good morning” until 12:00, then it becomes the afternoon.
Friend or teacher?
- Hello
- FriendHi, Aziz!
- TeacherGood morning, Mr Brown.
- How are you?
- FriendHey! How are you?
- TeacherHow are you today, Mrs Karimova?
- Meeting someone
- FriendHi! I’m Ali.
- TeacherNice to meet you. My name is Ali.
- Goodbye
- FriendBye! See you!
- TeacherGoodbye, Mr Brown.
A note from your teacher
In the evening, my students often say “Good night!” when they arrive. Move the clock to 20:00 and see why that sounds strange!
Questions and their answers
English greetings come in pairs: someone says something, and you answer. Listen and repeat both parts.
How are you? — I’m fine, thanks. And you?
(Qalaysiz? — Yaxshiman, rahmat. Oʻzingiz-chi?)
The answer to “How are you?” is short and positive.
What’s your name? — My name is Kamola.
(Ismingiz nima? — Mening ismim Kamola.)
You can also say: “I’m Kamola.”
Nice to meet you. — Nice to meet you, too.
(Tanishganimdan xursandman. — Men ham.)
Add “too” when you answer.
How do you spell it? — K-A-M-O-L-A.
(Qanday yoziladi? — K-A-M-O-L-A.)
Use the letter names from Lesson 1.
Goodbye! — Bye! See you!
(Xayr! — Xayr! Koʻrishguncha!)
Reply to goodbye with goodbye.
Good night! — Good night!
(Xayrli tun! — Xayrli tun!)
At bedtime, or when you leave late.
Phrases that sound alike
These phrases sound very close, especially when people speak fast. Tap them to compare, read my tip, then press Test me: you hear one and tap which one it was.
How, who or how old?
They differ by one small word.
How to tell them apart Listen to the first word: How are you? / Who are you? And listen for old: How old are you?
See you or thank you?
Both end in “you”, and they are short.
How to tell them apart See you = goodbye. Thank you = thanks. Listen to the start.
Meet or see?
“Nice to meet you” and “Nice to see you” are almost the same.
How to tell them apart Meet: the first time. See: someone you already know.
Good evening or good night?
Both are for the evening, but they mean the opposite!
How to tell them apart Good evening = hello. Good night = goodbye.
Remember!
Not sure what you heard? Say: “Sorry, can you say that again, please?”
Dialogue: a new classmate
Aziz meets Lola on the first day of school. Press Play all and follow the text. Then act it out with a friend.
- Dilshod
Hi! I’m Dilshod.(Salom! Men Dilshodman.)
- Kamola
Hi, Dilshod! My name is Kamola.(Salom, Dilshod! Mening ismim Kamola.)
- Dilshod
Nice to meet you, Kamola.(Tanishganimdan xursandman, Kamola.)
- Kamola
Nice to meet you, too. How are you?(Men ham tanishganimdan xursandman. Qalaysan?)
- Dilshod
I’m fine, thanks. And you?(Yaxshiman, rahmat. Oʻzing-chi?)
- Kamola
I’m good, thank you. Oh, the lesson is starting!(Yaxshiman, rahmat. Voy, dars boshlanyapti!)
- Dilshod
See you later, Kamola!(Keyinroq koʻrishamiz, Kamola!)
- Kamola
Bye! See you!(Xayr! Koʻrishguncha!)
A note from your teacher
Notice how short and friendly everything is. With friends, simple is perfect.
Your first minute of IELTS Speaking
This is how the IELTS Speaking test really begins. Listen, then practise it with your own name. Be polite: it’s an examiner!
- Examiner
Good morning. My name is Sarah Jones.(Xayrli tong. Mening ismim Sara Jons.)
- Candidate
Good morning.(Xayrli tong!)
- Examiner
Can you tell me your full name, please?(Toʻliq ismingizni ayta olasizmi?)
- Candidate
Yes. My name is Dilnoza Rahimova.(Ha. Mening ismim Dilnoza Rahimova.)
- Examiner
And what can I call you?(Sizni qanday chaqirsam boʻladi?)
- Candidate
You can call me Dilnoza.(Meni Dilnoza deb chaqirishingiz mumkin.)
- Examiner
Thank you. Can I see your ID, please?(Rahmat. Shaxsingizni tasdiqlovchi hujjatni koʻrsam boʻladimi?)
- Candidate
Yes, of course. Here you are.(Ha, albatta. Mana.)
IELTS tip: Smile, look at the examiner and answer in full sentences: “My name is …”, not just your name. It’s a small thing, but it starts your test well.
A note from your teacher
Practise this until you can say it without thinking. Then on exam day, your first minute will be easy.
Mistakes I hear every day
Many of these come from translating word by word from Uzbek or Russian. Read why, and listen to the right way.
Not: “Good night!” (arriving at 20:00)Say: Good evening!(Xayrli kech!)
Good night is goodbye. When you arrive in the evening, say “Good evening!”
Not: Hello, Jones!Say: Hello, Mr Jones.(Salom, janob Jons.)
With teachers and adults, use Mr or Mrs before the surname.
Not: Good morning, Mr Dilshod.Say: Good morning, Mr Tursunov.(Xayrli tong, janob Tursunov.)
Mr and Mrs go with the surname, not the first name.
Not: How are you? — Normal.Say: I’m OK, thanks.(Yaxshiman, rahmat.)
“Normal” is a word-by-word translation. In English say “I’m OK” or “I’m fine, thanks”.
Not: Nice to meet you. — Me too.Say: Nice to meet you, too.(Men ham tanishganimdan xursandman.)
Repeat the phrase and add “too”.
Not: Me name is Sardor.Say: My name is Sardor.(Mening ismim Sardor.)
My name, not “me” name. Or simply: “I’m Sardor.”
Not: Nice to meet you! (to an old friend)Say: Nice to see you!(Sizni koʻrganimdan xursandman.)
“Meet” is only for the first time. For people you know, say “Nice to see you!”
Not: Bye-bye, Mrs Saidova!Say: Goodbye, Mrs Saidova.(Xayr, Saidova xonim.)
“Bye-bye” is for small children. With a teacher, “Goodbye” is polite.
Can you answer my questions?
Think of the answer first, then open the card. No peeking!
It’s 15:00. How do you say hello to your teacher?
Is “Good night” a hello or a goodbye?
Someone says “Nice to meet you.” What do you answer?
How do you answer “How are you?”
Mr or Mrs: which one is for a woman?
Hi or Hello: which is more informal?
You see your old friend again. Meet or see?
How does IELTS Speaking start?
A note from your teacher
All correct? Wonderful, you are ready. A few wrong? No problem: go back to that chapter, then try again.
For teachers using this lesson
If you teach this lesson in a classroom, here is how I run it in about 45 minutes.
Class plan45 min
- 5 minWarm up
Greet each student as they come in, with their name. Ask: “What do you say when you meet a friend?”
- 8 minGreeting clock
Move the clock on the board: students call out the right greeting. Stop at 20:00 and 22:00 to explain good evening and good night.
- 7 minFriend or teacher?
Switch between friend and teacher. Students greet you formally, then greet a partner informally.
- 5 minMingle
Everyone stands up and introduces themselves to three classmates: hello, name, nice to meet you, spell your name.
- 5 minIELTS first minute
In pairs, one is the examiner and one the candidate. Then swap.
- 12 minExercises: Parts 1 to 4
Open the Exercises tab. Play together on the projector, or students play on their phones.
- 3 minCheck and homework
Ask three “Check yourself” questions. Homework: Part 5 and Part 6 (Final Boss).
Now it’s your turn!
Six short parts with games, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time, and if you make a mistake, that’s fine: that’s how we learn. I believe in you!
— Your teacher