EF p 8. A Personal Profile. Writing

You have had a class discussion on your objectives, ambitions and motivations for this academic year. Now your teacher has asked you to write a personal profile using the ideas discussed in class and others you may find interesting to include.

You have to write about 150 words

Write your personal profile

1. To prepare your composition first think about the following:

Who are my readers?
What would they like to know about me?
What aspects of my personal life should I share with my class?

2. Possible contents:
where you're from
family information
job
likes, dislikes
hobbies, talents or skills
education / qualifications
the reasons why you are in this class, why you are learning English
goals, challenges, motivation, plans as to learning English
your strengths and weak points in relation to learning English
description of your personality; description of yourself as a student

3. What register should I use?
- Keep it informal and friendly
- Address your reader
- Choose specific details and examples, not generalisations
- Don't lie, boast or exaggerate

4. Here is a list of useful language for the task:

Linking devices:
To begin with I would like to say that I...
Firstly, ...Secondly, ... Lastly, ...
On the whole / in general
At first sight...
In fact...
Moreover,... Furthermore, ... In addition to this, ... What is more,... On top of all this...
Next,... Besides, ... After that...
Likewise, ... Similarly,...
At first / at the beginning / In the end / In the long run
As far as grammar is concerned / as regards grammar / with regard to grammar..
On the question of...
In some ways / in some respects / to a certain extent...
So, .... Consequently,... As a result,... Thus, ... Because of this... For this reason...
These are the main reasons why ...
This is why ...
Although...., ....though..., In spite of..., Despite..., Nevertheless,...
However, I must finally say that ...
In conclusion, ...

Addressing your reader
Believe it or not...
Strange as it may seem...
Strangely enough...
As you can imagine / not surprisingly / obviously / it goes without saying that...
Fortunately / Luckily enough... / unfortunately...
Whether we like it or not...

Expressing a personal point of view:
In my opinion / view...
Personally, I think that... / I would say that
As far as I am concerned / As far as my opinion is concerned
Speaking for myself.. / As I see it...
If you ask me... / I would suggest that... / I would like to point out that...
What I mean is...
I agree to a certain extent that ....
I’m afraid I must disagree with ...

Talking about your goals:
My aims are...
My expectations...
I am motivated to...
to achieve my dream of...
My attitude towards the learning of the language is...
This academic year I plan to...
In the near future I expect to...
I will need English in the future to...

Some vocabulary related to challenges and motivations:
to be a major challenge
to respond to challenges
to face a (daunting) challenge
to confront a big problem
to take up a difficult challenge
to set and achieve realistic goals
to enjoy the satisfaction of completing a difficult task
to harbour a lifelong ambition
my main ambition is…
I had always pursued my greatest ambition
to realise / fulfil my secret ambition
to have a burning ambition to ...
to increase or improve your motivation
to strengthen my motivation
to lack motivation
poor motivation
to achieve a (resounding) success
to be a resounding / roaring success
to be assured of success
to be an outstanding achievement
something can result in failure
to end in total failure
to fall into the occasional bad habit of ...
to make some major changes in one's life
to attain some of the goals that would be personal achievements
I know what I want to do and I intend to go for it

Related links:
Here 

 

Write a personal profile for your new English class   You will find useful language here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.  

 

 

Sample answers:
1.

My personal profile

Hello, everyone. My name is John Smith. I'm a lifelong resident of London, UK - born and (1)______ here. I'm working (2)________ achieve my dream of getting a master's degree, and I'm delighted to be in this Multicultural Education course.
The area of multicultural education has been a long-term interest of mine. It began (3)________ I got my job as an English teacher at a school in London, (4)_______ I have worked for ten years. I hope to deepen my understanding of the subject (5)_________ this term.
This is not my first foray (6)________ higher education. I have a bachelor's degree in English (7)__________ I finished in 2015. It's quite a shock to go back to university and jump (8)_________ into master's level courses!
My passion is basketball. I used to play every day but I am always pressed for (9)________ now. I have two great kids who are my world and keep me (10)________. Lily, who's five, is the oldest and Justin, who's three, is the baby of the family. My wife is a paediatrician and she's also from London. We met ten years ago when we were hiking separately and I (11)_______ my bearings and she rescued me!
I'm looking forward to participating in this class. Good luck, everyone! 

KEY

Lifelong: lasting or existing all through your life. E.g. Her lifelong ambition had been to learn how to fly. He has been a lifelong supporter of the club.

 

1. bred




Born and bred: born and having grown up in a particular place with a particular background and education. E.g. He was born and bred in Boston. I'm a Londoner, born and bred.

 

 

2. to

long-term: occurring over or relating to a long period of time. E.g. the long-term unemployed. The long-term effects of smoking. It has been a long-term interest of mine.

 

 Master's degree: (also master's) a further university degree that you study for after a first degree.

 

 

3. when

 

 

 

4. where 

deepen something to improve your knowledge or understanding of something. E.g. an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of different cultures.

 

 

 

5. during

 

 

 

6. into 

foray: /ˈfɒreɪ/ (into something) an attempt to become involved in a different activity or profession. E.g. the company's first foray into the computer market. This is not my first foray into higher education.

Bachelor's degree: the first degree that you get when you study at a university. Bachelor’s degrees include Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc).

 

 

7. which

 

 

8. right 

 

 

 

9. time 

 

 

 

10. going 



Paediatrician: /ˌpiːdiəˈtrɪʃn/

Hike: to go for a long walk in the country, especially for pleasure. E.g. strong boots for hiking over rough country. Go hiking to spend time hiking for pleasure. E.g. If the weather's fine, we'll go hiking this weekend. 

 

 

11. lost

your bearings

[plural] knowledge of your position relative to everything that is around or near you

• to get/find/take your bearings
• She lost her bearings in the thick forest.
• He paused at the top of the hill, trying to get his bearings.

  

2.

 My English and Me

   I was born in the month of May many years ago in a small village near the Costa Brava where I spent part of my pubescence. I came of age on the crest of a tumultuous turmoil  period in Spain. In the aftermath of World War II, opportunities available to the young people were scarce and social injustice and inequality were the everyday challenge. Although my mother was a self-indulgent woman wrapped up in radio soap operas of that time and disengaged from reality, always took good care of instilling in me the moral values of life that shaped my upbringing.

   At the age of eight years old, my French-born auntie came to my home for a visit and got hold of my arm telling me to sit down at the table and she laid in front of me a book to learn French and she said to me “I am going to teach you the French Language”. I still can vividly remember that she never asked me whether or not I wanted to. My mother had previously told her that I had a small radio in my room and that I was always tuning in and listening to French and English radio stations, hence my Auntie’s reaction . Three years later, I was able to write and speak French fluently. I was over the moon about it, and little did I know then that that was what ignited my interest in foreign languages.

   At the age of fourteen years old, and still at school, I took up a part-time job as a bellboy at a hotel nearby.  Three years later, I was told that a receptionist vacancy was up for grabs in a hotel in the Costa Brava and with no hesitation, I jumped at that opportunity. Even though I had studied English previously, my Manager said that I needed to study more. To all intents and purposes, I took up English lessons straightaway. After a few months, my progress was not satisfactory. The hotel was closing in a few weeks' time for the winter, so I thought it would be a good idea going to England to learn English properly while the hotel was closed.

   As soon as I arrived in London, I enrolled myself in a school and looked for a place to stay. Two weeks later, I was forced to get a job, my savings were quickly diminishing. London was an eye-opening city for me, a huge metropolis with somewhat daunting sky-scrapers that made me feel like being in a concrete jungle. I had embarked myself on a new phase of my life in England. Two months had gone by, I was ever so pleased and impressed by the way I was progressing at school and I was also getting to grips with the English way of life. I learned how to keep focused on the task ahead of me and to cope with the everyday vicissitudes. Suffice it to say, that living in a foreign country there are always the unexpected travails to face up to.

   I came to define myself and find my own place in the world. It all began as a childish fixation that turned into a great life-long achievement.

   There is a lot I owe to the English Language, without it I would not have had the opportunities that were offered to me which had brought me not only financial rewards but also personal stability, happiness and unforgettable memories.

   That adventure that had been planned on the spur of the moment went on for another twenty-eight years and what I have learned from it is part of what I am today.

-Alberto Comas-

 
Vocabulary
pubescence: arriving at or having reached puberty. E.g. In my pubescence, a life passion was born within me. I began to absorb current events, history and politics like a sponge.

crest: The highest or culminating point; the peak. E.g.  the crest of a flood; at the crest of her career. 

tumultuous: /tjuːˈmʌltʃuəs/  involving a lot of change and confusion and/or violence. E.g. the tumultuous years of the English Civil War.

turmoil: a state of great anxiety and confusion. E.g. political turmoil. She felt much calmer after the turmoil of recent weeks.

self-indulgent: allowing yourself to have or do things that you like, especially when you do this too much or too often. E.g. a self-indulgent lifestyle.
 

be wrapped up in somebody/something: to be so involved with somebody/something that you do not pay enough attention to other people or things. Engrossed. E.g. They are completely wrapped up in their children. She was so wrapped up in her work that she didn’t realize how late it was.

disengage:  to free somebody/something from the person or thing that is holding them or it; to become free. E.g. They wished to disengage themselves from these policies.

instil something (in/into somebody) to gradually make somebody feel, think or behave in a particular way over a period of time. E.g. to instil confidence/discipline/fear into somebody.

hence: for this reason. Therefore. E.g. We suspect they are trying to hide something, hence the need for an independent inquiry.  

ignite: /ɪɡˈnaɪt/ to start to burn; to make something start to burn. E.g. Gas ignites very easily. (figurative) Tempers ignited when the whole family spent Christmas together. Ignite something Flames melted a lead pipe and ignited leaking gas. (figurative) His words ignited their anger.  

up for grabs: available for anyone who is interested. E.g. There are £25 000 worth of prizes up for grabs in our competition! 

To/For all intents and purposes: in every practical sense, virtually. Practically speaking. In all the most ​important ​ways. E.g. We've got a few odd things to finish, but to all intents and purposes the job is done. For all intents and ​purposes, the ​project is ​completed. 

come/get to grips with something to begin to understand and deal with something difficult. E.g. I'm slowly getting to grips with the language. They have so far failed to come to grips with the ecological problems.

vicissitude: one of the many changes and problems in a situation or in your life, that you have to deal with. E.g. the vicissitudes of family life.

travail: /ˈtræveɪl/ an unpleasant experience or situation that involves a lot of hard work, difficulties and/or suffering. E.g. the travails of life in post-war Britain.



3.Hi everyone! My name is Natalie Dolphin and I'm from the United States. I was born in Minneapolis and have lived in the same house all my life. However, I attended university in Boston, so I spent the school year there and returned home for the summers. I graduated in May with a degree in History and Political Science, focusing on Women's and Gender Studies - in particular on legislative measures to increase women's participation in politics.

I came to Mallorca in September to work as a language assistant, and will be here the entire school year. I really enjoy working at the language school because the adults have many interesting opinions and have a lot to share about their lives here in Mallorca. I miss my sister and my parents, but the year will be a great adventure.

Outside of working here, I really enjoy being outdoors. I love to swim, go to the beach, go hiking with my friends, and explore different parts of the island. I love to travel too and have been to 40 states in the US and 17 countries. I hope to travel a lot more this year as well!  

Sample Answer

From ______________ (CURIOUS) to ___________ (COMMITTED): My Personal Profile

KEY

From ___Curiosity___________ (CURIOUS) to _Commitment__________ (COMMITTED): My Personal Profile

From Curiosity to Commitment: My Personal Profile

My name is Elena Martín, a 21-year-old undergraduate student from Spain, currently pursuing a degree in International Relations at the University of Barcelona. Now in my third year, I have become increasingly aware of how interconnected the world is, which has (1)_____________ (STRONG) my determination to specialise in diplomacy and conflict resolution.

Rarely have I encountered a subject as stimulating as International Relations; not only does it allow me to explore global politics, but it also enables me to develop an analytical mindset that I can apply far beyond the classroom. It is often claimed that students of international affairs must be (2)______________ (ADAPT) and resilient, qualities which I believe I possess. What sets me apart, I believe, is not only my (3)___________________ (PERSEVERE) in the face of challenges but also my ability to collaborate effectively in diverse, multicultural settings. Furthermore, seldom do I begin a task without (4)_______________ (CARE) planning it in advance, since it is generally considered essential to approach complex tasks with foresight.

In addition to my studies, I have a strong passion for languages. Not until I began university did I truly realise how powerful linguistic skills can be in (5)______________ (BRIDGE) cultural divides. Besides being fluent in Spanish and Catalan, I have attained an advanced level of English and an intermediate level of French. Moreover, I have recently embarked on the challenging yet rewarding journey of learning German, which, although demanding, has already (6)_______________ (BROAD) my horizons. It is widely accepted that the ability to communicate in several languages not only enhances employability but also promotes intercultural understanding.

Outside academia, never have I enjoyed anything more than immersing myself in contemporary literature and (7)_______________ (PROVOKE) documentaries, as they offer both relaxation and intellectual (8)_________________ (RICH). Only when I travel abroad do I fully appreciate the extent to which cultural encounters shape my (9)_______________ (LOOK) on the world. It could be argued that such experiences are as valuable as formal education, since they provide lessons that cannot be taught in the classroom.

Looking ahead, my ambition is to work for an international institution such as the United Nations or the European Union. In doing so, I hope to put my knowledge of global politics, my linguistic abilities, and my intercultural competence into practice. Ultimately, not only would this career path allow me to grow personally and professionally, but it would also give me the opportunity to contribute—however modestly—to fostering dialogue and peace between nations. It is believed that those who dedicate themselves to such work can make a (10)_________________ (MEAN) difference, even if on a small scale.

KEY

1. strengthened

2. adaptable

3. perseverance

4. carefully 

5. bridging

6. broadened

7. thought-provoking

8. enrichment

9. outlook

10. meaningful