UNIT 2

INTRODUCTIONS AND ADDRESS SYSTEM

When making an introduction in any language, you need to know the formulas and
rules for doing it. You also need to know what to call the participants. This lesson will
help you to identify given names and surnames (last name) and to decide which form
of the name is appropriate to use. You will also learn how introductions are made.

Meg : Good morning

Mr. Brown : Good morning, too.

Sara : Mr. Brown, I’d like to introduce our new student. This is Meg Wilson.

Mr. Brown : Hi. How do you do, Meg? I hope you will enjoy your visit to this school.

Meg : How do you do, Mr. Brown? I’m sure will.

Mr. Brown : Nice to meet you.

Meg : Nice to meet you, too

1. INTRODUCTIONS

A formal introduction consists of two parts: giving the names and, if not provided
by the context, some information about the people being introduced so they will have
some common ground to begin a conversation.

a) Useful Expression

How

How do you do?

You say how do you do? As a formal way of responding when you are introduced to
someone:

 “Mr. Brown, I’d like to introduce you to Miss Jones, who’s to be in charge of
publicity.”
“How do you do, Miss Jones?”
“How do you do, Mr. Brown?”
  “Mr. Black, I’d like to introduce Mr. Meg Wilson from Blackford office.”
“How do you do, Meg?”
“How do you do, Mr. Black?

Language Help

Please note that you do not reply to the question how do you do? It is simply a
conventional greeting requiring no answer and should not be treated like such
expressions as how are you?

I’m….

You use I’m… or I am… when you are telling someone or some people who you are,
often adding some other information, such as what you do:

 Hello everyone! I’m Meg. I’ve just moved here from Barchester.
 Good morning, children! I am Miss Brown and I am going to be your teacher
for this term.

Language Help

You also use my name is…. In the same way:

 My name is Jack. I’m the new hotel porter.

 My name is Frank Brown. I’m here to help you with the garden.
Introduce

I’d like to introduce…

You use I’d like to introduce…. In a fairly formal context when people are meeting
each other for the first time and you are saying what the name of one of them is:

 Father, I’d like to introduce you to George Burns. He is my business partner.

 Mr. Jackson, I’d like to introduce you to the new department secretary, Miss
Lee.
 Mrs. Hand, may I introduce my boss, Mr. Smith
 Lynne, I'd like you to meet John Smith, our salesman. John, this is Lynne Hand.

Language Help

You can also say may I introduce…., let me introduce…. and allow me to
introduce… in the same rather formal way:

 Grandfather, May I introduce you to Jim Wilson, who is one of my fellow

teachers.
 Mr. Wilson, let me introduce Mrs. Smith, who is our new biology teacher.
Pleased

Pleased to meet you

You use pleased to meet you as a rather informal conventional response to being
introduced to someone. Formerly, the expression was considered not very acceptable,
and even rather vulgar, but social manners have changed and it is now considered quite
acceptable. It is much less formal than how do you do?

There are various alternative forms of this expression including good to meet you and
nice to meet you:

 ‘This is Jean Smith, our new flat mate.’

‘Nice to meet you, Jean!’
 ‘This is John Black, everyone. He is one of our salesman.’
‘God to meet you!’
 ‘This is Wilson, my roommate.
‘It was a pleasure seeing/meeting you, Wilson!’
 ‘Alice, this is Ben.
‘It was nice seeing/meeting you, Ben!’
This

This is…

You use this is… as a less formal way of saying I’d like to introduce… with the same
meaning:

 Jane, this is James, my friend from university.

 Peter, this is Lucy. She’s staying with me for a few days.
 John, this is Lynne. She is my teacher.

Language Help

Sometimes people use meet… as an informal introduction instead of this is…

 Jack, meet Lucy.

b) Phrases

Introduction

Introducer

 I’d like to introduce Henry Cheng.

 I'd like to introduce Marie Brandon.
 I'd like you to meet Patricia Murphy.
 I'd like to introduce Tony Angelo.
 I'd like you to meet Akiko Less Sato.
 This is Ali Hassan.

Response A

 How do you do?

 Glad to meet you.
 Nice to meet you.
 Pleased to meet you.
 Nice to meet you.
 Hi

Response B

 How do you do?

 The pleasure is mine.
 Nice to meet you.
 I've heard so much about you.
 Hi.
Self-Introductions

Self

 Hello. I'm John du Plessis.

 Hello. My name is George Kyrkostas.
 I don't think we've met. I'm Young Kim.
 Hi. I'm Mike. What's your name?
 How do you do? My name is Mrs. Hand.
 Hello, Lynne Hand. I'm the owner of this web site.
 Lynne Hand

Response

 How do you do? I'm Julie Duarte.

 Pleased to meet you. I'm Sue t Washington.
 Nice to meet you. I'm Eva Beck.
 Hi. I'm Margaret, but everyone formal calls me Peggy.
 Pleased to meet you Mrs. Hand.
 Pleased to meet you Lynne.
 Hi, Lynne. How are you?

Introducing Other

 Mrs. Hand, may I introduce my boss, Mr. Smith.

 Lynne, I'd like you to meet John Smith, our salesman. John, this is Lynne Hand.
 Lynne, meet John, my husband. John, this is my teacher Lynne.
2. THE ADDRESS SYSTEM

In English the relationship is marked by the use of the address system. Most
Americans have three names: a first (sometimes called a given) name, a middle name
(or an initial), and a last name (called the family name, or surname).

a) Formal

Address Forms Function

Dr. Snow Title + last name Used in formal situations

Professor Schultz Used in formal situations

Mr. Carnegie Mr.: a man

Miss. Scaife Miss: a single woman

Mrs. Snow Mrs.: a married woman

Mr. Newman Ms.: a single or married woman

Susan Full first name

Melanie Note: Some people want their full first name

used in all situation

b) Informal

This form used in sports or in the military, and in some offices. Used by a superior to
a subordinate or among equals. Do not use this form unless you are certain that it is
appropriate.

Last name only

Examples: Anderson

Smith

Pearson

Polifroni

Short first name

Not all names have a short form, but many do.

Example: Sue

Barb

Pat

Joe

Diminutive first name

Some people consider this form childish, so make sure it appropriate to use.

Example: Bobby
c) Intimate

Nickname

Very informal; should be use only when you are sure the person wants you to use this
form. Some names (such as Red) are very personal and can be insulting if not used
properly.

Example: Red

Sunny

Chip

T.J.

Note: If an American name is new to you, you should find out whether it is a man's
name or a woman's name, to avoid embarrassment to yourself later. A few names
(Chris, Pat, Bobby, Terry, etc.) can refer either to a female or to a male.

FEMALE

Full Short Diminutive

Barbara Barb Barbie

Catherine, Kathryn Cathy, Kathy, Kate Kitty, Katie

Christina Chris, Tina Chrissy

Jean Jean Jeannie

Patricia Pat, Trish Patty, Patti

Susan, Suzanne Sue Susie, Suzy

MALE

Full Short Diminutive

Alferd Al Alfie

Charles Chuck Charlie

David Dave Davy, Davie

James Jim Jimmy

John Jack Johnny, Jackie

Joseph Joe Joey

Patrick Pat Paddy

Robert Bob, Rob Bobby, Robby

PRACTICE: Introductions and Address System

A. Using what you have learned

1. What is the difference between these phrases?

a. (i) How do you do?
(ii) How are you?
b. (i) Excuse me, are you Mrs. Kramer?
(ii) Sorry, I don’t know your name.
c. (i) May I introduce myself?
(ii) Hi everybody. My name’s Jim Sellers.
d. (i) This is Mary.
(ii) Let me introduce you to Mary Higgins.

2. Complete the following conversations with the most appropriate words.

Example:
James : Bill, this is Joe. He is new in class.
Billy : Hi, Joe
Joe : Hi, Bill

Situation 1
Martin : Excuse me, ____________ Jacqueline Turner?
Jacqueline : Yes, that’s ____________.
Martin : May I ____________ myself? I’m Martin Young. How do you do?
Jacqueline : ____________, Mr. Young.
 Situation 2
Sumi : Greta, I’d like you to introduce my friend. Jimmy. He is a good friend
that I have.
Jimmy : Hi, Greta. _______________Jimmy.
Greta : Hi. How are you?
Jimmy : I’m fine, thanks. _______________, Greta?
Greta : I’m from Germany. Where are you from?
Jimmy : I’m from Argentina. _______________ meet you.
Greta : Nice to meet you too.

Situation 3
Lin : Hi, Dann.
Dan : Hello, Lin. Pleased __________. How are you, Lin?
Lily : Fine, thanks. Pretty busy, as always, I suppose. Can I introduce you to
my colleague, Peter Winston? Peter, ________Dann Wilson. Nice to meet you.
Dan : Nice to meet you, too. ____________, call me Dan.
Peter : Then you ____________ call me Peter.

3. Think of the most suitable reaction to the following phrases.

a. How are you?
…………………………………………………………
b. How do you do?
………………………………………………………….
c. Pleased to meet you.
………………………………………………………….
d. It was nice meeting you
.………………………………………………………….
B. Answer the following questions.
1. In what situation would you be likely to say, ‘Bill, Tom. Tom, Bill?

________________________________________________________________

2. You say I’m…. when you introduce yourself. What might you say instead?

________________________________________________________________

3. Write down a formal way of responding to being introduced to someone and

show how the expression is used.

_________________________________________________________________

4. Write down two rather formal equivalents of this is… which you may use when
you are introducing someone.

_________________________________________________________________

5. You can say pleased to meet you as a rather informal conventional response
when you are introduced to someone. Write down two other expressions that
you might use in similar circumstances and use one of them in a sentence.

_________________________________________________________________

6. Insert the word missing from each expression below:

a) ‘Mr. Wilson, this is Liz Brown, our receptionist.’ ______________ do you
do, Miss. Brown?
b) Mrs. Pink, I’d like to _________ our new neighbor. She is just moved in.
c) Jane, ____________ Bob. He is just come to live in the area.