GRADE 8 English CHOOSING A CAREER – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:INTERVIEWS Notes
English: Listening & Speaking — Interviews (Choosing a Career)
Age: 13 (Kenyan context). Focus: important grammar for listening to and speaking in interviews about choosing a career (e.g., applying for a school prefect post, a community internship, or a part-time job).
1. Key grammar points to listen for
- Question forms — WH-questions (who, what, when, where, why, how) and yes/no questions. Example: "Why do you want this job?" / "Have you worked before?"
- Tenses — Present simple for facts (I study science), present continuous for current activities (I am studying), past simple for past experiences (I volunteered last year), and future forms to show plans (I will study engineering).
- Modals — can/could (ability), should/ought to (advice), may/might (possibility), would (polite requests). Listen for meaning: "Could you tell me about yourself?" is a polite request.
- Reported speech — How interviewers report answers: He said he wanted to study medicine. When listening, notice verbs changing (present → past) when someone reports speech.
- Linking words — because, so, therefore, however. These show reasons and results in answers: "I like science because I enjoy solving problems."
- Subject–verb agreement — verbs must match the subject: "She works hard" not "She work hard." Listen for correct agreement in answers.
2. Useful grammar structures to use when speaking
When answering interview questions, practise these structures.
- Short Introductions (Present simple): "I am a student at [school]. I study Mathematics and Biology."
- Talking about experience (Past simple): "Last term, I helped at the community library." (verb + -ed or irregular verbs)
- Showing plans (Future): "I want to become a teacher. I will study Education in future."
- Explaining reasons (Because): "I chose this career because I like helping children."
- Polite responses and requests (Modals): "Could you repeat the question?" / "I could help with the school magazine."
- Giving examples (for clarity): "For example, I organised a reading club for younger pupils."
- Conditional for hypothetical answers: "If I had more time, I would volunteer at the hospital."
3. Model short interview (with grammar notes)
Interviewer: "Why do you want to be a lab assistant?"
Candidate: "I want to be a lab assistant because I enjoy science and I am careful with equipment."
Notes: present simple for habit/likes + because to give a reason. Subject–verb agreement: I am careful.
Interviewer: "Have you worked in a lab before?"
Candidate: "No, I haven't. But last holiday I helped my teacher with simple tests."
Notes: present perfect for experience (haven't), past simple for specific past action (helped).
Candidate: "I want to be a lab assistant because I enjoy science and I am careful with equipment."
Notes: present simple for habit/likes + because to give a reason. Subject–verb agreement: I am careful.
Interviewer: "Have you worked in a lab before?"
Candidate: "No, I haven't. But last holiday I helped my teacher with simple tests."
Notes: present perfect for experience (haven't), past simple for specific past action (helped).
4. Listening tips (focus on grammar)
- Listen for the main verb tense to know whether the speaker talks about present, past or future.
- Spot modals (can, could, should, would, might) — they change the meaning (ability, permission, advice).
- Notice question words (why/how) — they tell you what answer to expect (reason/explanation).
- Watch for because/so/therefore — these show reasons or results in answers.
- When someone uses reported speech, expect a tense change: "He said, 'I study...'" → "He said he studied..."
5. Practice activities (speaking with a grammar focus)
- Role-play (pair work): One is interviewer, the other candidate applying to be a library volunteer.
- Use at least two past simple sentences (experience) and two present simple sentences (skills/habits).
- Include one conditional sentence: "If I have time, I will..."
- Change the tense: Take a short answer and say it in three tenses.
- Example: "I help young pupils." → Past: "I helped young pupils." → Future: "I will help young pupils."
- Politeness practice: Ask for permission politely using modals:
- "Could I explain my result?" "May I add something?" "Would you like more details?"
6. Short exercises
- Complete with correct tense or modal:
- a) I ____ (study) hard this term. (present simple)
- b) Last year I ____ (volunteer) at the clinic. (past simple)
- c) ____ you ____ (help) me with the project? (polite request)
- d) I would like to be an engineer because I ____ (enjoy) building things. (present simple)
- Rewrite as a polite question:
- a) "Tell me your strengths." → "Could you tell me your strengths?"
- b) "Give an example of teamwork." → ___________________________
- Choose the correct word:
- a) I (am/is/are) a student at my local school.
- b) She (have/has) good communication skills.
7. Answers (check yourself)
- a) I study hard this term. b) I volunteered at the clinic. c) Could you help me with the project? (or: Would you help me with the project?) d) I would like to be an engineer because I enjoy building things.
- a) model given. b) "Could you give an example of teamwork?"
- a) I am a student at my local school. b) She has good communication skills.
8. Quick checklist before an interview (language focus)
- Use present simple for skills and habits (I help, I study).
- Use past simple for finished experiences (I volunteered, I completed).
- Use modals for polite requests and possibility (could, would, might).
- Give reasons with because / so / therefore.
- Keep sentences short and clear — subject + verb + object.
Good luck! Practice with a friend: ask and answer questions, and listen for tense and modal use. 😊