GRADE 9 English INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:JOB INTERVIEWS Notes
LISTENING & SPEAKING: JOB INTERVIEWS — Grammar Notes
Subject: English | Topic: Income‑Generating Activities (IGAs) | Age: 14 (Kenyan context)
Purpose
These notes focus on the grammatical language you need in a job interview for small IGAs (duka/shop assistant, selling vegetables, tailoring, poultry, hairdressing, boda‑boda helper, etc.). We only cover grammar for speaking and answering questions clearly and politely.
1. Simple Present — Routines & Skills
Use the simple present to describe daily tasks, general facts and abilities.
- Form: subject + base verb (he/she/it adds -s) — I sell vegetables. She mends clothes.
- Example: "I manage my family's small shop. I open the duka at 6 a.m. and serve customers." ✅
2. Present Continuous — Actions now or planned near future
Use for actions happening right now or fixed plans.
- Form: subject + am/is/are + verb‑ing — I am learning how to sew.
- Interview example: "I am running a small poultry project this season." (shows ongoing activity)
3. Past Simple — Previous experience
Talk about finished jobs in the past.
- Form: verb + -ed (regular) or irregular form — I sold fish last year. I worked at a tailoring shop.
- Example: "Last year, I helped at a market stall and served customers." ✅
4. Present Perfect — Experience up to now
Use present perfect to show experience that matters now.
- Form: have/has + past participle — I have managed stock for two years.
- Interview answer: "I have sold vegetables since I was 12, so I know how to speak with customers." (shows experience)
5. Modal Verbs — Ability, Permission, Politeness, Advice
Common modals in interviews:
- Can/Could/Be able to — ability: "I can handle cash." / polite: "Could I ask a question?"
- May/Might — permission or possibility: "May I start work at 7 a.m.?" / "I might be able to increase sales."
- Will/Would — future or polite offer: "I will arrive on time." / "Would you like more examples of my work?"
- Should — advice or expectation: "I should finish the orders by Friday."
6. Questions — Forming Clear Answers
Interviewers use WH‑questions and yes/no questions. Practice forming answers with full sentences.
- WH‑questions: who, what, where, when, why, how — "How do you keep records?" → "I keep records in a notebook and update them every evening."
- Yes/No questions: use auxiliaries: Do/Does/Did/Have/Can — "Do you have experience?" → "Yes, I have experience with selling vegetables."
- Short answers: polite but avoid single words in an interview. Prefer full sentence: "Yes, I do. I sell produce in the market."
7. Conditional (Type 1) — Real future possibilities
Use to show what you will do if hired.
- Form: If + present simple, will + base verb — "If I get this job, I will improve customer service."
- This is useful when describing plans and promises.
8. Passive Voice — Focus on actions or results
Use passive to highlight work done rather than who did it.
- Form: be (am/is/are/was) + past participle — "The orders were delivered on time."
- Interview use: "The stock is checked every morning." (focus on the action)
9. Linking Phrases & Polite Expressions
Use these to structure answers and sound polite:
- "Firstly..., Secondly..., Finally..." — to list points.
- "In my previous role..." / "For example..." — to give examples.
- "Thank you for the question." / "May I add..." / "I apologise, I do not understand — could you repeat?"
10. Adjectives & Collocations for Skills
Common descriptive words used in interviews:
- hardworking, reliable, responsible, organised, friendly, trustworthy
- Collocations: "good communication skills", "basic numeracy skills", "customer service experience"
Model Interview Q&A (Kenyan IGA examples)
Q: "Tell me about yourself."
A: "My name is Amina. I help run our family duka. I sell vegetables and keep daily records of sales (Simple Present / Present Perfect)."
Q: "Do you have any experience handling money?"
A: "Yes. I have managed cash during market days for two years and I am careful with change (Present Perfect + Adjective)."
Q: "What will you do if there is a problem with a customer?"
A: "If a customer is unhappy, I will listen to them, apologise and try to solve the problem quickly (First Conditional + modal will)."
Q: "Can you start early in the morning?"
A: "Yes, I can. I usually wake up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare goods (Modal can + Simple Present)."
Quick Grammar Tips for Speaking
- Speak in full sentences: avoid only one‑word answers.
- Use present perfect to show experience: "I have done..."
- Use modals to sound polite: "Could I ask..." "I would like..."
- Keep verbs correct in questions: "What did you do?" not "What you did?"
- Use linking words to organise answers: "Firstly", "For example", "Finally".
Short Practice (do aloud)
- Change to present perfect: "I sell vegetables at the market." → "I have sold vegetables at the market since 2019."
- Make a polite question: "You start at 6?" → "Could you start at 6 a.m.?"
- Use a conditional: "I will stock more goods." → "If sales increase, I will stock more goods."
- Answer using modals: Interviewer: "Can you use a cash register?" — You say: "Yes, I can use a cash register." or "I could learn quickly."
Small Checklist Before an Interview
- Practice common questions using correct tense (present, past, present perfect).
- Prepare 2–3 short examples of what you have done (use past simple or present perfect).
- Use polite modals and full sentences.
- Speak slowly and use linking words to organise what you say.
Good luck! Practice the model answers aloud, change details to match your own work in IGAs (e.g., poultry, tailoring, duka) and check verb forms before the interview. 🙂