Grade 7 English PROFESSIONS – LISTENING AND SPEAKING:INTERVIEWS Notes
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: INTERVIEWS
Topic: PROFESSIONS — English grammar for interviews (age 12, Kenya)
Goal: Learn and practise grammar structures that help you listen to and speak during interviews about jobs (teacher, doctor, farmer, nurse, mechanic, chef, police officer, etc.).
1. Asking questions — forms to use
- Wh- questions for details: Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.
Examples:
- What do you do? (job)
- Where do you work? (place)
- How long have you been a teacher? (experience)
- Why did you choose this profession?
- Yes / No questions use auxiliary verbs: Do/Does/Did/Have/Is/Are/Can/Will.
Examples:
- Do you work at the hospital?
- Have you worked here before?
- Can you drive a motorcycle?
- Polite requests and interview openings (use would/could):
Examples:
- Could you tell me about your job?
- Would you mind explaining your daily duties?
2. Verb tenses you will hear and use
Present Simple — for routines and facts (most common when talking about a job):
I teach Maths. She works at the clinic. They repair cars.
Present Continuous — for actions happening now:
I am preparing the lesson. He is treating a patient.
Present Perfect — for experience up to now (use with 'for' and 'since'):
I have worked as a nurse for five years. She has lived in Nairobi since 2018.
Past Simple — for finished actions in the past:
I trained at a college in Mombasa. He worked on a farm last year.
Future (will / going to) — for plans or predictions:
I will start the course next month. She is going to study engineering.
3. Modals — helping words for interviews
- Can / Could — ability or polite requests.
Can you drive? Could you tell me your duties?
- Must / Have to — obligation.
You must wear a uniform. I have to arrive by 7am.
- Should — advice or suggestion.
You should study for the exam. He should practise speaking more.
- May / Might — possibility.
She may work in the city. It might be busy today.
4. Useful patterns for interview speech
- Introduce yourself: My name is ... I am a ... / I work as a ...
- Talk about duties (present simple): I prepare lessons, I treat patients, I fix engines.
- Talk about experience (present perfect / past simple): I have worked for three years. I worked at a school in Kisumu.
- Explain qualifications: I studied at ... / I trained as a ...
- Answer 'why' questions: I chose this job because I like helping people.
- Ask for clarification: Could you repeat that, please? / What do you mean by ...?
5. Short sample interview (focus on grammar)
Interviewer: Could you tell me what you do?
Candidate: I am a teacher. I teach Science at Parkview Primary School.
Interviewer: How long have you taught there?
Candidate: I have taught there for four years. Before that, I worked as a tutor.
Interviewer: Do you have any special training?
Candidate: Yes. I trained at the teacher training college and I can teach in both English and Kiswahili.
6. Short grammar practice — speak and listen
Activity A (change the form): Turn the sentence into a question you can ask in an interview.
- She works at a hospital. → ____________?
- I have been a chef for two years. → ____________?
- They fix engines every day. → ____________?
Activity B (answer using the correct tense):
- How long / you / work / here? → I ____________ (work) here since 2020.
- What / you / do? → I ____________ (teach) Geography.
- Where / you / train? → I ____________ (train) at a college in Nakuru last year.
Answers (listen or check after speaking): A1: Do you work at a hospital? A2: Have you been a chef for two years? A3: Do they fix engines every day? — B1: have worked / B2: teach / B3: trained.
7. Common mistakes to avoid
- Using wrong auxiliary: Say "Do you work?" (not "You work?") for formal interviews.
- Tense mix-ups: Use present simple for routines (I teach), present perfect for experience (I have taught).
- Politeness: Use could/would for requests — "Could you tell me...?" instead of "Tell me...".
8. Quick checklist before an interview
- Use clear question forms (Wh- and auxiliaries).
- Match the tense to the idea (present, perfect, past).
- Use polite modals (could, would, can).
- Give full answers (not only "Yes"). Add details: Where? When? How long?