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Writing
Interviews
A lesson for First Language English
Paper 1 – Question 3
The Extended Response
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Overview of question 3
Extended Response
Question 3 is called the Extended Response
You will write about 2-4 pages, responding to a text
you have read using one of the following text types:
● Letter
● Newspaper report
● Journal
● Speech
● Interview
● Magazine article

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Reading – 15 Marks

Question 3 tests the following reading assessment objectives:

• R1 demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings
• R2 demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes
• R3 analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate
support from the text.

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Writing – 10 Marks

Question 3 tests the following writing assessment objectives:

• W1 articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
• W2 organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect
• W3 use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context
• W4 use register appropriate to context
• W5 make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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Writing advice
VARPF

What do you guess that these words might mean for Cambridge
FLE?
• Voice
• Audience
• Register
• Purpose
• Format

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VARPF
• Voice – who are you writing as? Whose voice are you assuming?
• Audience – who are you writing to?
• Register – how formal or informal should your language be?
• Purpose – why are you writing? To discuss, persuade, argue, inform, entertain,
describe, narrate, analyse?
• Format – what type of text have you been asked to write? A letter, magazine or
a speech?

This is a method of helping you to decide on what writing style will work best for
the task you are given.

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Structure
Introduction • Write about the bullet points equally
• No introduction needed for interview
• Last bullet point is often more implicit
Bullet 1
• Aim to have around 4-6 individual points in
each paragraph
• Don’t copy directly from the text – always
Bullet 2 paraphrase
• Vary your vocabulary, punctuation and
sentencing
• Check SPAG carefully
Bullet 3
• Details – who, what, where, how
• Development – why, feelings, reactions
Conclusion
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Our story
All of the text types will be based on the following
idea:
● School teacher, Samantha Salmon, purposely set off
the school fire alarm to avoid teaching her Year 11
English class. Ms Salmon had been struggling to
control the behaviour in her classes and was going to
be observed that lesson.
● The fire alarm caused chaos in the school and the fire
brigade arrived only to realise that it was a hoax.
● The headteacher initially wrongfully accused a Year 9
boy, Mark Jiang, before Ms Salmon stepped forward to
admit her guilt then publicly resigning from her job.

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Interviews
Interview prompt

Imagine you are a presenter at a local radio

station. You interview the headmaster of
Elmwood High about the events of that day.
Write the words of the interview.

What is your VARPF?

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Usually radio or TV interview

• Interviews for Cambridge don’t mean job interviews!

• It tends to be a radio interview or TV interview with a character in the
text you’ve been given
• Think of a podcast tone – a talk between two people on a given topic
• Formality will depend on the text, the characters and the topic you
have been given, but often because it’s spoken, interviews tend to be
semi-formal

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Only use the three questions

• Cambridge will tell you the three questions your interviewer should
ask the interviewee
• For interviews, those three questions are your bullet points
• Copy down those questions exactly – don’t change them!
• Don’t add in your own questions
• Your interviewee should do 95% of the talking

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Use script format

Layout your interview like a script:

Andy: So, Kayla, tell me why do you love English so much?

Kayla: Well, because of Ms O’Rourke, of course!

You can use stage directions in brackets too (laughs) (nods) (claps)

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Interview’s tone

• … it depends!
• Which character have you been asked to write as? What type of
personality do they have? Who is the audience of their interview?
• Most often the tone is semi-formal since it is using spoken language

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Use spoken language

You can use filler words and thinking words such as:
• Well,
• I guess…
• Huh, I hadn’t thought about that before…
Don’t do this too much or it will sound weird!

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Punctuation

Use a variety of punctuation to make your writing sound more spoken:

• Use ellipses (…) for a pause
• Use a dash (–) to show the speaker has changed the direction of their
sentence
• Use an exclamation mark (!) to place emphasis or show excitement
Again, don’t do this too much or it’ll sound weird.

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Use personal pronouns

• Make it sound like a real conversation by using you, your, yours.

• Have your interviewee speak to the interviewer directly.

Examples:
• You really can’t imagine
• Don’t look so surprised!

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Useful interview phrases
• For those tuning in, I want you to
consider...
• Listeners, keep this in mind as we
discuss...
• To all of you out there, I encourage you to
think about...
• If you're listening right now, I want you to
imagine...
• To everyone joining us, I'm sure you'll
find this interesting...
• I'm sure many of you can relate to...
• As you're listening, you might be
wondering...
• I want to share a perspective that could
resonate with some of you...
• You might be surprised to learn that...
• Consider this a takeaway for each and
every one of you...
• That's an excellent question, and here's
my take on it...
• To answer your question, let me explain...
• Your question touches on something I'm
really passionate about...
• Funny you should ask, because the idea
actually came to me when...

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Interview exemplar (1/3)
Interviewer: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen! We have a rather intriguing story for
you today, fresh from the halls of Elmwood High School. Joining us is the school's
headteacher, Mr. Reginald Wellington. Welcome, Mr. Wellington.
Mr. Wellington: Thank you, thank you, my dear. It's always a pleasure to share my wisdom
and insights with the public.
Interviewer: Mr. Wellington, the incident that unfolded at your school has everyone
talking. Could you shed some light on the events that transpired during the fire alarm
incident?
Mr. Wellington: Ah, yes, the "fiery escape" as they're calling it. You see, my dear, it all
started with our darling Ms. Salmon, a teacher who seemed to have lost her way in the
labyrinth of classroom management. She was facing a rather daunting observation and,
well, I suppose she thought pulling the fire alarm was the best way to avoid the impending
scrutiny. Quite the audacious move, I must say!

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Interview exemplar (2/3)

Interviewer: It certainly was a dramatic turn of events. Speaking of which, the blame
initially fell on a Year 9 student, Mark Jiang. How did that happen, and what does this
incident tell us about the school's disciplinary measures?
Mr. Wellington: Ah, Mark Jiang, poor lad. It was a classic case of misunderstanding, I
assure you. In the chaos that ensued, the poor boy found himself in the spotlight, not for
his own doing, mind you. It's a reminder that we must always be thorough in our
investigations, a lesson we shall take to heart in our ongoing efforts to maintain discipline
and order within our beloved institution.
Interviewer: Of course, of course. And who was it that accused Mark then?
Mr. Wellington: Never mind that now. All water under the bridge, as they say.

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Interview exemplar (3/3)

Interviewer: And finally, Mr. Wellington, the resignation of Ms. Salmon was a surprising
development. How do you see this incident affecting the future of Elmwood High School?
Mr. Wellington: Well, my dear, I believe every cloud has a silver lining, and Ms. Salmon's
resignation, while abrupt, may offer an opportunity for fresh ideas and a renewed sense of
dedication within our staff. It's crucial that we strive for excellence, and this incident has
certainly provided us with a moment for reflection. The future of Elmwood High School,
rest assured, will continue to shine brighter than ever before.
Interviewer: Thank you, Mr. Wellington, for your insights into this fascinating tale from
Elmwood High School. It seems the dramatic world of education always keeps us on our
toes!

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Independent task
Independent task
● Write a headline and the opening paragraph
for a magazine article.
● You can make up any extra details or
information you like.

Story: Haggleton, a seaside town, recently suffered

from an oil spill, which killed many wildlife,
including fish and seagulls. The culprit was a local
oil company who polluted the sea. A high school
student, Aiden Smith, rallied together staff and
students to clean up the beach, save the wildlife
and petition to have the oil company shut down.

● Student at Aiden’s school writes about the

issue in student magazine

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Reflect

✓ Is your headline emotive and dramatic?

✓ Circle your 5Ws: who, what, where, when, why
✓ Where did you use pronouns to address your
fellow students?
✓ Highlight any semi-formal phrases
✓ Underline any magazine phrases you used.
E.g. “As the story unfolds…”

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