Practice: CEFR Grammatical Criterial Features and Interview Preparation

Exercise 1 can be used with high beginners (A2) for direct question practice. Exercise 2 is
intended for indirect question practice with low intermediate students (B1). Exercise 3 targets
reported speech with high intermediate students (B2).

Exercise 1. Prepare to interview a community leader who has begun an organization to

help young children learn to read. Write appropriate questions. Example: Who do you work
with at your organization?
1. What _____________________________________________________________?

2. Why _____________________________________________________________?

3. Where _____________________________________________________________?

4. When _____________________________________________________________?

5. How many _____________________________________________________________?

6. How often _____________________________________________________________?

Exercise 2. Prepare to interview a community leader who has begun an organization to

help young children learn to read. Write appropriate indirect questions. Example: Can you
tell me who you work with at your organization?
1. Would you mind telling me what ____________________________________________?

2. Can you tell me why _____________________________________________________?

3. I was wondering where ____________________________________________________.

4. Could you tell me when ___________________________________________________?

5. Do you know how many __________________________________________________?

6. __________________ how often ___________________________________________?

Exercise 3. A community leader has spoken to you about her work. Report what you have
learned using a reporting verb such as say, tell, indicate, comment, reveal, reply, observe,
and remark. Example: I work with reading tutors. She mentioned that she worked with
reading tutors.
1. I help young children learn to read.

2. I started the organization because I saw that some children are not prepared for
kindergarten.

3. We meet with the children at a room in the library.

By [NICOLE BRUN-MERCER] © Cambridge University Press 2021

 4. Last year we met on weekends, but this year we are meeting in the afternoon.

5. About 30 children have participated in the program over the last two years.

6. I suggest that children read every day.

By [NICOLE BRUN-MERCER] © Cambridge University Press 2021