A transcript records an exchange between speakers. An interview answer may report an event, express a preference, offer an estimate or correct the question itself. Identify who says each thing and how strongly they state it.
An answer is not automatically false because it is spoken, nor automatically verified because it appears in a transcript. The wording of the comprehension question determines whether you need to report a speaker's view or assess the evidence behind it.
Read the original practice interview
This fictional exchange was written for this guide.
Interviewer: Why did every pupil support the new garden project?
Coordinator: I wouldn't say every pupil supported it. Thirty pupils attended the first meeting. Several were enthusiastic, but two asked whether it would take space from the games area.
Interviewer: Has the garden improved lunchtime for the whole school?
Coordinator: Some pupils have told me they enjoy watering it. We haven't asked everyone yet. I hope it gives more pupils a place they like spending time.
Interviewer: What will you do next?
Coordinator: We'll collect feedback before deciding whether to extend the beds.
Notice assumptions inside questions
The first question assumes every pupil supported the project. The coordinator explicitly rejects that wording. Do not treat the interviewer's premise as a fact established elsewhere in the text.
What does the coordinator say about the first meeting? Thirty pupils attended, with a mixture of enthusiasm and concerns reported. Attendance alone does not establish support, and “several” does not identify an exact number.
Separate an observation from a hope
Which statement describes something the coordinator hopes for rather than an established outcome?
- A. Thirty pupils attended the first meeting.
- B. Two pupils raised a concern about space.
- C. Some pupils said they enjoy watering the garden.
- D. More pupils will have a place they like spending time.
Answer: D. “I hope” presents the desired outcome. A, B and C are reports made by the coordinator. The transcript supplies those reports; it does not independently audit them.
An answer can be correctly identified as a reported event without claiming that the reader has verified it outside the passage.
Follow qualifications
“Some pupils” is narrower than “the whole school”. “We haven't asked everyone” places a limit on what the coordinator knows. Removing those phrases would overstate the answer.
A useful summary is: “Some pupils have given positive feedback, but broader feedback has not yet been collected.” It preserves both the observation and its limitation.
Identify the purpose of a follow-up
The final question moves the conversation towards future action. The answer explains that feedback will come before a decision about expansion.
We cannot conclude that expansion is approved. A stated plan to gather information is different from the outcome of that process. Check whether the question asks about a present result, a future intention or a decision already made.
Keep interpretation proportionate
The coordinator's correction may suggest care about accuracy, but it does not establish that the interviewer deliberately tried to mislead anyone. Likewise, a hesitant phrase need not show dishonesty. Avoid inventing motives from a single conversational feature.
During practice, label each statement with its speaker and type: report, opinion, hope, question or plan. Then practise summarising the exchange without losing important qualifications.
For related work, explore critical reading, non-fiction comprehension and autobiographical accounts. Find sample reading sections through QASMT or BSHS.