Week 5: Interview Practice: English, Reading & Speaking with Confidence
This week's N-400 warmup covers Parts 7–8: employment and school for the last 5 years, and time outside the U.S. Bring your dates — accuracy here proves continuous residence and physical presence.
Gather before you fill in Parts 7–8
0 / 5 readyHow to work through Parts 7–8
- Start Part 7 with your current job (or 'Unemployed'/'Retired'/'Student') and work backwards 5 years.
- Every month of the last 5 years must be accounted for — no blank stretches.
- In Part 8, write the total number of trips and total days abroad on the first two lines.
- Below, list each trip: date left, date returned, countries visited, and whether it was 6+ months.
- Compare your total days abroad to 913 — under 913 means you meet physical presence.
N-400 Focus
- Practice reading each sentence out loud, slowly, three times
- Practice writing each sentence — say it, then write it, then check spelling
Civics & History
N-400 Interview Prep
This week we focus on how the interview actually sounds. Speaking is graded during the whole conversation, so we practice short, clear answers to the officer's questions. The reading test gives you one sentence to read out loud — you pass if you show you understand it. The writing test gives you one sentence to write — spelling doesn't have to be perfect, but the officer needs to understand what you wrote. We will practice all three today.
N-400 checklist for this week
- Practice reading each sentence out loud, slowly, three times
- Practice writing each sentence — say it, then write it, then check spelling
- Answer sample interview questions in short, clear sentences ('Yes, I do.' / 'No, I have not.')
- If you don't understand a question, say 'Could you please repeat that?' — this is fine
English Lesson
Vocabulary
- Interview
- A meeting where someone asks you questions
- Officer
- A person who works for the government
- Speak
- To say words out loud
- Read
- To look at words and understand them
- Write
- To make words on paper
- Understand
- To know the meaning of something
- Repeat
- To say something again
- Confidence
- Feeling sure of yourself
Example sentences
- The officer asks the questions.
- I read the sentence out loud.
- I write the sentence on paper.
- Please repeat the question.
Read-aloud passage
At the interview, the officer will ask you questions about your N-400. Answer clearly. If you do not understand a question, it is okay to ask the officer to repeat it. You will read one sentence out loud and write one sentence. Take your time and speak with confidence.
Reading & Writing Practice
Read aloud
- The President lives in the White House.
- The people elect Congress.
- Citizens can vote for the President.
Write the sentence
6 questions. Answer them and submit — you only need 4 correct once to move on, but you can retake as many times as you want. Every attempt is saved so you can track your growth.