How an interview flows

A good interview flows like a conversation. Two kinds of words help:

• Linkers connect what one speaker says to what the other said. They may be pronouns like 'that' or 'which', or a repeated word. When Eco says something about his age, Mukund picks up the same words, for example, 'Over 40...', to link his next question.
• Signallers warn the listener that the topic is about to change: 'Which brings me to my next question', 'But let me tell you another story'.

Without them, the conversation would sound jumpy and unconnected.

When you write a report of an interview, write in the third person ('He said that...') and the past tense, and keep only the main points, not every word.

A good interviewer asks about the person's public work and ideas, and respects their private life.